Keith Jarrett: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Keith Jarrett's affinity for the classics is well known. His solo piano and keyboard recordings in the genre include the music of Mozart, Shostakovich, Barber, Gurdjieff, Handel, Bartók, and others. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is Jarrett's sweet spot with eight recordings—mostly two-disc sets—dominating his classical portfolio. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, features the work of another Bach, Johann's son.

ECM issues this previously unreleased 1994 material, consisting of eighteen sonatas, as part of an ongoing deep-dive into the hidden treasures of Jarrett's most prolific period. CPE Bach stood out as an influential figure in the transition from the Baroque to Classical era of the mid-eighteenth century. Among casual listeners, the younger Bach may not be as familiar as his father, but his compositions, sonatas in particular, have been widely recorded. Jarrett takes the unusual step of translating these harpsichord pieces to the piano.

This exceptional recording showcases the pianist's ability to capture the emotional depth of each moment in the sonatas. There are unique characteristics in CPE Bach's music; it is spirited but understated, given to unexpected tempo changes, and remarkable resourcefulness. Through Jarrett, these qualities are beautifully conveyed, as the pianist shares many of these characteristics in his approach to his improvised music. Three pieces which exemplify Bach's subtle baroque-classical hybrid are "Sonata III in E minor, Allegro," "Adagio," and "Vivace." Here Jarrett paints a fine line from the improvisational nature of baroque to the lighter, cleaner classical style.

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach is intriguing throughout its ninety minutes. Jarrett has distinctive senses of balance and imagination and a deep respect for these multifaceted scores' improvisatory, animated nature. His typical approach to the classics is to respectfully let the original music speak for itself but here there are rhythmic improvisations that go a small way beyond other interpretations of CPE Bach's music. More than many of his classical projects, these compositions align with Jarrett's exploratory nature; an erudite use of counterpoint and meter, and effortlessness in the adaptation of classics for a modern audience.