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Solfeggietto in C minor, H. 220
First edition · Hamburg: C. P. E. Bach & M. C. Bock, 1770 (Musikalisches Vielerley)
History
Composed around 1766, the Solfeggietto in C minor, H. 220, is one of the most famous keyboard works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, a central figure of the Empfindsamer Stil (Sensitive Style). This aesthetic movement, situated between the Baroque and Classical periods, emphasizes emotional intensity, sudden contrasts, and expressive freedom. Although frequently used today as a technical study, the piece was not conceived as a mere exercise. It reflects C.P.E. Bach’s innovative approach to keyboard writing, favoring expressive gesture and dramatic tension over strict contrapuntal discipline. The Solfeggietto illustrates the stylistic transition away from Baroque formalism toward the emotional directness that would influence Haydn, Mozart, and early Classical composers.
Structure
The work is written in a continuous single-section form, driven by rapid semiquaver motion and a strong rhythmic pulse. Repeated arpeggiated figures create a sense of perpetual motion and urgency throughout the piece. Harmonic tension is sustained through sequences, brief modulations, and sudden dynamic contrasts. Despite its brevity, the Solfeggietto demands clarity, finger independence, and precise articulation, while conveying the dramatic propulsion characteristic of the Empfindsamer Stil.
Original title
Solfeggietto
In the Repertoire since
2021
Publicly performed