JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the
greatest composers of all time.
Though his compositions are
hundreds of years old they
transcend his generation and will
continue to shape and mold
musicians as long as music is played.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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Johann Sebastian Bach was
born in Germany in 1685. From
the beginning of his life he was
constantly surrounded by music.
His father was the leader of the
local towns’ musicians, his
mother was from a very musical
family, and his uncles were all
professional musicians.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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Although Bach must have had
significant training from a
young age at the hands of his
parents, it appears that he
really started to flourish and
gain some renown when he
attended Michaelis
monastery at Lüneberg in
1700.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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Although during this time his musical abilities were
increasing exponentially, he often found himself at
odds with the church council as he would often shirk
his church responsibilities in order to practice the
organ. During this time Bachs musical prowess
began to become well known and in 1707 became
an organist at the New Church in Arnstadt. This new
position did not turn out well for him as his musical
style clashed with that of the local minister
Johann Sebastian Bach
After a falling out with the
minister, Bach won the post of
organist at the court of the
Duke Wilhelm Ernst in
Weimar. While working for
the Duke Wilhelm Ernst in
Weima, Bach wrote some of
his greatest compositions for
the organ. Including Toccata
and Fugue in D Minor
Johann Sebastian Bach
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in 1717 Bach accepted a position with the prince
Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. But Duke Wilhelm
Ernst had no interest in letting Bach go and even
imprisoned him for several weeks when he tried
to leave.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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Bach was eventually released and he went to work
with prince Leopold. During this time Bach devoted
himself much to instrumental music, concertos for
orchestras, and sonatas for multiple instruments.
Bach continued to work with prince Leopold until
1721 when the prince got married and his new wife
discourage his musical pursuits.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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In 1721 Bach auditioned for a new
position in Leipzig, Bach signed a
contract to become the new organist
and teacher at St. Thomas Church.
This position required that he
compose new music each week and
so Bach threw himself into new
compositions. Many of the
compositions that he created during
this time period were very religious.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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As Bach aged his eyesight began
to fail. Despite this Bach still
continued to teach, write and
perform. In 1749 Bachs eyesight
was so bad that he had an
operation, but unfortunately the
operation left him completely
blind. Soon after his operation
Bach suffered from stroke as
passed away in July 28, 1750.
References
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1 - "Johann Sebastian Bach." wikipedia. N.p., 18 2012. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_Bach>.
2-Hanford, Jan. "Eisenach 1685-1695." J.S. Bach. N.p.. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/eisenach.html>.
3- Cummings, Robert. Classical Archives. N.p.. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://www.classicalarchives.com/bach.html
4- . "Johann Sebastian Bach biography." . A E Networks. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://www.biography.com/people/johann-sebastian-bach-9194289>.
History of the Six cello Suites by Johann
Sebastian Bach
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The Six suited for Unaccompanied cello are largely
considered to be the most historically important and
recognizable work for the cello. Though these works are
now considered to be very monumental they were not
always recognized for what they are.
Prior to the 1900 the Cello suites were thought to
be more along the lines of etudes or studies than actual
solo pieces. It was not until Pablo Casal discovered
Grutzmacher’s edition of the suites in a thrift shop in
Barcelona Spain at age 13 that their true potential was
realized
History of the Six cello Suites by
Johann Sebastian Bach
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"Suddenly I came upon a sheaf of pages, crumbled and discolored with age.
They were unaccompanied suites by Johann Sebastian Bach --- for the cello
only! I looked at them with wonder: Six Suites for Violoncello Solo. What
magic and mystery, I thought, were hidden in those words? I had never
heard of the existence of the suites; nobody --- not even my teachers --- had
ever mentioned them to me. I forgot our reason for being at the shop. All I
could do was stare at the pages and caress them. That sensation has never
grown dim. Even today, when I look at the cover of that music, I am back
again in the old musty shop with its faint smell of the sea.
I hurried home, clutching the suites as if they were the crown jewels, and
once in my room I pored over them. I read and reread them. I was thirteen
at the time, but for the following eighty years the wonder of my discovery
has continued to grow on me. Those suites opened up a whole new world. I
began playing them with indescribable excitement. They became my most
cherished music. I studied and worked at them every day for the next twelve
years"
History of the Six cello Suites by
Johann Sebastian Bach
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After the recording became public the cello suites became
very popular, and this popularity has continued until the
present day.
To the present day the Cello Suites have been recorded
by some of the greatest cellists of our time: Mstislav
Rostropovich, Yo Yo ma, Misha Maisky just to name a few.
References
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References
1- Wikipedia, 17 2012. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cello_Suites_(Bach)
2- Kornbluth, Jesse Jesse. "Bach: Suites for
Unaccompanied Cello." . N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://headbutler.com/music/classical/bach-suitesunaccompanied-cello>.
3- Janof, Tim. "Baroque Dance and the Bach Cello
Suites." . N.p.. Web. 18 Oct 2012.
<http://www.cello.org/newsletter/articles/mansbridge
/mansbridge.htm>.
Listening Guide
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"The hardest thing in interpreting Bach is
the necessary equilibrium between human
feelings, the heart that undoubtedly Bach
possessed, and the severe and profound
aspect of interpretation... You cannot
automatically disengage your heart from
the music. This was the greatest problem I
had to resolve in my interpretation...” –
Rostropovich(Kornbluth)
Listening Guide
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Prelude
0:00- 00:20 - The First measure is sixteenth note arpeggios of the
G-Major chord with an added 9th, or G,D,B,A, played in quick
succession. The second measure basically does the same thing but
with a C-Major 7th chord or C,E,G,B. The third measure continues
this trend and plays arpeggios of C-Major 7th with a sustained 4th
or G,B,C,F. These first three measures give a certain climbing
sensation that can be seen throughout the Prelude of the first cello
suite. But this climbing sensation is counterbalanced by always
returning to the low G. I believe that this causes a certain feeling of
wanting to break free of and continue climbing upward but being
unable to. This, I believe, is the message of the prelude. Trying to
break free of something, rise above something or reconcile
something but being unable to until the very end when everything
has been put on the line.
Listening Guide
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0:20-1:27 I really love this part of the piece. I think that it
demonstrates very emotionally attempting to rise above but
always being brought back down. I think that this is shown
by vertical aspect of the piece, it seems that the music grows
in pitch slowly but cannot really escape that which it is trying
to, but then is brought back down into the lower register
faster than it took to go up the scale. I think that this
portrays disappointment. Disappointment that things are not
turning out like the player wants them too. But this early in
the piece I think that there is still a measure of innocence
that is portrayed, because there is no sign of frustration or
really increase in dissonance, it is just accepting the
disappointment.
Listening Guide
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1:27-1:28 This is a turning point of the music. From here
on out there is more portrayed frustration, and more
difficulty.
1:28-2:05 During this stage of the musical development
I feel that the music portrays a sense of building
frustration that will soon come to a head. More time is
spent in the mid bass clef and less time in the upper
register. The lone solitary lower notes are gone. we no
longer jump out of the lower register, but have to fight
out of it slowly only to be brought back down
frustratingly quickly.
Listening Guide
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2:05-2:20 Here Mediocrity is settled for. There are no
high notes to look forward to or low notes to dread.
Life is just creeping by with no real variation or beauty.
2:20-2:43 Within this section mediocrity or the status
Quo is rejected and there is one last final push to break
free, or reconcile. Everything has built to this. There is a
slow ascent up the chromatic scale but the anchor is still
on the lower D, which is creating a lot of dissonance
which you hope is resolved in the end.
Listening Guide
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2:43-2:45 This last chord is the only time in the
music that two strings are played simultaneously. I
do not believe that this is a complete resolution of
all the dissonance created in the previous measures,
but I think that is actually the point. Things don't
always turn out okay, but it you work on them, give
all the effort that you can don't let the bad pull you
down, then you can live and create harmony even
when life is so full of hardships and
disappointments.
References
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References
1- Kornbluth, Jesse Jesse. "Bach: Suites for
Unaccompanied Cello." . N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct
2012.
<http://headbutler.com/music/classical/bachsuites-unaccompanied-cello>.