Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

## Introduction

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 31, 1685 in
Eisenach, Germany. His family was full of esteemed musicians and composers. His
father was the director of the town musicians and likely was the one who taught
Bach the violin and basic music theory. When both of his parents died in 1694,
he moved in with his oldest brother, Johann Christoph Bach, the organist at St.
Michael’s Church. There, Bach would study, perform, and copy his brothers
music. He learned a lot under the teachings of his brother including how to
play the clavichord. His next great learning experience would come from his
time spent studying at the prominent St. Michael’s School in Luneburg. Himself and
a school friend took the initiative in enrolling themselves there to get a good
education and experience a broader scope or European culture than they had
previously been exposed to. His time at St. Michael’s School was spent singing
in the choir, playing the three-manual organ and harpsichord, and being taught
by Georg Bohm. His first noteworthy job was at the New Church in Arnstadt,
which is now called Bach Church. Word of his talents had spread and the New
Church wanted him to inspect their new organ and give the inaugural recital. It
was after the inaugural recital that they asked him to be their organist, which
consisted of some light work, a generous salary and a brand new organ that was
tuned in a temperament that allowed for music to be played in a wider range of
keys. After disappearing from the church for several months past his official
time-off granted by the New Church, Bach took another organist position at the
Church of St. Blaise in Muhlhausen. This position was even shorter lived than
the last due to the incompatible preferences for the musical style of the
church by the pastor and Bach. Next was his employment by the Duke Wilhelm
Ernst and then Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen. While working for the Duke he
wrote some of his best compositions for the organ and numerous church cantatas.
He worked for Prince Leopold, who was a musician himself, until 1723. During
this time he put a lot of effort in composing instrumental music, concertos for
orchestras, dance suites, sonatas for multiple instruments, and solo pieces
including his best for the violin. Bach's vision began declining in the start of
the 1740’s and by the end he got surgery done to try and fix them but it left
him completely blind. His health continued to worsen until his death on July 28th,
1750. He left behind three children from his first marriage to his cousin, Maria
Barbara Bach, and six children from his second marriage to Anna Magdalena
Wulcken. Bach cared deeply for his family and shared his love for music with
them, as many of his children became composers and musicians.

## Works

On May 28, 2017, *Suite n.1 in G major BWV 1007: Prelude* was performed at the Alba Music Festival. This piece is from one of Bach's most famous works and definitely the most famous piece for the cello. The same rhythmic melody is sustained throughout the prelude and serves as an introduction to the rest of the Suites.

* *Suite n.1 in G major BWV 1007: Prelude* [1]

There are more than 1000 works published by Bach that consist of all the following genres: canons, contrapuntal works, cantatas, chamber music for duos and trios, chorales sacred songs and arias, clavier works, concertos and orchestral suites, masses, organ works, passions and oratorios, solo instrumental, and vocal works (other than Cantatas).

* *Suite for Orchestra n.1 in C major*
* *Goldberg Variations*
* *Well-Tempered Clavier*
* *Mass in B minor*
* *St. Matthew Passion*

#### *Violin Concerto in E Major BWU 1042 arr. Frederick Lange* (Casey Adams)

Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major was performed in the Alba Music Festival on June 3rd, 2017. The piece was written at some point prior to 1730, the definite year is unknown. The piece was performed by a group called Flutes USA and was directed by Karen Johnson. The concerto was originally written for violin, strings, and basso continuo, however this version was arranged by Frederick Lange. The piece in the concert had two movements; *Allegro, Allegro assai.* This piece has the essence of the Baroque Era. The piece features a violin solo that plays a happy melody which is then joined by the full flute ensemble to play a melodic line that compliments the solo. The ending of the piece features a heterophonic texture where the soloist plays the lead as the ensemble follows. Personally, I felt that this was one of my favorite pieces that the ensemble Flutes USA played because of the lively mood and fast paced playing techniques.

*Aria (Norilynne Witt)*

 Bach's *Aria* was performed by the Japanese Music Ensemble on May 29 at the Able Music Festival. The piece was written in 1713 while Bach was residing in Germany. This piece had been missing until it was discovered in 2005 in some birthday notes that had been given to an 18th century Duke. The piece is easily recognizable as a Bach piece with it's flowing harmonies and bass motion. It is a rather short piece butTo hear it played live with all flutes was very beautiful. It is most popularly known for the Goldberg Variations of it played by Glen Gould where he takes Bach's theme and builds upon it to create new yet similar music.

## Comparisons

During Bach's life he was recognized as an organist more than a composer because only a few of his works were published when he was alive and like many famous artists, he was not recognized as one of the greats until much after his death. Prior to his music being rediscovered in the 1800's, and following his death, his music's success actually declined because it did not fit in with the new light and elegant style that the people wanted to hear. His music was too dissonant and intensely emotional for the times.

## Observations

Bach's musical style was very similar to the other musicians of his time. Handel, Telemann and Vivaldi were all around at the end of the Baroque era and they all composed concertos, suites and other popular genres of the times. Although all of the late Baroque era composers were similar in style, Bach did differ from his contemporaries is some areas. He liked to go outside of the box with his modulation and even though the instruments of the time were limiting, Bach would change key unexpectedly and put in strange sounding tones that would throw the ear off. The full expansion of his interest in modulation came with *The Well Tempered Clavier*, which was a collection of two series including Preludes and Fugues in all 24 major and minor keys. Also, he was very good at targeting a certain emotion and displaying it through his use of his counterpoint melodies and repetition of varying melodies.

## Works Cited

[2]https://www.biography.com/people/johann-sebastian-bach-9194289

[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann\_Sebastian\_Bach

[4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BkrceC-E2U

[5]https://www.google.com/search?q=johann+sebastian+bach+portrait&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjC2JS15szUAhXFgj4KHeT5DwcQ\_AUICigB&biw=1146&bih=724#imgrc=RKjptnPFfkKhmM

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4697540