In the 18th century, when you said "Bach" it wasn't Johann Sebastian you were talking about, but his son, Carl Philipp Emanuel. An official member of Frederick the Great's Prussian musical establishment, C. P. E. Bach was the greatest keyboard virtuoso of his age. He wrote the definitive treatise on keyboard technique and the art of ornamentation, and presided over the transition from the Baroque to the Classical styles. His own compositions are numerous and of extremely high quality, though not at all well known today. His concertos, symphonies, and sonatas are noteworthy for their unpredictable and highly emotional--indeed almost Romantic--intensity. This inexpensive disc makes an ideal introduction to a composer whose works are enjoying a major revival. Come and hear why! --David Hurwitz