Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the son of J.S. Bach, is often regarded as the "founder" of the Classical period. His distinctive style had a profound impact on the music of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, two towering figures of the era. While sonatas were not solely his invention, they gained significant popularity during his time. The sonatas and sonatinas he composed not only reflected this rising popularity but also laid the groundwork for a new musical genre that would dominate the classical world for decades to come.