Harmonia Mundi's well-packed, well-recorded C.P.E. Bach CD certainly whets the appetite for more of this amazing composer. The second son of J. S., Carl Philipp Emanuel blazed new paths with his unorthodox approaches to form, counterpoint, and especially emotional expression, developing a style that to modern ears points forward to the romantic era. The three symphonies (from 1741 and 1756) share similar traits of extremes of tempo, abrupt transitions, shocking contrasts, and completely unheard of modulations. Even today's listeners can be caught off-guard by Bach's bracing originality.

Turning to the two concertante works, the 1750 Cello Concerto is the far more radical. The furious first movement is a perfect example of Bach's innovations with the concertante form: the tight interplay between the soloist (a fire-breathing Peter Bruns) and orchestra resembles the rapid-fire exchanges of a heated discussion, completely at odds with the polite conversation typified by the conventional concertos of the day, a category into which even Bach's much earlier (1720), far less explosive, but no less brilliant Harpsichord Concerto (exquisitely played by Raphael Alpermann) does not fit. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin scores a triumph with these fresh, powerful, and ever-stylish performances that even long-time connoisseurs shouldn't be without. And if you're new to C.P.E., you're in for a pleasant surprise.

--Victor Carr Jr