• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Came from long line of GERMAN musicians
• Plus four of his sons became influential
musicians themselves
• Grew up in church music
• First $$ / non-church gig was court conductor
for Prince of Cothen
• The Brandenburg Concertos grew out of this
period.
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Went back to church position
Director for St. Thomas Church
Responsible for four main town churches in
Leipzig
• Remained @ position until death
• Became involved in music education in Leipzig
• In later years his eye sight left him and was
completely blind at death
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Not recognized at time as greatest Baroque
composer but considered most eminent
organist and improviser
• Bach created masterpieces in ever Baroque
Form except Opera
• Vocal pieces mainly for the church
• Instrumentals had secular influence
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• At this time secular and sacred music styles
are very close to each other
• Bach would often rewrite same pieces to fit
one or the other
• Baroque is music revived in 19th and 20th cen.
• Bach becomes focus of serious music students
• Recognized as the preeminent composer of
the Age
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Considered the master of….
• The Fugue
• Can be written for a group of instruments or
voices but….
• Mostly found on organ and harpsichord
• polyphonic piece
• top line soprano
• bottom line bass other voices vary in between
• based around main theme called SUBJECT
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• The Fugue….
• The SUBJECT
• Subject stays mostly constant through out
• But changes as it is moved into new keys and
combines rhythmically with other lines
• Form is flexible but beginning is always the
same
• Subject is started alone in soprano
• Followed by solo Answer in another voice
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• The Fugue
• Subject is often accompanied throughout
fugue by Countersubject
• Episode can by linking material that has
nothing to do with subject directly
• Fugues sometimes introduced by short piece
called a Prelude
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
LISTENING JOURNAL:
BACH, Organ Fugue in G Minor (Little Fugue)
Bach has another G minor fugue that is longer
Subject goes into major keys for contrast
Subject goes into organist feet when played in
the bass
• *YOUTUBE FUGUE WRITING
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
The Baroque Suite
sets of dance inspired movements
all movements in the same key but vary in
tempo, meter, and character
suites differ from national origin
played for private parties
court concerts
background music for dinner
outdoor fest
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
The Baroque Suite
Form is usually binary AABB
Suites often begin with non-dance inspired
movement.
• Most famous is the French Overture which has
specific form
• (slow & grand followed by fugue like section)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• The Baroque Suite
• LISTENING JOURNAL:
• Bach, Suite No.3 in D Major
• Fourth Movement of this Suite
• Shortest Movement of this Suite
• Livelier dance number
• AABB form
• Duple meter
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
The Chorale & Church Cantata
Bach was Lutheran
Lutheran service was the social event of the
week in Leipzig
• Chorale or HYMN TUNE
• sung in German not Latin
• easy tune to sing along too.
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
The Chorale & Church Cantata
Cantata uses these Chorales as a base
Expands them with orchestration and new
material
• May last as long as 25 minutes
• In Bach’s day… would include several
movements of choruses, recitatives, arias, and
duets
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• The Chorale & Church Cantata
• In this way Cantata’s resembled Opera
• But…..
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Based on sacred themes
Much shorter than a full Opera
Less acting & drama
Typical of Baroque for line between Sacred
and Secular to be thin
• Bach wrote about 295 Cantatas
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• The Chorale & Church Cantata
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LISTENING JOURNAL:
Bach, Cantata No. 140 IV & VII movments
IV movement
ritornello and basso continuo play
instrumental with chorale tune against it in
alternating sections
• VII movement
• chorale throughout with instrumental
doubling
• homophonic instrumental accompaniment
• Another Sacred style work………
• The Oratorio
• Along with Cantata and Opera, The Oratorio is
major vocal music development of Baroque
• Like opera with text narrative
• Set for chorus, soloist, and orchestra
• But no acting ,no scenery, or costumes
• First appears in 17th cen. Italy as musical
drama’s of biblical stories.
• Messiah =best-known oratorio by Handel
• George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
• Master of Italian Opera and English Oratorio
• Born in Germany just 1 month (same year 1685)
before JS BACH
• Not from a Musical Family
• Father wanted him to study law
• Child prodigy by 9
• Father eventually allows him to study music by
age 11
• At 11 he was composing and giving lessons
• George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
• Age 18 goes to Hamburg to renowned opera
house
• Played violin and harpsichord in the orchestra
of opera house at Hamburg
• At 21 his operas are beginning to be
performed
• Traveled to Italy and London to study
• George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
• While in London…….
• Became a favorite of the Queen of
England
• Became the director of Royal Academy of
Music
• Begins to write English Oratorios
• George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
• Handel is held as near equal to Bach in Music
History
• Although huge output is mostly vocal
• ----Italian Opera and English Oratorio---• Handel’s music has more changes in texture
than Bach’s
• Less Unity of Mood
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George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
LISTENING JOURNAL:
2 Pieces from The Messiah
Messiah is New Testament text that doesn’t
follow specific story
• Just the subject of the messiah (which was
unusual)
• Messiah written 1741 premiere in Dublin
• Successful but took almost a decade to find
popularity in England
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George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
LISTENING JOURNAL:
Handel, Every Valley, from Messiah
Aria that opens with orchestral ritornello
Chorale text based on new testament verse
from Isaiah
• Vivid word painting
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George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
LISTENING JOURNAL:
Handel, Hallelujah Chorus, from Messiah
One of the world’s most famous chorales
Sudden changes in texture
Took text from other holy works
(revelation of St. John)