570474bk JC Bach US:570034bk Hasse 16/6/08 4:44 PM Page 4 Susan Alexander-Max Johann Christian and Native of New York City, the internationally renowned fortepianist, Susan Alexander-Max is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. She was finalist in the International Bach Competition, and a student of Ilona Kabos. She has Johann Christoph Friedrich appeared in prestigious venues and festivals throughout the world, and as recording artist, she has been featured on international television and radio, including BBC Radio 3. She has recorded chamber music by Hummel, early piano Sonatas by Clementi and the complete keyboard works, book 2, by Zipoli. She is founder of the period instrument BACH ensemble, The Music Collection. The Music Collection Keyboard Concertos Founded in 1996 by fortepianist, Susan Alexander-Max, The Music Collection is a chamber ensemble that specialises in the performance of eighteenth and early nineteenth century repertoire focusing around the fortepiano, performed on The Music Collection period instruments. The size of the ensemble is dependent on the repertoire being performed. The Music Collection has been presented in International Music Festivals, museums and Universities world-wide, and is featured regularly Susan Alexander-Max, Fortepiano on the London stages. For this recording Susan Alexander-Max is joined by violinists Simon Standage and Nicolette Moonen, violist Trevor Jones and cellist Jennifer Ward Clarke. As they enter into the world of J.C. Bach, The Music Simon Standage, Nicolette Moonen, Violins Collection offers you their expertise and a genuine sense of style and interpretation. Trevor Jones, Viola • Jennifer Ward Clarke, Cello C M Y Susan Alexander-Max Jessica Max K 8.570474 4 570474bk JC Bach US:570034bk Hasse 16/6/08 4:44 PM Page 2 Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782) pasages. This means that the piano is playing throughout: became more and more distinct. One other difference that Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732–1795) it plays the figured bass to accompany the orchestra as springs to mind is the scoring. These concertos include a Keyboard Concertos well as its own solo part. viola as part of the orchestra, whereas Opus 13 is scored The Concerto in B flat, Op.13, No.4, is the fourth of the only for two violins and cello, with optional wind. After The youngest surviving son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Christian’s music was widely heard in London same group. In its time it was the favourite one of the set a little research, I discovered that it is now thought that Johann Christian represents the link between the baroque and his position as the English Bach won increasing and was made all the more special when Haydn arranged both these concertos are considered to have been and the classical worlds. His early training was with his recognition, ensuring him the greatest success of the it for solo piano, ten years after Bach’s death. This piece composed by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, who made father, Johann Sebastian, and his elder half brother, Carl musical Bach family during his lifetime. Greatly had great public appeal; it was not only the charm of the his career at the cultured court of Count Wilhelm of Philipp Emanuel, before deciding to leave for Italy where influenced by his studies in Italy and in Italian style, he galant and the song-like tenderness of the slow movement, Schaumburg-Lippe in Bückeburg, thus unravelling the he studied with Padre Martini. In Italy he converted to became known as the master of the galant. This was a but the set of variations that Johann Christian composed for mystery for us (see Collected Works of J.C. Bach, ed. Catholicism, and became organist of Milan Cathedral. It term applied to the style that developed in the latter half of the third movement which he based on the Scottish song, Ernest Warburton). These concertos were published by was during this period that he composed a good deal of the eighteenth century, suggesting a return to classical The Yellow-haired Laddie. Hartknoch of Riga in the 1770s. In his catalogue sacred music. In 1762 Johann Christian travelled to simplicity after the complexity of the late Baroque era. In The other two concertos on this disc have been Warburton informs us that “Ulrich Leisinger has now England, where he quickly turned to composing opera and very simple terms, it meant simpler music, with less attributed to Johann Christian Bach and were always shown beyond reasonable doubt that the Concerto in E soon became a leading figure in London’s musical world. ornamentation, more importance placed on the melody, believed to have been composed by him about the years flat’s true composer is J.C.F. Bach”, and the Concerto in It was not long before he was invited to become composer and less on the bass line. The phrases tended to be of 1770/1771 as part of the Opus 7 set of keyboard concertos. A, the second of the two Hartknoch concertos, is also now to the King’s Theatre in London and also music master to regular length, and the harmonic vocabulary emphasized They are both very different in character to the concertos known to be by Johann Christoph Friedrich. the Queen. Together with his colleague and fellow principally the tonic and dominant. It was, in many ways, of Opus 13, and while rehearsing these pieces, we took it What evolved from the exercise was just how composer Carl Friedrich Abel he established the famous a reaction against the more elaborate and pretentious in turns to try to decide who the composer might be, innovative Johann Christian’s music was, and how clearly Bach-Abel concerts. Baroque style. because they did not feel or sound like Johann Christian. one could see why he continued to gain favour as a In 1764 he met the very young Mozart, who was Johann Christian’s ability to make the new fortepiano Both concertos sound like the work of C.P.E. Bach or like composer. His music marked the liaison between baroque travelling with his father in England. Johann Christian his own won even more favour in public circles. Indeed, Johann Christoph Friedrich’s Sinfonias, with a brilliance and classical; it established the foundation upon which became Mozart’s mentor and lifelong friend. Mozart whilst Clementi was still performing on the old and a melodic buoyancy that prevails. Straightforward, if classicism would flourish, and, of notable importance was thought so highly of Johann Christian’s piano sonatas that harpsichord in London, Johann Christian was charming not a little old-fashioned, they are certainly entertaining that it was music that was especially suited for its social he arranged some of these pieces as concertos. He was his audiences with the new keyboard. Composed in the concertos. It made me realise that, whilst, by today’s purpose. This, in the eighteenth century, was a recipe for also known to have quoted him in several other of his own 1770s, his keyboard concertos represent some of the best modern piano standards, the work of Johann Christian may success. works, in symphonies, for example, and in The Magic examples of all his keyboard works and incorporate all seem over-simple, it was, in its day, quite forward looking. Flute. that was admired in their day. All in three movements, the The differences between Opus 13 and these concertos © 2008 Susan Alexander-Max Charles Burney writes of him in his General History of traditional fast – slow – fast, they are stylish and elegant, Music: Mr. Bach’s first opera in England, called ‘Orione, graceful and galant. Johann Christian wooed his audiences O sia Diana vendicata,’ was honoured with the presence using the grace and charm of the Italian style whilst Get this free download from Classicsonline! of their Majesties on the first night, February the 19th, involving and intertwining the folk elements of his Haydn: Piano Concerto in F Major: Finale-Presto 1763, and extremely applauded. Every judge of Music adoptive country. How better to please the Queen! Copy this Promotion Code NaxYFzxLshEy and go to http://www.classicsonline.com/mpkey/hay53_main. perceived the emanations of genius throughout the whole The Concerto in D major, Op.13, No.2, is the second performance; but were chiefly struck with the richness of of a set of six piano concertos published in 1777, under the Downloading Instructions the harmony, the ingenious texture of the parts, and, above title: “A Third Sett of Six Concertos for the Harpsichord, 1 Log on to Classicsonline. If you do not have a Classicsonline account yet, please register at all, with the new and happy use he had made of wind- or PianoForte. With Accompaniments for two Violins and http://www.classicsonline.com/UserLogIn/SignUp.aspx. instruments: this being the first time that clarinets had a Bass, two Hautboys and two French Horns ad Libitum. 2 Enter the Promotion Code mentioned above. admission in our opera orchestra. Their Majesties Humbly Dedicated to Mrs. Pelham and composed by John 3 On the next screen, click on “Add to My Downloads”. honoured the second representation likewise with their Christian Bach Music Master to Her Majesty the Queen of presence, and no other serious opera was wanting for near Great Britain”. It was the custom in all of his concertos three months. for the pianoforte to play the figured bass in orchestral 8.570474 2 3 8.570474 570474bk JC Bach US:570034bk Hasse 16/6/08 4:44 PM Page 2 Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782) pasages. This means that the piano is playing throughout: became more and more distinct.