Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784) was the eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and born in Weimar where his father was employed by the Duke of Saxe-Weimar. While W.F had recognised talents as player and composer, he struggled to emerge from his father's shadow as Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian were able to do, and he only had intermittent employment and died in poverty.
This 1970 record of music by Bach Family members (with a painting of W.F. on the cover) has two works by Wilhelm Friedemann - a Sinfonia and a Harpsichord Concerto. The sleeve notes are only in German, but using Google Translate, the notes pertaining to these works, and Raymond Leppard, are as follows:
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Wilhelm Friedemann Bach was Johann Sebastian Bach's first son from his first marriage to Maria Barbara. He was born in Weimar in 1710. His considerable musical talents were initially encouraged at home by his father. He later studied at Leipzig University, where he matriculated in 1729. It appears that he led an unhappy life, changing jobs quite often and sometimes not having any employment at all for long periods of time. Added to this were his drinking, plagiarism trials and an unhappy marriage. He finally died totally impoverished in 1784.
More than any of his brothers, or so it seems, Wilhelm Friedemann suffered musically from the conflict that arose from the coexistence of two styles, namely the older contrapuntal style of his father and the new galant style that had originated in Italy . Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach managed to develop his own, passionate style out of this confusion; Johann Christian was young enough to make the new style his own, but Wilhelm Friedemann could not cope with the problem and so his music tended sometimes in this direction and sometimes in the other direction. The result is occasionally quite fascinating. In addition to a few cantatas and an opera, his other compositions mainly consist of works for keyboard instruments with or without an orchestra and a number of string symphonies.
Sinfonia in F Major
This Sinfonia, in which there are many lively and delightful passages, is a good example of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's mixing of different styles, because this work is actually neither a symphony nor a symphonia, but a suite with symphonic elements. The first movement begins with a characteristic French overture in a dotted rhythm, but as it progresses it changes intention several times and ends in a manner typical of the sonata form, with a cadenza on the dominant. The slow movement is in the cantabile style more familiar to Italy and is followed by a lively movement in duple time. This Sinfonia should actually end here, but Wilhelm Friedemann remembers the French overture (suite) from the beginning and brings two minuets to the end of the work.
Harpsichord concerto in F minor
The present harpsichord concerto in F minor appears much more unified, the intensity of which brings to mind the younger brother, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. The first movement is essentially based on the impressive motif with which the violins immediately begin. This opening is presented here almost in the manner of an Italian concerto, as a tutti that at times interrupts the movement and in which the modulations through which the music goes through are carried out. In between, the solo harpsichord processes this and new material. The slow movement begins with a wonderful arioso from the violins, which is picked up and continued by the harpsichord, in which the violins also occasionally take part and finally bring about the conclusion. In the finale, the tension of the first movement returns, but this time the movement is in a simple but true sonata form. The harpsichord takes up the introductory tutti and modulates to the relative major key to introduce the second theme with its rushing triplets. The orchestra ends the exposition with a repetition of the first theme in the relative major key. In the development, new motifs initially appear in the harpsichord part, but the violins soon continue to develop the main theme against the triplet figure. The development comes to an end with a short cadenza from the soloist and is followed by a recapitulation of the exposition in F minor.
RAYMOND LEPPARD
Raymond Leppard studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and was later (from 1958 to 1968) a scholarship holder and university lecturer in music. A close relationship with the English Chamber Orchestra has existed since the ensemble was founded. He has conducted this orchestra in numerous concerts throughout the UK and has undertaken many very successful overseas tours with it, including five weeks to Central and South America, and conducted the ensemble's concerts at the festivals in Baalbek, Flanders and Lucerne. Raymond Leppard has performed with all the famous British symphony orchestras and has appeared as a guest conductor with many major orchestras on the European continent. In November 1969 he made his debut in the United States of America as conductor of a concert by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the Philharmonic Hall in New York. Both as a scholar and as a conductor, Raymond Leppard is a recognised authority on 17th-century music and has worked hard to bring this music to a wider audience. He has already performed numerous new adaptations of various works from the 17th century, including Monteverdi's opera, "L'incoronazione di Poppea" at the Glyndebourne Festival and at Den Norske Opera in Oslo. In 1967 and 1968 he conducted on the his production of Cavalli's opera, "L'Ormindo" at the Glyndebourne Festival; This production was later shown several times at the Cuvillier Theater in Munich. In 1970 he conducted two opera productions at Glyndebourne, Cavalli's "La Calisto", on which his own new edition is based, and the world premiere of Nicholas Maw's "The Rising of the Moon". For several years Raymond Leppard was also musical advisor to the Royal Shakespeare Company and during this time he wrote the incidental music for various new productions. He also composed the music for three films. In 1969 he gave the Italian lecture at the British Academy and was appointed to the jury of the Leeds International Piano Competition in the same year. Raymond Leppard has directed numerous outstanding recordings for Philips, for which he has received international awards and prizes. In 1965 he received a Grand Prix Jacques Rouché de L'Académie du Disque Français for the record "Baroque Arien" with the French baritone Gérard Souzay and the English Chamber Orchestra. His interpretation of Handel's Concerti grossi op. 6 with the same orchestra was counted "Audio and Record Review" magazine named it the best recordings of 1967. In 1969, the recording of Handel's Concerti a due cori, also with the English Chamber Orchestra, was awarded the coveted Edison and recently the record with Sinfonias by Johann Christian Bach, which is also included in this edition won the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros.
Cartridge: Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star
Phono amp: Graham Slee Accession MC
Turntable: CTC Classic 301 with SME M2-12R
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