Composer

:

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1787

Publication Date

:

1985

Average_duration

:

11:54

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's "Free Fantasia, for keyboard in F sharp minor, H. 300, Wq. 67" was composed in 1787, towards the end of the composer's life. The piece was premiered in Hamburg, Germany, where Bach was working as the music director of the city's five main churches. The "Free Fantasia" is a single-movement work that is characterized by its improvisatory nature. The piece is written in F sharp minor, a key that was often associated with melancholy and introspection in the Baroque and Classical periods. The opening section of the piece is marked "Adagio," and features a slow, mournful melody that is played in the right hand. The left hand provides a simple accompaniment that consists of broken chords. As the piece progresses, Bach introduces a number of different themes and motifs, which are developed and transformed throughout the work. The middle section of the piece is marked "Allegro," and features a faster, more energetic melody that is played in the right hand. The left hand provides a more complex accompaniment that includes rapid arpeggios and runs. The final section of the piece is marked "Adagio," and returns to the slow, mournful melody of the opening section. However, Bach introduces a number of new elements in this section, including a series of chromatic runs and a more complex harmonic structure. The piece ends with a final flourish in the right hand, which is accompanied by a series of descending chords in the left hand. Overall, the "Free Fantasia" is a highly expressive and virtuosic work that showcases Bach's skill as a keyboard composer. The piece is notable for its improvisatory nature, which allows the performer to interpret and develop the themes in their own way.

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