in 1700. The former, both as regards form and
contents, are remarkable. Kuhnau was a man of deeper thought and
loftier conception than Emanuel Bach, but he was fettered by fugal
forms,[44] and was fighting against them much in the same spirit in
which Beethoven, a century later, fought against sonata-form, in the
most general sense of that term. Beethoven was not only the more
gifted, but he profited by the experiments of his predecessors, and he
enjoyed the advantage of a vastly improved technique; Haydn, Mozart,
Clementi, and others were the stepping-stones by which he rose to
higher things. Kuhnau's attempts at sonata writing were bold, often
rugged; and his experiments in programme-music, extraordinary. The
latter were soon forgotten, while the clever, clear-formed sonatas of
Emanuel Bach served as a gratification to the age in which he lived,
and as guides to the composers who followed him. The "Frische
Fruechte," standing between Corelli and Emanuel Bach, are of interest.
The fugal element is still strong; and we find, not so much the smooth
style of Corelli as the vigorous style of Froberger and other
composers of North Germany. In character of subject-matter and in form
there is decided advance as compared with the B flat Sonata. Kuhnau
still seems rather limited in figures, and therefore repeats
himself;[45] then again his movements do not always show gradation of
interest. Their order and number are, indeed, perplexing, and not
always satisfactory. The 2nd Sonata, in D, for instance, commences
with a fine Allegro, followed first by a short Adagio, commencing in
the relative minor, and intermixed with short presto passages, and
then by a lively movement in six-eight time. These three would form an
admirable sonata, yet the composer does not end here. There is still
another short Adagio, and a concluding movement; and in spite of some
fine passages, these appendages form a decided anti-climax. Similar
instances are to be found in the other sonatas.

Now for a few words concerning their form. Some of the opening
movements (for instance, those of Nos. 1, 2) are practically based on
fugue-form, with which, by the way, sonata-form is allied.

The first movement of No. 4, in C minor, is of interest, both in its
resemblances to, and differences from, modern sonata-form. It has
_four_ sections:--

_a._ Eleven bars, beginning and ending in C minor, and
containing a characteristic theme.

_b._ Eleven