Affektenlehre

The Doctrine of Affects — the Baroque-era theory that music should express and arouse specific emotions (Affekte). CPE Bach inherited this framework from J.S. Bach but transformed it: where Baroque Affekte were sustained throughout a movement, his Empfindsamer Stil introduced rapid shifts between contrasting emotions.

Be alert to sudden affective contrasts — a phrase that begins cantabile may abruptly become turbulent within two bars. These contrasts are deliberate and should be played fully, not smoothed over.