galant style

A lighter, more melodically elegant style that emerged in the mid-18th century in reaction to the learned complexity of the Baroque. W.F. Bach occupies an uneasy position between his father's strict contrapuntal world and the galant aesthetic of his contemporaries — his polonaises and some sonata movements show galant melodic grace, while his fantasias and fugues remain rooted in Baroque density.

In W.F. Bach's galant moments — the more lyrical polonaises, the singing slow movements of the sonatas — allow the melody to project clearly above the accompaniment and keep the texture lighter than you would in J.S. Bach. The melodic line should charm rather than argue.