Listening Logs J.S. Bach

Bach the working musician.. Although he is known now as a famous composer, during his lifetime, Bach was known for being a great organ player and improviser, not for being a composer. Improvisation is inventing something on the spur of the moment in response to a certain situation A good example of improvisation in everyday life is regular conversation, e.g., every time you talk to your friends, you are actually improvising (exactly what you are going to say is not planned ahead of time, it depends on what your friend says, then what you say, then what your friend says, and so on). 

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd_oIFy1mxM The Toccata (from the Latin toccare, “to touch”) has an improvisatory character. Shows off the skills of the organist! The Fugue, on the other hand, is a strict composition in which a theme is heard and then repeated in a number of voices in complicated formal counterpoint. The piece is a study in contrast and is probably the most famous organ piece.

Suite No. 3 in D Major: Air on the G String http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS-HWIFyLsE Expressive power need not be loud and fast. Take Bach's "Air on the G String," for instance. This is music that speaks of gentleness and peace. An "air" is another name for aria, a piece of music for a solo singer with accompaniment. The "singer" is actually the whole violin section, which plays a song we can easily imagine a person singing instead. Why "on the G string?" A violin has four strings, each tuned to a different pitch. The lowest of these is the G string, which has a particularly rich and full sound. That is one reason Bach wanted the whole theme played on this string.

Brandenburg Concertos A concerto is a large-scale composition for an orchestra plus a soloist or a group of soloists. The soloist(s) alternate playing with or alongside the larger ensemble to provide opposition and contrast. Concertos have three movements – fast, slow, fast. Few musical works are as often performed--as the six "Brandenburg" Concertos.

Brandenburg Concertos They came into being as an unexpected gift. In 1721 Bach presented the Margrave of Brandenburg with a bound manuscript containing six lively concertos for chamber orchestra, works based on an Italian Concerto Grosso style. The Margrave never thanked Bach for his work--or paid him!

Brandenburg Concertos Bach compiled the Brandenburg Concertos from short instrumental movements he had already written. He re-worked the old music, often re-writing and elaborating where he saw fit. In doing so, Bach created something of a dramatic arc from the brilliant first concerto to the last, which evokes a spirited chase. Each of the six concertos requires a different combination of instruments as well as some highly skilled soloists.

Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNiKx8yHp1w What instruments are featured in this piece? This piece was probably written to show of the skills of which musician?

Brandenburg Concerto No.2 Music from the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 was chosen as the first to be played on the "golden record", a record containing a broad sample of Earth's common sounds, languages, and music sent into outer space with the two Voyager probes.

“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (BWV 147) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLoOrpW-JxI What is a cantata? A piece of music written for voice or voices with instrumental accompaniment. Could be a single movement or have multiple movements. Bach wrote many pieces for voice; he wrote both sacred (religious) and secular (not religious) cantatas.

Jesu, Joy The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. —J.S. Bach Bach used to sign off his music with the letters SDG, meaning Soli Deo Gloria, "To God alone be glory“. As well as his sacred cantatas, Bach wrote music for masses as well as music telling the story of the Gospels. (i.e. St. Matthew’s Passion)

Crab Canon Bach was a technical master, working within pre-existing forms. For example in “The Goldberg Variations” he creates 30 variations on a single aria! In The Well Tempered Clavier, he writes a piece of music in every major and minor key! He wrote lots of creative and melodic exercises for his children and his music students.

“The Musical Offering” Crab Canon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUHQ2ybTejU In “The Musical Offering”, Bach wrote a series of canons and fugues based on one theme given to him by Frederick the Great. A canon is a piece of music in which two or more voices (or instrumental parts) sing or play the same music starting at different times. A crab canon can be played simultaneously forwards and backwards and fit together musically!

Baroque Characteristics Baroque music is characterised by: long flowing melodic lines often using ornamentation (decorative notes such as trills and turns) (Toccata and Fugue) contrast between loud and soft, solo and ensemble (Brandenburg Concerto) a contrapuntal texture where two or more melodic lines are combined (Canon) terraced dynamics - sudden changes in the volume level, sometimes creating an echo effect the use of harpsichord continuo.

Baroque Instruments