WF Bach 6 Duets for Two Flutes

W. F. Bach (1710-1784) was the eldest son of J.S. and Maria Barbara Bach, known for his compositions during the transition period between Baroque and Rococo styles.

His musical training primarily came from his father, who wrote a collection of delightful keyboard pieces called “Klavier-büchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach” when he was just ten years old. He also studied the violin and later attended Leipzig University in 1729. By 1733, he was already composing extensively and became the organist at the Church of St. Sophia in Dresden.

In 1746, he moved to the Liebfrauenkirche in Halle. However, after his father’s death in 1750, he began facing personality difficulties, marked by excessive drinking and other lapses. After a late marriage in 1751, he became restless and unsuccessfully sought a change of position in 1753 and 1758. In 1762, he secured a position at the Darmstadt court but did not take it up. He resigned from his old post in Halle in 1764 and spent the next 20 years seeking steady employment, facing personal challenges and doubts about his talents.

In 1774, he settled in Berlin, making a living through recitals and teaching. His compositions mainly consisted of keyboard works and cantatas, with some symphonies, chamber works, and an opera. His music showed a mix of Baroque and Rococo styles, often displaying passion and unpredictability in melody, harmony, and rhythm.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wilhelm-Friedemann-Bach