Johann Sebastion Bach By: Cammi Gustaveson

Who is Bach??? Bach is a famous composer that contributed greatly towards the world and development of musical composition. He is mostly recognized for his incredible key board work but also wrote many orchestral pieces.

Bach’s Background:  Born on March 21 st 1685  Born into a musically talented family  His father (Joahnn Ambrosius) was a popular director  Lived in a fairly nice home and had family money

Early Childhood:  By age eight Bach knew how to play the violin, harpsichord, and organ.  His father pushed him and taught him many of his skills  Bach was eager to learn and very interested in music

School:  Bach attended Latin Grammar School  He learned German and Latin  Also learned about religious material  Bach was a part of the boy’s choir and also know for having a lovely voice.

The Start of Hard Times:  At age 9 Bach’s mother died  6 months later he also lost his father!!!  He then moved in with a brother in the town Ohrdurf

Living with his Brother:  He attended Gymnasium of Ohrdruf where he was scouted and asked to join the choir at a Monastery  At 15 Bach and his friend journeyed to the Monastery at Luneburg  At 17, the news of a new organ being built, prompted him to travel to Weimar

The Start of Bach’s Journey:  Bach continued to skip from town to town, trying to find a job.  In a town called Muhlhasen he settled and married his cousin Marian Barbara  A fire that destroyed the town forced them to leave

The Journey Continued:  Bach found a job with the Duke of Sachsen  It marked the beginning of his career and was the point where he began compose  After 10 years he was offered a high ranked job with a prince and had to escape the town of the Duke

Working for the Prince:  With the prince he was able to travel and perform  Very happy until his wife suddenly died leaving him four children  Soon after married Anna Magdalena  Unfortunately the Prince looses interest in music and Bach has to find another job

Leipzig:  Bach continued to work as the Director of Choir an Music  His family continued to grown and totaled 17 children  His popularity continued to grow and was know as one of the best musician in Europe

Final Years:  He developed poor eye sight and was nearly blind  On July 28 th 1750 at 65 years old, Bach suffered a major stroke that would take his life

Composition History:

Brandenburg Concerto No 3  The piece in 6 1/2 minutes long  One of Bach’s most popular pieces.  Wrote the piece early in his career and was written around December 1717

Piano Concerto No 5  The piece is approximately 3 minutes long  The piece features the piano but also includes the string instruments in the background.

Jesu Bleibet Freude  The song is a little over 3 minutes long  Played solely by the piano  Composed in Bach’s early years between  It is still performed at many modern cerimonies

Listening Guide:

Brandenburg Concerto No 3 0:00 The song starts off with the violins playing the melody and the rest of the orchestra playing the harmony. They are starting with the melody of the song. 0:05 The tempo of the notes begin to pick up pace and the rhythm speeds up. They are now playing short quick notes. 0:15 It sounds like the instruments are playing a round of the melody and beginning to crescendo 0:22 The pitch of the violins goes up an octave, still playing the same melody just higher, the song sounds like it repeats just in a higher tone. 0:47 The rhythm of the song changes and it sounds like the violins are echoing each other. 0:53 The instruments seem to be all playing different harmonies but harmonizing with each other at the same time. 0:58 The rhythm changes again to the featured instrument playing long loud notes. 1:04 The violin seems to still have the lead and begins to play short quick notes again and sounds like they are climbing a scale. 1:11 The scale sounds like it repeats and starts again 1:37 The Instruments sounds like they are echoing each other again and rhythm changes 1:43 It sounds like the cello is featured for a few notes 2:09 The rhythm changes drastically and still has the cello playing a new melody. It sounds like there is a flat/ sharp note being introduced. 2:22 Same rhythm repeats but with the violin playing melody. 2:28 The rhythm shifts back to the melody being played at the beginning. 2:39 The song sounds like it has almost shifted to a minor key because it has a dark eary feeling.

Brandenburg Continued: 3:05 The violins are playing very high notes and it sounds like either the other violins or violas take over the melody. 3:14 Violins take back over the melody and begin to crescendo 3:20 Sounds like some of the instruments are trilling on their strings. 3:38 The melody begins to shift again to a new rhythm. 3:58 The instruments sound like they and ascending and descending scales. 4:08 The melody changes to short notes and the range goes from wide to narrow 4:15 The range widens again and has the violins playing the melody 4:26 The harmonizing instruments begin to climb the scale as well. 4:28 Notes are played to a crescendo by all 4:30 The dynamics begin to descend again 4:55 Original melody begins again 5:18 Cello plays the melody and is featured while the violins play harmony 5:30 The violins take back over the melody and the rhythm changes again 5:40 The dynamics begin to grow in volume again 6:15-6:32 All instruments play together with a growing scale and then descend back down

Piano Concerto No :00 The song starts off slow with the piano playing slow even notes, while the string instruments are pitzzacatoing along. 0:14 The piano trills a few notes and then returns to its even rhythm 0:35 The notes begin to pick up a little pace with the dynamics staying the same 0:44 The dynamics get a little louder with the piano trill but then decrescendo back down. 0:51 The piano sounds like it drops an octave 0:58 The melody seems to change to a darker tone 1:08 The tempo changes a lot with short quick notes but then back again to regular speed 1:13 The piano crescendos and then decrescendos mildly 1:36 The piano begins to climb the scale reaching higher notes and range grows 1:55 The melody of fast notes followed by a few short ones begins again 2:10 The pianos range drops to lower octaves 2:27 The string instruments change from plucking their strings to playing long even notes and begin to crescendo 2:40- 2:48 The strings begin to decrescendo and fade out

Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude 0:00 The song starts with the piano playing even rounds growing in octaves 0:10 The rounds take a break and then start again from low to high but with a little different style 0:22 The piano plays Allegra for about three notes 0:25 The melody takes a break again with the piano playing even loud notes 0:33 The melody begins again where it started and the beginning of the song. 1:01 The piano shifts back to playing even loud notes in a narrow range 1:15 The melody that sounds like a round begins again and range grows 1:35 The notes begin to crescendo 1:43 The melody changes again to slower loud notes 1:49 The piano playing the harmony begins to get louder and has a different rhythm with a darker tone 2:01 The dynamics begin to grow again and crescendo 2:15 The notes begin to decrescendo and original melody begins again 2:38 The volume begin to crescendo and sounds like the melody is almost played descending instead of ascending 2:51-3:18 Original melody begins again and plays until end