Transcript Johann Sebastian Bach

Ingle, Peter. Charlestontoday.net Web. February 25,02011
Listening Guide
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4:20 seconds in the song he adds in some very low soft keys
interchanging with the loud ones
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5:32 seconds the soft soprano keys get strong, louder. The
tenor keys get low, softer, but still very strong in this portion
giving this piece a softer but still dark side.
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6:30 seconds in the song, once again, he adds in some very
low soft keys interchanging with the loud ones.
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6:49 Seconds the Dark feel begins to end with a steady note
flat across the board
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7:01 the prelude Ends
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7:02 The fugue begins, it starts out with a few soprano high
pitch notes ascending.
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7:30 seconds into the piece. The loud bass key is added in
there at the beginning of the ascending notes giving it that
dark feeling.
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8:49 seconds into the pace, the rhythm changes and the
pace is picked up very quickly. About twenty one seconds
later he adds in the bass note and changes it, so you hear
quick, quick, quick, then a hard bass and back to the quick
beat.
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9:49 seconds into the piece he adds the beginning for the
fugue and the current piece together as one.
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10:00 Minutes into the piece he starts to slow down on in
between his ascending then will speed up and soften his
notes changing his piece once again adding onto what he is
already doing. So by this time he has three separate styles
transitioned into one. Clearly show his creative music skills
and ability to put notes together in a way that was not
known at the time it was created. This piece ends strong with
a steady with a long sturdy tone less dark but still menacing.
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Eisenach
Ohrdruf
Lüneburg
Weimar
Arnstadt
Mühlhausen
Weimar
Köthen
Leipzig
1685-1695
1695-1700
1700-1702
1703
1703-1707
1707-1708
1708-1717
1717-1723
1723-1750
http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/map.html
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March 21, 1685
Baptized March 23,1685 at Georgenkirche
Started school at 7 years old
Studied: Latin
Writing
Reading Arithmetic,
Singing History
Natural science
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In 1694, His mother died. 8 months later his father died
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Lived with his oldest
brother Johann
Christoph Bach.
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Learned how to play
the Organ
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750), German musician and composer playing the organ, circa 1725. From a print in the
British Museum. (Photo by Rischgitz/Getty Images)
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Due to His beautiful Voice, He was accepted into St.
Michaels School March 15, 1700
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He eventually lost his Voice
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Learned to play the violin and the harpsichord
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To help cover tuition, George Erdmann and himself were
singers of the Mettenchor
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First employment as a musician at the court of Duke
Johann Ernst of Saxony
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He was a servant and violinist in Johann Ernst private
chapel
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He was paid for his services from March to August of 1703
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Employed as organist at Neuekirche
Duties included:
 Providing music for religious services & special
 Providing music lessons.
Made a lot more then his successor
He traveled to Lubeck, walking 200 miles just to hear the
famed organist Dietrich Buxtehude
He became deeply influenced by the organ music of
Buxtehude
He was accused of going into the wine cellar with Maria
Barbara
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Prelude and Fugue in G Minor
BWV 535a
Early Version
“Capriccio sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo “
Composed on the departure of his most beloved brother
BWV 992
Composed around 1704
Chorale prelude “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern”
BWV 739
 Ascribed around 1705
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He got employed as the organist at the church of St. Blaise.
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He created complex musical arrangements and had a fondness
for weaving together different melodic lines.
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His musical style clashed with the church’s pastor
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He developed interest in creating church music
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1/4th of the the chruch was burned May 30, 1707, what is
called the great fire.
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October 17, 1707, He married Maria Barbara Bach
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The Ratswechsel ("city council change") cantata, Gott ist
mein König,
BWV 71
Only Cantata to be printed during his life time
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Prelude and Fugue in D Major
BWV 532.
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Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
BWV 565
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Employed by two dukes. Wilhelm Ernst and Ernst August
Hired as organist and member of the orchestra, and
encouraged Johann Sebastian to exploit his unique talents
for the organ.
There were lots of tensions, intrigues, and even open
hostilities between the courts of the two dukes over Bach.
Added northern German and French influence style to his
counterpoint style.
On March 2, 1714 Wilhelm Ernst appointed him
Konzertmeister
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He was considered "the famous organist of Weimar“
Bach was very close to co-regent Ernst August.
Wilhelm Ernst, forbade Johann Sebastian any musical
service to his rival. Bach refused to listen!
In 1716 Bach was passed up as Capellmeister
Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen offered Bach
employment as Capellmeister
Wilhelm Ernst refused to let him go to leopold.
Bach was arrested and imprisoned for a month
(November 6 - December 2) before he was dismissed
"without honor".
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Cantata “Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn“
BWV 132,
1715
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Cantata “Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn”
BMV 152,
1714
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Cantata “Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange“
BMV 155,
1716
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Prince Leopold Hand picked his own band and practiced in
Bach's home.
Bach wrote lots of chamber music in Köthen
Bach was able to make multiple trips to look at organs
Leopold even took his musicians to Carlsbad, where he "took
the waters" during the summers of 1718 and 1720
July 7, 1720 Bach's wife had died and been buried before his
return from Carlsbad.
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Declining musical life in Köthen, Bach applied three times
for another post since 1720
got married on December 3, 1721 to fellow co-worker Anna
Magdalena Wilcken
In 1721, he created a tribute to the Duke of Brandenburg
known as the Brandenburg Concertos
Completeed his first book called "The Well-Tempered
Clavier”
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Violin Concertos in A Minor
BWV 1041
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Violin Concertos in E Major
 BWV 1042
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Violin double concerto in D Minor
 BWV 1043
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April 1723, Bach became the successor of the Leipzig cantor
at St. Thomas church.
Duties included: Organist, and Teacher
He formulated musical interpretations of the Bible using
choruses, arias and recitatives.
1728 Leopold had died, Terminating his as honorary
Capellmeister position in Köthen
In 1729 achieved his next honorary Capellmeistership from
the Duke Christian von Sachsen-Weissenfels
He was director of Music of the University of Leipzig
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After 1729, Bach and some Orchestra students performed weekly
at Zimmermann’s coffee houses.
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In November 1736 Bach was appointed Capellmeister and
composer in Dresden to the Elector of Saxony, Frederick
Augustus II
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In 1739 He began his family genealogy
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He visited Potsdam in 1747 ( last major step in his career)
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He became member 14 of Mizler's society
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Almost completely blind by the end of his life.
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July 22, 1750 he took final communion
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Died of a stroke, July 28, 1750
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“Passion According to St. Matthew”.
Most Famous Piece
Tells the story of chapters 26 and 27 of Gospel of Matthew.
Written in 1727 or 1729
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Coffee Cantata
Written in 1730
BWV 211
Commercial for
Zimmermans
In 1705, Prelude and Fugue in C major is music of a most
joyously unrestrained of its kind.
Prelude and Fugue in G minor is one of his multiple version
pieces
Prelude and Fugue in A major is not known very well, but
it is well-written
Prelude and fugue D major was composed around 1710.
It features a lengthy, complex, self-contained fugue preceded by a
multi-sectional prelude
“Prelude and Fugue "Wedge" E Minor BMV 548.
15 pages total
The End
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1. Hanford, Jan. http://www.jsbach.org/biography.html. Web.
September 2012
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2. Green, Aaron. “Johann Sebastian Bach”.
http://www.biography.com/people/johann-sebastian-bach9194289. Web. September 2012
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3. .Reel, James. “Johann Sebastian Bach”
http://www.allmusic.com/composition/prelude-and-fuguefor-organ-in-e-minor-wedge-bwv-548-bc-j19mc0002403199. Web Sept 2012
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4.
http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/1995.html#tvf
=tracks&tv=about
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5. Clair-Alain, Marie.
http://www.rhapsody.com/#search/track?query=bwv5
48&_suid=134955069867306627618099822494.
Web, Music. 09/26/2012