March 8, 1714:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach is born in Weimar in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, the fifth of seven children born to Johann Sebastian Bach (28), Konzertmeister to Duke Wilhelm Ernst, and Maria Barbara Bach, daughter of a musician. Johann Sebastian will have 13 children by another marriage.
October 1, 1753:
Oden mit Melodien is published in Berlin. It is a very influential collection of songs by some of the foremost composers in Germany, including Georg Philipp Telemann (72), Johann Gottlieb Graun (50), Carl Heinrich Graun (49), and CPE Bach (39).
March 26, 1755:
Der Tod Jesu, a passion cantata by Karl Heinrich Graun (51) to words of Ramler after Princess Amalia, is performed for the first time, at the Berlin Cathedral. The continuo part is played by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (41). His brother, Johann Christian Bach (19), is in the audience.
July 9, 1755:
Johann Gottlob Harrer, Cantor of the Thomasschule in Leipzig and successor to Johann Sebastian Bach (†4), dies. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (41) will apply for the position, but will not win it.
February 1, 1758:
Geistliche Oden und Lieder for voice and keyboard by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (43), to words of Gellert, are published in Berlin.
November 3, 1767:
On the second ballot, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (53) is chosen to succeed his godfather, Georg Philipp Telemann (†0) as musical director for the five principal churches in Hamburg. Bach receives twelve votes, Christian Friedrich Rolle of Magdeburg receives eleven.
November 6, 1767:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (53) is officially appointed musical director of the five principal churches in Hamburg. He succeeds Telemann (†0). Bach will not arrive to take up his post until next March.
November 13, 1767:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (53) writes to the Hamburg Senate accepting his appointment to the post of musical director of the five major churches in the city.
April 2, 1768:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (54) begins duties as director of sacred music in Hamburg on Easter Sunday. He will not be officially inaugurated until 19 April.
April 19, 1768:
Amid great ceremony in St. Catherine’s Church, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (54) is inaugurated to his post in Hamburg as kantor of the Johanneum and director of music in the five principal churches.
April 28, 1768:
In the Drillhaus, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (54) directs the first of many public concerts he will give in Hamburg, often performing on harpsichord and clavichord.
October 31, 1768:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (54) gives his first subscription concert in Hamburg.
February 5, 1769:
A Saint Matthew Passion by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (54) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
November 1, 1769:
Die Israeliten in der Wüste, an oratorio by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (55) to words of Schiebeler, is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
November 7, 1773:
Freuet euch, ihr Kinder Zions, an inauguration cantata by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (59) to words of Müller, is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
September 14, 1774:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (60) announces the publication of his oratorio Die Israeliten in der Wüste in the Hamburgischer Unpartheyischer Correspondent .
September 28, 1775:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (61) writes to Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia sending him several compositions hoping to have them performed.
December 31, 1775:
The first performance of George Frideric Handel’s (†16) Messiah in German takes place in Hamburg, conducted by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (61).
September 5, 1776:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (62) writes to Charles Burney, thanking him for sending the first volume of Burney’s A General History of Music.
September 7, 1781:
Funeral Music for F. Doormann by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (67) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
July 12, 1782:
Jan Ladislav Dussek (22) gives a concert in Hamburg where he meets Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (68).
April 27, 1783:
Amen, Lob und Preis und Stärke, a chorus for Quasimodogeniti by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (69) to words of Sturm, is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
December 28, 1783:
Morgengesang am Schöpfungsfeste by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (69) to words of Klopstock, is performed publicly for the first time, in Hamburg.
April 15, 1785:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (70) sends the manuscript of Clavier-Sonaten und Freye Fantasien nebst einigen Rondos für Fortepiano für Kenner und Liebhaber to his publisher Breitkopf.
January 10, 1786:
Funeral Music for A. Schulte by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (71) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
January 21, 1786:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (71) writes to Johann Joachim Eschenburg about Charles Burney’s Handel (†26) Commemoration, which Eschenburg sent to him. He disagrees with many assertions by Burney and finds Handel wanting in comparison to Johann Adolf Hasse (†2), Carl Heinrich Graun (†26), Reihard Keiser (†46) and his father, Johann Sebastian Bach (†36). He also reports to Eschenburg that “I recently burned a ream and more of old works of mine and am glad that they are no more.” (Wolff, CPE Bach, 214)
April 9, 1786:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (72) gives the last of his public (unofficial) concerts in Hamburg, including some movements from J.S. Bach (†35) and Handel (†26) as well as his own Magnificat, Heilig for double choir H778 and a symphony.
October 26, 1786:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (72) sends the manuscript of his Clavier Sonaten und Freye Fantasien nebst einigen Rondos fürs Fortepiano für Kenner und Liebhaber... (volume 6) to his publisher Breitkopf.
January 9, 1788:
The Hamburgischer unpartheyischer Correspondent publishes a review of Johann Nikolaus Forkel’s Allgemeine Geschichte der Musik by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (74).
November 25, 1788:
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (74) writes his last extant letter, to Johann Jacob Heinrich Westphal. He mentions that he has been sick for almost two months but that things are getting better.
December 14, 1788:
22:00 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach dies of a “chest ailment” (probably tuberculosis) in the Free Imperial City of Hamburg, aged 74 years, nine months, and six days.
December 19, 1788:
The earthly remains of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach are laid to rest in the vault of St. Michael’s Church, Hamburg.
April 14, 1982:
I sentimenti di Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach for flute, harp, and strings by Hans Werner Henze (55) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Olimpico, Rome.