# Johann Christian Bach



## clavichorder

Another Bach son. I've fallen in love with his keyboard sonatas, even though that is by no means the cornerstone of his output. There are these nice recordings on youtube on the clavichord.
I've since learned this one




a few others








And this one has a melody that melts my heart somehow, played on the harpsichord





And the same D major op 5 on the piano





I think that those are the only sets of keyboard sonatas he ever published, so just 12 that I know of, 6 sonatas op 5 and 6 sonatas op 17.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

I really enjoy J. C. Bach's music. Everything about it was so modern for its time - he was the only son of J. S. Bach who wrote operas and totally embraced the new galant style, as a Bach family rebel (unlike W. F. Bach who switched back and forth between the new and old, or C . P. E. Bach who was generally conservative though blending the old with the new). Friend of the Mozarts, and influencing the young Mozart, whose early works were virtually indistinguishable with J. C. Bach's.

_The English Bach_, portrait by Thomas Gainsborough (1776)


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## clavichorder

He was certainly the guy for gallant music and quite the family rebel as you said. His melodies are very sweet and his use of alberti bass is always called for, very sleek and CLEAN music. CPE once said his brother's music lacked depth and lumped him together with Schobert as being the new in and fashionable composer that had no staying power. I believe CPE had a few unresolved family issues that made him overly harsh a critic of his brother. Many listeners find that J.C. has a more listenable melody than either of the eldest two brothers.



, and that C minor sonata is stormier than he usually gets. All these sonatas predate the Mozart sonatas, which I find remarkable.

If anyone knows any good orchestral pieces of J.C. Bach I'd love to hear them.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

clavichorder said:


> And this one has a melody that melts my heart somehow, played on the harpsichord


Yes, that's exactly Bach's galant style that we are discussing. Charming, sleek and very clean as you put it.

I love this piece. It's a duet for two keyboards, played here on square-pianos (a domestic, quieter version of the fortepiano), by Christopher Hogwood and Christophe Rousset. Don't be tempted to turn up the volume because the square-pianos are much more quiet instruments (similar to the clavichord versus the louder harpsichord).


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## haydnfan

I have some concertos of JC Bach, I really enjoy them. I think that anyone that enjoys early Mozart would enjoy JC Bach.


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## Tommy494

Microrchestra Plays Bach
A very interesting group in which classical and modern music are combined




Enjoy yourself!!!!


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## Messiaen

JC Bach is the most amiable Bach. it is always gratifying to listen his music when I am tired of JS Bach.


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## clavichorder

Wow that has a lot of views! It doesn't strike me as profoundly as that grand melody I cited above, but it is very nice to listen to, its thicker with counterpoint than usual.


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## Vaneyes

Recent article on "The London Bach".

http://www.theguardian.com/music/20...ssical-opera-adriano-in-siria-britten-theatre


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## KenOC

Nice article Vaneyes, thanks. London Bach also gets mention in Patrick O'Brian's books on the Napoleonic Wars -- Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey often stops by Bach's store while ashore to buy scores to be played at sea, either solo or in duet with surgeon (and cellist) Stephen Maturin. There is a great scene where Aubrey, who has bought a manuscript of what is apparently Sebastian Bach's Chaconne, becomes so disturbed when practicing it that he has to put it aside.

JC Bach outlived the popularity of his music. Also, he had most of his wealth embezzled and died in London in considerable debt. A sad story.


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