This early symphony is an intriguing blend of Baroque- and Classical-era styles. A decisive musical transition was then beginning, rejecting the large-scale effects and/or "difficult" contrapuntal textures of music by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750), the father of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710 - 1784), the instant composer. Father Johann Sebastian was of great help in launching his eldest son on a musical career, beginning with the post of organist at the Sophien Kirche in Dresden, not far from the Bach family's home in Leipzig. Wilhelm Friedemann's new job left him ample time for other musical pursuits (which he needed since the Sophien Kirche engagement did not pay particularly well). There is some documented evidence concerning his freelance musical activities and his teaching, but the occasion for writing this full-sized symphony for strings and basso continuo is unknown. In fact, it is not known when W.F. Bach composed it, only that it almost certainly dates from the Dresden years (1733 -1746), according to research on details of the manuscript. As a marker on the path from Baroque to Classical, it could be taken to have originated later in that evolution. Bach did not have an illustrious career. After the Dresden engagement, he took a more prestigious and better-paying post at the Church of Our Lady in Halle, gave that up in a dispute with his superior there after some years, and tried to support himself (was not entirely successfull) in teaching and freelance activities. Increasing alcoholism was a hindrance, in addition to his apparently prickly personality. His quirkiness as a composer is often remarked upon and is in evidence in this work. At this time, the terms overture, suite, and sinfonia were fairly interchangeable. The symphonic form as it is now known was nascent. W.F. Bach already begins to break away from the Baroque tendency to keep a continuous flow of the same tempo and mood within a given movement in this sinfonia, which is sometimes listed as his Symphony No. 1. (It is the first published in a collection of the five symphonies left from the Dresden years.) The opening movement is marked Vivace. It starts in a straightforward manner in longer note values that make the music seem marked and heavy. The tonal bottom falls out when the unison string melody unexpectedly drops to a note that is not in the main key and the tempo holds for a second or two. Then the perceived tempo suddenly increases to a vivace. Such odd shifts of key and tempo occur irregularly throughout the movement, surprising the listener. Many in Bach's audience would have thought these effects bizarre. The slow movement, an Andante, has the quality of a tender operatic love aria and is fairly expansive in proportions. Its mood is calm and ardent and it could be a serenade. The next movement, Allegro, is a fast romp that would be taken as a concluding movement, but the true last movement are two graceful minuets.

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