Wilhelm Friedemann Bach: Sein Leben und seine Werke, mit thematischem ..

Published in 1913 by C. F. Kahnt, Martin Falck’s comprehensive study on Wilhelm Friedemann Bach represents a pivotal moment in early 20th-century musicological research. At the time of its release, the eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach remained a somewhat enigmatic figure whose compositions were often overshadowed by his father's monumental legacy. Falck’s work was intended to rectify this historical imbalance by providing a detailed biographical account and, crucially, a thematic catalog that finally brought order to the scattered and often misattributed corpus of Wilhelm Friedemann's music.

The book is regarded as a foundational text in musicology, as it established the 'Falck' numbering system that scholars still use today to identify and categorize the works of Wilhelm Friedemann. Falck approached the project with the analytical rigor typical of the era's German academic tradition, striving to balance historical context with technical music theory. While later scholarship has inevitably refined some of his findings and uncovered new sources, the 1913 volume remains the essential starting point for any serious engagement with the life and stylistic evolution of this complex Baroque composer.