Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), known as Carl Bach or Emanuel Bach, was a German composer, musician, and music teacher who is today regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in the transition between the Baroque and the Classical eras. He is often referred to as the "father of the symphony" due to his significant role in the development of the modern symphony and sonata. Being the second of Johann Sebastian Bach's four musical sons, he was an important figure in German musical culture and played an influential role as a keyboard virtuoso, composer, and music theorist.