empfindsamer Stil
German composer
Definition
The 'sensitive style' — the dominant keyboard aesthetic of mid-18th-century North Germany, associated above all with C.P.E. Bach and W.F. Bach. Characterised by sudden dynamic contrasts, unexpected harmonic turns, expressive melodic sighs and hesitations, and a deeply personal, quasi-improvisatory quality that stands in deliberate contrast to the learned contrapuntal style of J.S. Bach.
Interpretive Guidance
In empfindsamer Stil playing, emotional surprise is the primary expressive tool. Lean into unexpected harmonies rather than resolving them quickly — let the listener feel the strangeness before moving on. Dynamic contrasts should be abrupt, not gradual. The character should feel spontaneous and confessional rather than composed.