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Encyclopedia > Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach in a 1748 portrait by Haussmann

Johann Sebastian Bach (pronounced [ˈjoːhan zəˈbastjan bax]) (21 March 1685 O.S.28 July 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Although he introduced no new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, a control of harmonic and motivic organisation from the smallest to the largest scales, and the adaptation of rhythms and textures from abroad, particularly Italy and France. Bach is the surname of a number of people: // The Johann Sebastian Bach family Main article: Bach family Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), composer and organist, the most well-known of the Bachs Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784), composer and organist Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), composer, harpsichordist and... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Elias Gottlieb Haussmann (1695 - 1774) was a German painter in the late Baroque era. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 6 - James Stuart, Duke of York becomes King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. ... Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 2 - Small earthquake in London, England April 4 - Small earthquake in Warrington, England August 23 - Small earthquake in Spalding, England September 30 - Small earthquake in Northampton, England November 16 – Westminster Bridge officially opened Jonas Hanway is the first Englishman to use an umbrella James Gray reveals her sex... Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750[1] (see Dates of classical music eras for a discussion of the problems inherent in defining the beginning and end points). ... In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony. ...


Revered for their intellectual depth and technical and artistic beauty, J. S. Bach's works include the Brandenburg concertos; the Goldberg Variations; the English Suites, French Suites, Partitas, and Well-Tempered Clavier; the Mass in B Minor; the St Matthew Passion; the St. John Passion; The Musical Offering; The Art of Fugue; the Sonatas and Partitas for violin solo; the Cello Suites; more than 200 surviving cantatas; and a similar number of organ works, including the celebrated Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Bach was not always appreciated during his own lifetime, and he was considered to be "old-fashioned" by his contemporaries, especially late in his career during the Rococo. Regardless, Bach is now considered one of the most famous and influential composers of all time. Johann Sebastian Bach, c. ... The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, original title Aria mit verschiedenen Veränderungen[1] published as Clavierübung, bestehend in einer Aria. ... The English Suites, BWV 806–811, refer to a set of six suites written by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach for harpsichord and generally thought to be the earliest of Bachs 18 suites for keyboard, the others being the 6 French Suites, BWV 812-817 and the 6... The French Suites, BWV 812-817, refer to six suites written by Johann Sebastian Bach for the clavier (harpsichord or clavichord). ... The Partitas, BWV 825–830, are a set of six harpsichord suites written by Johann Sebastian Bach, published from 1726 to 1730 as Clavier-übung I, and the first of his works to be published. ... Title-page of Das wohltemperirte Clavier A flat major (As-dur) fugue from the second part of Das wohltemperirte Clavier (manuscript) The Well-Tempered Clavier (in the original German: Das wohltemperierte Clavier[1]) is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) is a work of music by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... This aritcle does not cite any references or sources. ... Several composers have written St. ... The Musical Offering (German title Musikalisches Opfer or Das Musikalische Opfer), BWV 1079, is a collection of canons and fugues and other pieces of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, based on a musical theme by Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) and dedicated to him. ... A portrait which may show Bach in 1750 The Art of Fugue or The Art of the Fugue (original German: Die Kunst der Fuge), BWV 1080, is an unfinished work by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. ... First Sonata for Solo Violin: Adagio (Autograph 1720) The Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001–1006) is a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The first page from the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach of Suite No. ... This is a list of cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach in order of BWV number as given in Wolfgang Schmieders catalogue of Bachs works. ... The baroque organ in Roskilde Cathedral, Copenhagen The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by admitting pressurized air (referred to as wind) through a series of pipes. ... The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, is a piece of organ music written by Johann Sebastian Bach sometime between 1703 and 1707. ...

Contents

Biography

Childhood (1685–1703)

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Thuringia. He was the youngest child of Johann Ambrosius Bach, an organist at St. George's Church, and Maria Elisabetha Lämmerhirt Bach. His father taught him to play violin and harpsichord. His uncles were all professional musicians, whose posts ranged from church organists and court chamber musicians to composers. One uncle, Johann Christoph Bach (1645–93), was especially famous and introduced him to the art of organ playing. Bach was proud of his family's musical achievements, and around 1735 he drafted a genealogy, "Origin of the musical Bach family", printed in translation in The Bach Reader (ISBN 0393002594). Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. ... The Free State of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen) is located in central Germany and is considered one of the smaller of Germanys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 km² and 2. ... Johann Ambrosius Bach. ... Maria Elisabetha Lämmerhirt (February 24, 1644 - 1 May 1694) was the mother of eight children, including Johann Sebastian Bach, and the wife of Johann Ambrosius Bach. ...


Bach's mother died in 1694, and his father eight months later. The 10-year-old orphan moved in with his oldest brother, Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721), the organist at nearby Ohrdruf. There, he copied, studied and performed music, and apparently received valuable teaching from his brother, who instructed him on the clavichord. JC Bach exposed him to the works of the great South German composers of the day, such as Johann Pachelbel (under whom Johann Christoph had studied) and Johann Jakob Froberger; possibly to the music of North German composers, to Frenchmen, such as Jean-Baptiste Lully, Louis Marchand, Marin Marais; and to the Italian clavierist Girolamo Frescobaldi. The young Bach probably witnessed and assisted in the maintenance of the organ music. Bach's obituary indicates that he copied music out of Johann Christoph's scores, but his brother had apparently forbidden him to do so, possibly because scores were valuable and private commodities at the time. Ohrdruf is a famous cathedral which J.S. Bach was the organist of. ... Johann Pachelbel (IPA: [], [] or [][2]) (baptized September 1, 1653 – March 3, 1706) was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. ... Johann Jakob Froberger (baptized May 19, 1616 – May 7, 1667) was a German Baroque composer, keyboard virtuoso, and organist. ... Jean-Baptiste de Lully, originally Giovanni Battista di Lulli (November 28, 1632 – March 22, 1687), was an Italian-born French composer, who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. ... Louis Marchand (Lyons, February 2, 1669- Paris, February 17, 1732), Virtuoso organist and harpsichordist. ... Marin Marais Marin Marais (31 May 1656, Paris – 15 August 1728, Paris) was a pupil of Jean-Baptiste Lully and of the viol player Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. ... Girolamo Frescobaldi. ...


At the age of 14, Bach, along with his older school friend George Erdmann, was awarded a choral scholarship to study at the prestigious St. Michael’s School in Lüneburg, not far from the northern seaport of Hamburg, one of the largest cities in the Holy Roman Empire. This involved a long journey with his friend, probably undertaken partly on foot and partly by coach. His two years there appear to have been critical in exposing him to a wider palette of European culture than he would have experienced in Thuringia. In addition to singing in the a cappella choir, it is likely that he played the School’s three-manual organ and its harpsichords. He probably learned French and Italian, and received a thorough grounding in theology, Latin, history, geography, and physics. He would have come into contact with sons of noblemen from northern Germany sent to the highly selective school to prepare for careers in diplomacy, government, and the military. It is likely that he had significant contact with organists in Lüneburg, in particular Georg Böhm, and that he visited several of them in Hamburg, such as Johann Adam Reincken and Nicolaus Bruhns. Through these musicians, he probably gained access to the largest and finest instruments he had played thus far. It is likely that during this stage he became acquainted with the music of the German organ schools, especially the work of Dieterich Buxtehude, and with music manuscripts and treatises on music theory that were in the possession of these musicians. Lüneburg (English: Lunenburg) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, about 50km southeast of Hamburg. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ... The famous organist Georg Böhm (September 2, 1661 - May 18, 1733) was born in Hohenkirchen, Thuringia Germany. ... Johann Adam Reincken (April 27, 1623 - November 24, 1722) was an organist at St. ... Nicholas Bruhns (1665-1697) was one of the greatest organists and composers of his time, and an important influence on Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The only surviving portrait of Buxtehude, from a 1674 painting by Johannes Voorhout. ... Look up Treatise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...


Arnstadt to Weimar (1703–08)

St Boniface's Church in Arnstadt
St Boniface's Church in Arnstadt

In January 1703, shortly after graduating, Bach took up a post as a court musician in the chapel of Duke Johann Ernst in Weimar, a large town in Thuringia. His role there is unclear, but appears to have included menial, non-musical duties. During his seven-month tenure at Weimar, his reputation as a keyboard player spread. He was invited to inspect and give the inaugural recital on the new organ at St Boniface’s Church in Arnstadt. The Bach family had close connections with this oldest town in Thuringia, about 180 km to the southwest of Weimar at the edge of the great forest. In August 1703, he accepted the post of organist at that church, with light duties, a relatively generous salary, and a fine new organ tuned to a modern system that allowed a wide range of keys to be used. At this time, Bach was embarking on the serious composition of organ preludes; these works, in the North German tradition of virtuosic, improvisatory preludes, already showed tight motivic control (where a single, short music idea is explored cogently throughout a movement). However, in these works the composer had yet to fully develop his powers of large-scale organisation and his contrapuntal technique (where two or more melodies interact simultaneously). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (841x885, 139 KB) Beschreibung Bachkirche in Arnstadt (Thüringen), im Vordergrund: Brunnen. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (841x885, 139 KB) Beschreibung Bachkirche in Arnstadt (Thüringen), im Vordergrund: Brunnen. ... Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. ... For the locality in Texas called Weimar see Weimar, Texas, there is also Weimar bei Kassel and Weimar in Marburg-Biedenkopf. ... Arnstadt is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany. ... In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony. ...


Strong family connections and a musically enthusiastic employer failed to prevent tension between the young organist and the authorities after several years in the post. He was apparently dissatisfied with the standard of singers in the choir; more seriously, there was his unauthorised absence from Arnstadt for several months in 1705–06, when he visited the great master Dieterich Buxtehude and his Abendmusik in the northern city of Lübeck. This well-known incident in Bach’s life involved his walking some 400 kilometres ( 250 mi) each way to spend time with the man he probably regarded as the father-figure of German organists. The trip reinforced Buxtehude’s style as a foundation for Bach’s earlier works, and that he overstayed his planned visit by several months suggests that his time with the old man was of great value to his art. The only surviving portrait of Buxtehude, from a 1674 painting by Johannes Voorhout. ... Abendmusik (German for evening music) is an evening musical performance, especially one religious in nature. ... For other uses, see Lübeck (disambiguation). ...


Despite his comfortable position in Arnstadt, by 1706 Bach appeared to have realised that he needed to escape from the family milieu and move on to further his career. He was offered a more lucrative post as organist at St Blasius’s in Mühlhausen, a large and important city to the north. The following year, he took up this senior post with significantly improved pay and conditions, including a good choir. Four months after arriving at Mühlhausen, he married his second cousin from Arnstadt, Maria Barbara Bach.[1] They had seven children, four of whom survived to adulthood. Two of them—Wilhelm Friedemann Bach and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach—became important composers in the ornate Rococo style that followed the Baroque. Mühlhausen is a city in the federal state Thuringia, Germany. ... Maria Barbara Bach (1684?-July, 1720) was the first wife of composer Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, in a portrait by Wilhelm Weitsch Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (November 22, 1710 – July 1, 1784) was the eldest, and by common repute the most gifted son, of Johann Sebastian Bach; a famous organist, a famous improvisor, and a complete master of counterpoint. ... Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (March 8, 1714 – December 14, 1788) was a German musician and composer, the second of five sons of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. ... North side of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo - carriage courtyard: all the stucco details sparkled with gold until 1773, when Catherine II had gilding replaced with olive drab paint. ...


The church and city government at Mühlhausen must have been proud of their new musical director. They readily agreed to his plan for an expensive renovation of the organ at St Blasius’s, and were so delighted at the elaborate, festive cantata he wrote for the inauguration of the new council in 1708—God is my king BWV 71, clearly in the style of Buxtehude—that they paid handsomely for its publication, and twice in later years had the composer return to conduct it. However, that same year, Bach was offered a better position in Weimar. A cantata (Italian, sung) is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment and generally containing more than one movement. ...


Weimar (1708–17)

Places in which Bach lived throughout his life
Places in which Bach lived throughout his life

After barely a year at Mühlhausen, Bach left to become the court organist and concert master at the ducal court in Weimar, a far cry from his earlier position there as ‘lackey’. The munificent salary on offer at the court and the prospect of working entirely with a large, well-funded contingent of professional musicians may have prompted the move. The family moved into an apartment just five minutes’ walk from the ducal palace. In the following year, their first child was born and they were joined by Maria Barbara’s elder, unmarried sister, who remained with them to assist in the running of the household until her death in 1729. It was in Weimar that the two musically significant sons were born—Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Image File history File links JSBWohnorte. ... Image File history File links JSBWohnorte. ... The concert-master (or concertmaster, leader, occasionally concertmistress) is the leader of the first violins and assistant conductor in an orchestra. ...

A dubious portrait of Bach as a young man
A dubious[2] portrait of Bach as a young man

Bach’s position in Weimar marked the start of a sustained period of composing keyboard and orchestral works, in which he had attained the technical proficiency and confidence to extend the prevailing large-scale structures and to synthesise influences from abroad. From the music of Italians such as Vivaldi, Corelli and Torelli, he learnt how to write dramatic openings and adopted their sunny dispositions, dynamic motor-rhythms and decisive harmonic schemes. Bach inducted himself into these stylistic aspects largely by transcribing for harpsichord and organ the ensemble concertos of Vivaldi; these works are still concert favourites. He may have picked up the idea of transcribing the latest fashionable Italian music from Prince Johann Ernst, one of his employers, who was a musician of professional calibre. In 1713, the Duke returned from a tour of the Low Countries with a large collection of scores, some of them possibly transcriptions of the latest fashionable Italian music by the blind organist Jan Jacob de Graaf. Bach was particularly attracted to the Italian solo-tutti structure, in which one or more solo instruments alternate section-by-section with the full orchestra throughout a movement. These Italianate features can be heard in the excerpt below of the Prelude from English Suite No. 3 for harpsichord (1714). The solo–tutti alternation is achieved when the player deftly changes between the lower keyboard (of a fuller, slightly louder tone) and the upper keyboard (of a more delicate tone). Image File history File links Young_Bach2. ... Image File history File links Young_Bach2. ... “Vivaldi” redirects here. ... Arcangelo Corelli (February 17, 1653 – January 8, 1713) was an influential Italian violinist and composer of Baroque music. ... Giuseppe Torelli Giuseppe Torelli (Verona, April 22, 1658 - Bologna, February 8, 1709) was an Italian violinist, pedagogue and composer. ... It has been suggested that Regents: Low Countries be merged into this article or section. ...

Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor (BWV 1001) in Bach’s handwriting
Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor (BWV 1001) in Bach’s handwriting

In Weimar, he had the opportunity to play and compose for the organ, and to perform a varied repertoire of concert music with the duke’s ensemble. A master of contrapuntal technique, Bach’s steady output of fugues began in Weimar. The largest single body of his fugal writing is Das wohltemperierte Clavier ("The well-tempered keyboard"—"Clavier" meaning keyboard instrument). It consists of 48 preludes and fugues, one pair for each major and relative minor key. This is a monumental work for its masterful use of counterpoint and its exploration, for the first time, of the full range of keys — and the means of expression made possible by their slight differences from each other—available to keyboardists when their instruments are tuned according to systems such as that of Andreas Werckmeister. Download high resolution version (535x847, 217 KB)This is Bachs Sonata #1 in G minor, in his own handwriting. ... Download high resolution version (535x847, 217 KB)This is Bachs Sonata #1 in G minor, in his own handwriting. ... In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony. ... In music, a fugue (IPA: ) is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred to as voices, irrespective of whether the work is vocal or instrumental. ... Title-page of Das wohtemperierte Klavier A flat major (As-dur) fugue from the second part of Das wohtemperierte Klavier (manuscript) The Well-Tempered Clavier (Das wohltemperierte Klavier in German -- Klavier means piano, but the English word clavier (which means keyboard) looks more like the German title) consists of two... In music theory, the major scale is one of the diatonic scales. ... In music, the relative minor of a particular major key (or the relative major of a minor key) is the key which has the same key signature but a different tonic, as opposed to parallel minor or major, respectively. ... Andreas Werckmeister (November 30, 1645 – October 26, 1706) was a musician and music theorist of the Baroque era. ...


During his tenure at Weimar, Bach started work on The little organ book for his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann; this contains traditional Lutheran chorales (hymn tunes), set in complex textures to assist the training of organists. The book illustrates two major themes in Bach’s life: his dedication to teaching and his love of the chorale as a musical form. Orgelbüchlein: Written during one of Bachs more productive periods of 1708–14, The Orgelbüchlein (or Little organ book), is a set of 45 Chorale preludes written for organ. ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. ... A chorale was originally a hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation. ...


Cöthen (1717–23)

The palace and gardens at Cöthen in an engraving from Matthäus Merian's Topographia (1650)
The palace and gardens at Cöthen in an engraving from Matthäus Merian's Topographia (1650)

Bach began once again to search out a more stable job that was conducive to his musical interests. Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen hired Bach to serve as his Kapellmeister (director of music). Prince Leopold, himself a musician, appreciated Bach’s talents, paid him well, and gave him considerable latitude in composing and performing. However, the prince was Calvinist and did not use elaborate music in his worship; thus, most of Bach’s work from this period was secular, including the Orchestral suites, the Six suites for solo cello and the Sonatas and partitas for solo violin. This photograph of the opening page of the first violin sonata shows the composer’s handwriting—fast and efficient, but just as visually ornate as the music it encoded. The well-known Brandenburg concertos date from this period. Image File history File links Coethen. ... Image File history File links Coethen. ... Köthen (  ?) is a small town in central Germany, about 30 km north of Halle. ... Matthäus Merian Matthäus Merian der Ältere (the Elder, or Sr. ... Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen was born in August 1692. ... A Kapellmeister is nowadays the director or conductor of an orchestra or choir. ... In an unadorned church, the 17th century congregation stands to hear the sermon. ... The Four Orchestral Suites BWV 1066–1069 are a set of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, probably composed around 1720 in Köthen. ... The first page from the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach of Suite No. ... First Sonata for Solo Violin: Adagio (Autograph 1720) The Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001–1006) is a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The six Brandenburg concertos (BWV 1046-1051) by Johann Sebastian Bach are a collection of instrumental works presented by Bach to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721, but probably composed earlier. ...


On July 7, 1720, while Bach was abroad with Prince Leopold, tragedy struck: his wife, Maria Barbara, the mother of his first 7 children, died suddenly. The following year, the widower met Anna Magdalena Wilcke, a young, highly gifted soprano 17 years his junior, who performed at the court in Cöthen; they married on 3 December 1721. Together they had 13 more children, six of whom survived into adulthood: Gottfried Heinrich, Johann Christoph Friedrich and Johann Christian all of whom became significant musicians; Elisabeth Juliane Friederica (1726–81) who married Bach's pupil Johann Christoph Altnikol, Johanna Carolina (1737–81) and Regina Susanna (1742–1809)[3] is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Stockholm) declaring peace. ... Anna Magdalena Bach-Wilcken (22 September 1701– 22 February 1760) was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... This article is about the singing voice part. ... Köthen (  ?) is a small town in central Germany, about 30 km north of Halle. ... is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events Pope Innocent XIII becomes pope Johann Sebastian Bach composes the Brandenburg Concertos April 4 - Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister of Britain September 10 - Treaty of Nystad is signed, bringing an end to the Great Northern War November 2 - Peter I is proclaimed Emperor of All the Russias... Gottfried Heinrich Bach (b Leipzig 26 Feb 1724; d Naumberg, buried 12 Feb 1763) was the firstborn son of the second marriage of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (June 21, 1732—January 26, 1795), the ninth son of Johann Sebastian Bach, sometimes referred to as the Bückeburg Bach. Born at Leipzig, Germany, he was taught music by his father. ... Johann Christian Bach (September 5, 1735 – January 1, 1782) was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


Leipzig (1723–50)

A 1723 engraving by JG Krügner of St Thomas’s Church, the St Thomas School at a right angle to it, on the left

In 1723, Bach was appointed Cantor of Thomasschule, adjacent to the Thomaskirche (St Thomas’s Lutheran Church) in Leipzig, as well as Director of Music in the principal churches in the town. This was a prestigious post in the leading mercantile city in Saxony, a neighbouring electorate to Thuringia. Apart from his brief tenures in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, this was Bach’s first government position in a career that had mainly involved service to the aristocracy. This final post, which he held for 27 years until his death, brought him into contact with the political machinations of his employer, the Leipzig Council. The Council comprised two factions: the Absolutists, loyal to the Saxon monarch in Dresden, Augustus the Strong; and the City-Estate faction, representing the interests of the mercantile class, the guilds and minor aristocrats. Bach was the nominee of the monarchists, in particular of the Mayor at the time, Gottlieb Lange, a lawyer who had earlier served in the Dresden court. In return for agreeing to Bach’s appointment, the City-Estate faction was granted control of the School, and Bach was required to make a number of compromises with respect to his working conditions.[4] Although it appears that no one on the Council doubted Bach’s musical genius, there was continual tension between the Cantor, who regarded himself as the leader of church music in the city, and the City-Estate faction, which saw him as a schoolmaster and wanted to reduce the emphasis on elaborate music in both the School and the Churches. The Council never honoured Lange’s promise at interview of a handsome salary of 1,000 talers a year, although it did provide Bach and his family with a smaller income and a good apartment at one end of the school building, which was renovated at great expense in 1732. St. ... St. ... Thomasschule Leipzig Thomasschule zu Leipzig is a gymnasium based in Leipzig, Germany where students take their abitur (A-levels) in preparation for college or university. ... The Thomaskirche in Leipzig The Thomaskirche (St. ... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ... Reign From 1697, until 1706 and from 1709, until February 1, 1733 Elected In 1697 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On September 15, 1697 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Royal House Wettin Parents John George III Wettin Anne Sophie Consorts  ? Children August III Sas Maurice...


Bach’s job required him to instruct the students of the Thomasschule in singing, and to provide weekly music at the two main churches in Leipzig, St Thomas's and St Nicholas's. His post also obliged him to teach Latin, but he was allowed to employ a deputy to do this instead. In an astonishing burst of creativity, he wrote up to five annual cantata cycles during his first six years in Leipzig (two of which have apparently been lost). Most of these concerted works expound on the Gospel readings for every Sunday and feast day in the Lutheran year; many were written using traditional church hymns, such as Wachet auf! Ruft uns die Stimme and Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, as inspiration. Thomasschule Leipzig Thomasschule zu Leipzig is a gymnasium based in Leipzig, Germany where students take their abitur (A-levels) in preparation for college or university. ... The Thomaskirche in Leipzig The Thomaskirche (St. ... Nikolai Church, Leipzig The St. ... Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme is a noted cantata by J.S. Bach, BWV 140. ...

Bach's seal, used throughout his Leipzig years. It contains the letters 'J S B' superimposed over their mirror image topped with a crown.
Bach's seal, used throughout his Leipzig years. It contains the letters 'J S B' superimposed over their mirror image topped with a crown.

To rehearse and perform these works at St Thomas’s Church, Bach probably sat at the harpsichord or stood in front of the choir on the lower gallery at the west end, his back to the congregation and the altar at the east end. He would have looked upwards to the organ that rose from a loft about four metres above. To the right of the organ in a side gallery would have been the winds, brass and timpani; to the left were the strings. The Council provided only about eight permanent instrumentalists, a source of continual friction with the Cantor, who had to recruit the rest of the 20 or so players required for medium-to-large scores from the University, the School and the public. The organ or harpsichord were probably played by the composer (when not standing to conduct), the in-house organist, or one of Bach’s elder sons, Wilhelm Friedemann or Carl Philipp Emanuel. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1070x480, 211 KB) Johann Sebastian Bachs 1722 seal, used throughout his Leipzig years. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1070x480, 211 KB) Johann Sebastian Bachs 1722 seal, used throughout his Leipzig years. ...


Bach drew the soprano and alto choristers from the School, and the tenors and basses from the School and elsewhere in Leipzig. Performing at weddings and funerals provided extra income for these groups; it was probably for this purpose, and for in-school training, that he wrote at least six motets, mostly for double-choir. As part of his regular church work, he performed motets of the Venetian school and Germans such as Heinrich Schütz, which would have served as formal models for his own motets. The audio excerpt is from the opening of Singet dem Herrn (Sing to the Lord), showing the rich, energetic textures that Bach could produce with two choirs, each in four parts. In Western music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions. ... San Marco in the evening. ... Heinrich Schütz. ...

A photograph of the outside of Bach’s apartment at the end of the St Thomas School, taken before its demolition in 1902. Three steps can be seen leading to the front door.

Having spent much of the 1720s composing cantatas, Bach had assembled a huge repertoire of church music for Leipzig’s two main churches. He now wished to broaden his composing and performing beyond the liturgy. In March 1729, he took over the directorship of the Collegium Musicum, a secular performance ensemble that had been started in 1701 by his old friend, the composer Georg Philipp Telemann. This was one of the dozens of private societies in the major German-speaking cities that had been established by musically active university students; these societies had come to play an increasingly important role in public musical life and were typically led by the most prominent professionals in a city. In the words of Christoph Wolff, assuming the directorship was a shrewd move that 'consolidated Bach’s firm grip on Leipzig’s principal musical institutions’.[5] During much of the year, Leipzig’s Collegium Musicum gave twice-weekly, two-hour performances in Zimmerman’s Coffeehouse on Catherine Street, just off the main market square. For this purpose, the proprietor provided a large hall and acquired several musical instruments. Many of Bach’s works during the 1730s, 40s and 50s were probably written for and performed by the Collegium Musicum; among these were almost certainly parts of the Clavier-Übung (Keyboard Practice), and many of the violin and harpsichord concertos. Image File history File links Summary Bachs apartment in the Thomasschule in Leipzig, taken before its demolition in 1902. ... Image File history File links Summary Bachs apartment in the Thomasschule in Leipzig, taken before its demolition in 1902. ... Collegium Musicum is a Latin term for a group of amateur musicians connected with a university. ... Georg Philipp Telemann. ... Christoph Wolff (born May 24, 1940) is a German-born musicologist, presently on the faculty of Harvard University. ... See List of compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach for the complete list of Bach compositions - the present list only lists those compositions by Bach that were printed during his lifetime: since some of these editions got a bit scattered over the BWV catalogue, this list is only intended to provide... The harpsichord concertos, BWV 1052-1065, are concertos for harpsichord, string orchestra and continuo by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Zimmerman's Coffeehouse in Leipzig, where Bach's Collegium Musicum gave regular concerts
Zimmerman's Coffeehouse in Leipzig, where Bach's Collegium Musicum gave regular concerts

During this period, he composed the Kyrie and Gloria of the Mass in B Minor, and in 1733, he presented the manuscript to the Elector of Saxony in an ultimately successful bid to persuade the monarch to appoint him as Royal Court Composer. He later extended this work into a full Catholic Mass, by adding a Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei, the music for which was almost wholly taken from some of the best of his cantata movements. Bach's appointment as court composer appears to have been part of his long-term struggle to achieve greater bargaining power with the Leipzig Council. The audio excerpt, from one of the movements that was presented to the monarch, shows his use of festive trumpets and timpani. Although the complete mass was probably never performed during the composer’s lifetime, it is considered to be among the greatest choral works of all time. Between 1737 and 1739, Bach's former pupil Carl Gotthelf Gerlach took over the directorship of the Collegium Musicum. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (709x1440, 194 KB) Zimmermanns Coffee-House, Leipzig Engraving by Georg Schreiber (Detail), 18th century Important in Johann Sebastian Bachs life as meeting-place of his Collegium Musicum since 1729 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (709x1440, 194 KB) Zimmermanns Coffee-House, Leipzig Engraving by Georg Schreiber (Detail), 18th century Important in Johann Sebastian Bachs life as meeting-place of his Collegium Musicum since 1729 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link... The Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) is a musical setting of the Latin Mass by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Carl Gotthelf Gerlach (31 December 1704 – 9 July 1761) was a German organist, who took over the Leipzig Collegium Musicum from Johann Sebastian Bach between 1737 and 1739. ...


In 1747, Bach went to the court of Frederick II of Prussia in Potsdam, where the king played a theme for Bach and challenged him to improvise a fugue based on his theme. Bach improvised a three-part fugue on Frederick’s pianoforte, then a novelty, and later presented the king with a Musical Offering which consists of fugues, canons and a trio based on the "royal theme", nominated by the monarch. Its six-part fugue includes a slightly altered subject more suitable for extensive elaboration. Frederick II (German: ; January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740–1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty. ... Potsdam is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. ... The piano Piano is a common abbreviation for pianoforte, a large musical instrument with a keyboard (see keyboard instrument). ... The Musical Offering (German title Musikalisches Opfer or Das Musikalische Opfer), BWV 1079, is a collection of canons and fugues and other pieces of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, based on a musical theme by Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) and dedicated to him. ... The Musical Offering (German title Musikalisches Opfer or Das Musikalische Opfer), BWV 1079, is a collection of canons and fugues and other pieces of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, based on a musical theme by Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) and dedicated to him. ...


The Art of Fugue, published posthumously but probably written years before Bach's death, is unfinished. It consists of 18 complex fugues and canons based on a simple theme. A magnum opus of thematic transformation and contrapuntal devices, this work is often cited as the summation of polyphonic techniques. A portrait which may show Bach in 1750 The Art of Fugue or The Art of the Fugue (original German: Die Kunst der Fuge), BWV 1080, is an unfinished work by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


The final work Bach completed was a chorale prelude for organ, dictated to his son-in-law, Johann Altnikol, from his deathbed. Entitled Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit (Before thy throne I now appear); when the notes on the three staves of the final cadence are counted and mapped onto the Roman alphabet, the initials "JSB" are found. The chorale is often played after the unfinished 14th fugue to conclude performances of The Art of Fugue. Johann Christoph Altnickol, or Altnikol, (1 January 1720 - 25 July 1759; dates of baptism and burial) was a German organist, bass singer, and composer. ...


Bach became increasingly blind, and the celebrated British ophthalmologist John Taylor (who had operated unsuccessfully on Handel) operated on Bach while visiting Leipzig in 1750. However Bach died "from the unhappy consequences of the very unsuccessful eye operation"[6] at the age of 65. His estate was valued at 1159 Thalers and included 5 Clavecins, 2 Lute-Harpsichords, 3 violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, a viola da gamba, a lute and a spinet, 52 "Sacred Books" (many by Martin Luther, Muller and Pfeiffer, also including Josephus's History of the Jews and 9 volumes of Wagner's Leipzig Song Book).[7] Chevalier John Taylor (1703-1772) was the first in a long line of British eye surgeons. ... HANDEL was the code-name for the UKs National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. ... Examples of German and Austrian thalers compared to a US quarter piece The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. ... Harpsichord in the Flemish style A harpsichord is any of a family of European keyboard instruments, including the large instrument currently called a harpsichord, but also the smaller virginals, the muselar virginals and the spinet. ... Various Viola da gamba The viol or viola da gamba family of musical instruments is related to the vihuela, rebec, etc. ... A medieval era lute. ... A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ. ... Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... Muller, Bobby, Vietnam veteran Muller, Charles, translator Muller, Gilles, professional tennis player Muller, Hermann Joseph (1890-1967), U.S. geneticist (Mullers ratchet) and educator Muller, Kirk, Canadian hockey player Luiz Antônio da Costa, nicknamed Muller, Brazilian football (soccer) player Muller, Albert, Paramedic, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa See... Pfeiffer is the surname of several notable people: des CSU-Politikers Anton Pfeiffer der deutsche Kriminologe Christian Pfeiffer Denise Pfeiffer des Stuttgarter Ehrenbürgers Dr. Eduard von Pfeiffer (1835 - 1921) des Kinderarztes und Entdecker des Pfeifferschen Drüsenfiebers Emil Pfeiffer Franz Pfeiffer Fred Pfeiffer des Bundestagsabgeordneten Joachim Pfeiffer Michelle Pfeiffer... A fanciful representation of Flavius Josephus, in an engraving in William Whistons translation of his works Josephus (37 – sometime after 100 CE),[1] who became known, in his capacity as a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus,[2] was a 1st-century Jewish historian and apologist of priestly and...


During his life he composed more than 1,000 works.


At Leipzig, Bach seems to have maintained active relationships with several members of the faculty of the university. He enjoyed a particularly fruitful relationship with the poet Picander. Sebastian and Anna Magdalena welcomed friends, family, and fellow musicians from all over Germany into their home. Court musicians at Dresden and Berlin, and musicians including Georg Philipp Telemann (one of Emanuel’s godfathers) made frequent visits to Bach’s apartment and may have kept up frequent correspondence with him. Interestingly, George Frideric Handel, who was born in the same year as Bach in Halle, only 50 km from Leipzig, made several trips to Germany, but Bach was unable to meet him, a fact that Bach appears to have deeply regretted.[8] Picander was the pseudonym of Christian Friedrich Henrici (January 14, 1700 - May 10, 1764), German poet and librettist for many of Johann Sebastian Bachs Leipzig cantatas. ... Georg Philipp Telemann. ... “Handel” redirects here. ...


Style

Bach’s musical style arose from his extraordinary fluency in contrapuntal invention and motivic control, his flair for improvisation at the keyboard, his exposure to South German, North German, Italian and French music, and his apparent devotion to the Lutheran liturgy. His access to musicians, scores and instruments as a child and a young man, combined with his emerging talent for writing tightly woven music of powerful sonority, appear to have set him on course to develop an eclectic, energetic musical style in which foreign influences were injected into an intensified version of the pre-existing German musical language. Throughout his teens and 20s, his output showed increasing skill in the large-scale organisation of musical ideas, and the enhancement of the Buxtehudian model of improvisatory preludes and counterpoint of limited complexity. The period 1713–14, when a large repertoire of Italian music became available to the Weimar court orchestra, was a turning point. From this time onwards, he appears to have absorbed into his style the Italians’ dramatic openings, clear melodic contours, the sharp outlines of their bass lines, greater motoric and rhythmic conciseness, more unified motivic treatment, and more clearly articulated schemes for modulation.


There are several more specific features of Bach's style. The notation of baroque melodic lines tended to assume that composers would write out only the basic framework, and that performers would embellish this framework by inserting ornamental notes and otherwise elaborating on it. Although this practice varied considerably between the schools of European music, Bach was regarded at the time as being on one extreme end of the spectrum, notating most or all of the details of his melodic lines—particularly in his fast movements—thus leaving little for performers to interpolate. This may have assisted his control over the dense contrapuntal textures that he favoured, which allow less leeway for the spontaneous variation of musical lines. Bach's contrapuntal textures tend to be more cumulative than those of Händel and most other composers of the day, who would typically allow a line to drop out after it had been joined by two or three others. Bach's harmony is marked by a tendency to employ brief tonicisation—subtle references to another key that lasts for only a few beats at the longest—particularly of the supertonic, to add colour to his textures. In music, tonicization is the treatment of a pitch other than the overall tonic as a temporary tonic in a composition. ...

The opening of the six-part fugue from The Musical Offering, in Bach’s hand
The opening of the six-part fugue from The Musical Offering, in Bach’s hand

At the same time, Bach, unlike later composers, left the instrumentation of major works including The Art of Fugue and The Musical Offering open. It is likely that his detailed notation was less an absolute demand on the performer and more a response to a 17th-century culture in which the boundary between what the performer could embellish and what the composer demanded to be authentic was being negotiated. Image File history File links Kdf2. ... Image File history File links Kdf2. ...


Bach’s apparently devout, personal relationship with the Christian God in the Lutheran tradition and the high demand for religious music of his times inevitably placed sacred music at the centre of his repertory; more specifically, the Lutheran chorale hymn tune, the principal musical aspect of the Lutheran service, was the basis of much of his output. He invested the chorale prelude, already a standard set of Lutheran forms, with a more cogent, tightly integrated architecture, in which the intervallic patterns and melodic contours of the tune were typically treated in a dense, contrapuntal lattice against relatively slow-moving, overarching statements of the tune. The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ...


Bach's theology also informed his compositional structures: Sei Gegrüsset is perhaps the finest example where there is a theme with 11 variations (making 12 movements) that, while still one work, becomes two sets of six—to match Lutheran preaching principles of repetition. At the same time the theological interpretation of 'master' and 11 disciples would not be lost on his contemporary audience. Further, the practical relationship of each variation to the next (in preparing registration and the expected textural changes) seems to show an incredible capacity to preach through the music using the musical forms available at the time.


Bach's deep knowledge of and interest in the liturgy led to his developing intricate relationships between music and linguistic text. This was evident from the smallest to the largest levels of his compositional technique. On the smallest level, many of his sacred works contain short motifs that, by recurrent association, can be regarded as pictorial symbolism and articulations of liturgical concepts. For example, the octave leap, usually in a bass line, represents the relationship between heaven and earth; the slow, repeated notes of the bass line in the opening movement of Cantata 106 (Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit) depict the laboured trudging of Jesus as he was forced to drag the cross from the city to the crucifixion site.


On the largest level, the large-scale structure of some of his sacred vocal works is evidence of subtle, elaborate planning: for example, the overall form of the St Matthew Passion illustrates the liturgical and dramatic flow of the Easter story on a number of levels simultaneously; the text, keys and variations of instrumental and vocal forces used in the movements of Cantata 11 (Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen) may form a structure that resembles the cross.


Beyond these specific musical features arising from Bach’s religious affiliation is the fact that he was able to produce music for an audience that was committed to serious, regular worship, for which a concentrated density and complexity was accepted. His natural inclination may have been to reinvigorate existing forms, rather than to discard them and pursue more dramatic musical innovations. Thus, Bach’s inventive genius was almost entirely directed towards working within the structures he inherited, according to most critics and historians.


Bach’s inner personal drive to display his musical achievements was evident in a number of ways. The most obvious was his successful striving to become the leading virtuoso and improviser of the day on the organ. Keyboard music occupied a central position in his output throughout his life, and he pioneered the elevation of the keyboard from continuo to solo instrument in his numerous harpsichord concertos and chamber movements with keyboard obbligato, in which he himself probably played the solo part. Many of his keyboard preludes are vehicles for a free improvisatory virtuosity in the German tradition, although their internal organisation became increasingly more cogent as he matured. Virtuosity is a key element in other forms, such as the fugal movement from Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, in which Bach himself may have been the first to play the rapid solo violin passages. Another example is in the organ fugue from BWV547, a late work from Leipzig, in which virtuosic passages are mapped onto Italian solo-tutti alternation within the fugal development. Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and nonchord tones, in relation to a bass note. ... The harpsichord concertos, BWV 1052-1065, are concertos for harpsichord, string orchestra and continuo by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...


Related to his cherished role as teacher was his drive to encompass whole genres by producing collections of movements that thoroughly explore the range of artistic and technical possibilities inherent in those genres. The most famous examples are the two books of the Well Tempered Clavier, each of which presents a prelude and fugue in every major and minor key, in which a variety of contrapuntal and fugal techniques are displayed. The English and French Suites, and the Partitas, all keyboard works from the Cöthen period, systematically explore a range of metres and of sharp and flat keys. This urge to manifest structures is evident throughout his life: the Goldberg Variations (1746?), include a sequence of canons at increasing intervals (unison, seconds, thirds, etc.), and The Art of Fugue (1749) can be seen as a compendium of fugal techniques. Title-page of Das wohtemperierte Klavier A flat major (As-dur) fugue from the second part of Das wohtemperierte Klavier (manuscript) The Well-Tempered Clavier (Das wohltemperierte Klavier in German -- Klavier means piano, but the English word clavier (which means keyboard) looks more like the German title) consists of two... The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, original title Aria mit verschiedenen Veränderungen[1] published as Clavierübung, bestehend in einer Aria. ... A portrait which may show Bach in 1750 The Art of Fugue or The Art of the Fugue (original German: Die Kunst der Fuge), BWV 1080, is an unfinished work by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


Family

See also: Bach family

Bach married his second cousin Maria Barbara Bach in 1707. They had seven children, four of whom survived to adulthood: The Bach family was of importance in the history of music for nearly two hundred years. ... Maria Barbara Bach (1684?-July, 1720) was the first wife of composer Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Maria died in 1720, and Bach married Anna Magdalena Wilcke in 1721. They had a further thirteen children, six of whom survived to adulthood: is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events March 23 - James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth July 1 - Tewoflos becomes Emperor of Ethiopia September 28 - Peter the Great defeats the Swedes at the Battle of Lesnaya Kandahar conquered by Mir Wais In Masuria one third of the population die during the plague J... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Chesma Column in Tsarskoe Selo, commemorating the end of the Russo-Turkish War. ... Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, in a portrait by Wilhelm Weitsch Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (November 22, 1710 – July 1, 1784) was the eldest, and by common repute the most gifted son, of Johann Sebastian Bach; a famous organist, a famous improvisor, and a complete master of counterpoint. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events April 10 - The worlds first copyright legislation became effective, Britains Statute of Anne Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713) Births January 3 - Richard Gridley, American Revolutionary soldier (d. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (March 8, 1714 – December 14, 1788) was a German musician and composer, the second of five sons of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Battle of Gangut, by Maurice Baquoi, 1724-27. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach (1715–1739) was the fourth son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1715 (MDCCXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // About the number 1739 1739 is the smallest integer that can be written as sum of three perfect cubes, in two ways. ... Anna Magdalena Bach-Wilcken (22 September 1701– 22 February 1760) was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Gottfried Heinrich Bach (b Leipzig 26 Feb 1724; d Naumberg, buried 12 Feb 1763) was the firstborn son of the second marriage of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (June 21, 1732—January 26, 1795), the ninth son of Johann Sebastian Bach, sometimes referred to as the Bückeburg Bach. Born at Leipzig, Germany, he was taught music by his father. ... Johann Christian Bach (September 5, 1735 – January 1, 1782) was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Works

See also: Category:Compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, List of fugal works by Johann Sebastian Bach, and List of transcriptions of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach

J. S. Bach’s works are indexed with BWV numbers, an initialism for Bach Werke Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue). The catalogue, published in 1950, was compiled by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue is organised thematically, rather than chronologically: BWV 1–224 are cantatas, BWV 225–249 the large-scale choral works, BWV 250–524 chorales and sacred songs, BWV 525–748 organ works, BWV 772–994 other keyboard works, BWV 995–1000 lute music, BWV 1001–40 chamber music, BWV 1041–71 orchestral music, and BWV 1072–1126 canons and fugues. In compiling the catalogue, Schmieder largely followed the Bach Gesellschaft Ausgabe, a comprehensive edition of the composer's works that was produced between 1850 and 1905. For a list of works catalogued by BWV number, see List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue) is the numbering system used to identify musical works by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... There are over 1000 known compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Johann Sebastian Bach’s music has inspired many composers to create music based on his themes, or to transcribe his works for other instruments. ... Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial letter or letters of words, such as NATO and XHTML, and are pronounced in a way that is distinct from the full pronunciation of what the letters stand for. ... Wolfgang Schmieder (1901–1990) was a German musicologist who, in 1950, published the BWV, or Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue), a catalog of musical works by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... A cantata (Italian, sung) is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment and generally containing more than one movement. ... A chorale was originally a hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation. ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... A medieval era lute. ... Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. ... In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e. ... In music, a fugue (IPA: ) is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred to as voices, irrespective of whether the work is vocal or instrumental. ... There are over 1000 known compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


Organ works

Bach was best known during his lifetime as an organist, organ consultant, and composer of organ works in both the traditional German free genres such as preludes, fantasias, and toccatas, and stricter forms such as chorale preludes and fugues. He established a reputation at a young age for his great creativity and ability to integrate foreign styles into his organ works. A decidedly North German influence was exerted by Georg Böhm, with whom Bach came into contact in Lüneburg, and Dieterich Buxtehude in Lübeck, whom the young organist visited in 1704 on an extended leave of absence from his job in Arnstadt. Around this time, Bach copied the works of numerous French and Italian composers to gain insights into their compositional languages, and later arranged violin concertos by Vivaldi and others for organ and harpsichord. His most productive period (1708–14) saw the composition of several pairs of preludes and fugues and toccatas and fugues, and of the Orgelbüchlein ("Little organ book"), an unfinished collection of 45 short chorale preludes that demonstrate compositional techniques in the setting of chorale tunes. After he left Weimar, Bach's output for organ fell off, although his most well-known works (the six trio sonatas, the Clavierübung III of 1739, and the "Great eighteen" chorales, revised late in his life) were all composed after this time. Bach was extensively engaged later in his life in consulting on organ projects, testing newly built organs, and dedicating organs in afternoon recitals.[citation needed] One of the high points may be the third part of the Clavierübung, a setting of 21 chorale preludes uniting the traditional Catholic Missa with the Lutheran catechism liturgy, the whole set interpolated between a mighty Prelude and Fugue on the theme of the Trinity. A prelude is a short piece of music, usually in no particular internal form, which may serve as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that are usually longer and more complex. ... The fantasia (also English: , German: , French: ) is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. ... Toccata (Italian for to touch) is a Virtuoso piece of classical music for a keyboard instrument or plucked string instrument featuring sections of brilliant passagework, with or without imitative or fugal interludes, generally emphasizing the dexterity of the performer. ... In music, a chorale prelude is a short liturgical composition for organ using a chorale tune as its basis. ... In music, a fugue (IPA: ) is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred to as voices, irrespective of whether the work is vocal or instrumental. ... The famous organist Georg Böhm (September 2, 1661 - May 18, 1733) was born in Hohenkirchen, Thuringia Germany. ... The only surviving portrait of Buxtehude, from a 1674 painting by Johannes Voorhout. ... For other uses, see Lübeck (disambiguation). ... “Vivaldi” redirects here. ... In music, a fugue (IPA: ) is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred to as voices, irrespective of whether the work is vocal or instrumental. ... A chorale was originally a hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation. ... The trio sonata is a musical form which was particularly popular around the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. ...


Other keyboard works

The title page of the third part of the Clavier-Übung, one of the few works by Bach that was published during his lifetime
The title page of the third part of the Clavier-Übung, one of the few works by Bach that was published during his lifetime

Bach wrote many works for the harpsichord, some of which may also have been played on the clavichord. Many of his keyboard works are anthologies that show an eagerness to encompass whole theoretical systems in an encyclopaedic fashion, as it were. Image File history File links CU3title. ... Image File history File links CU3title. ... Harpsichord in the Flemish style A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. ... Large five-octave unfretted clavichord by Paul Maurici, after J.A. Haas The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. ...

  • The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 and 2 (BWV 846–893). Each book comprises a prelude and fugue in each of the 24 major and minor keys (thus, the whole collection is often referred to as ‘the 48’). “Well-tempered” in the title refers to the temperament (system of tuning); many temperaments before Bach’s time were not flexible enough to allow compositions to move through more than just a few keys.
  • The 15 Inventions and 15 Sinfonias (BWV 772–801). These are short two- and three-part contrapuntal works arranged in order of key signatures of increasing sharps and flats, omitting some of the less used ones. The pieces were intended by Bach for instructional purposes.
  • Three collections of dance suites: the English Suites (BWV 806–811), the French Suites (BWV 812–817) and the Partitas for keyboard (BWV 825–830). Each collection contains six suites built on the standard model (AllemandeCouranteSarabande–(optional movement)–Gigue). The English Suites closely follow the traditional model, adding a prelude before the allemande and including a single movement between the sarabande and the gigue. The French Suites omit preludes, but have multiple movements between the sarabande and the gigue. The partitas expand the model further with elaborate introductory movements and miscellaneous movements between the basic elements of the model.
  • The Goldberg Variations (BWV 988), an aria with thirty variations. The collection has a complex and unconventional structure: the variations build on the bass line of the aria, rather than its melody, and musical canons are interpolated according to a grand plan. There are nine canons within the 30 variations, one placed every three variations between variations 3 and 27. These variations move in order from canon at the unison to canon at the ninth. The first eight are in pairs (unison and octave, second and seventh, third and sixth, fourth and fifth). The ninth canon stands on its own due to compositional dissimilarities.
  • Miscellaneous pieces such as the Overture in the French Style (French Overture, BWV 831) Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue (BWV 903), and the Italian Concerto (BWV 971).

Among Bach’s lesser known keyboard works are seven toccatas (BWV 910–916), four duets (BWV 802–805), sonatas for keyboard (BWV 963–967), the Six Little Preludes (BWV 933–938) and the Aria variata alla maniera italiana (BWV 989). Title-page of Das wohtemperierte Klavier A flat major (As-dur) fugue from the second part of Das wohtemperierte Klavier (manuscript) The Well-Tempered Clavier (Das wohltemperierte Klavier in German -- Klavier means piano, but the English word clavier (which means keyboard) looks more like the German title) consists of two... In music theory, the key identifies the tonic triad, the chord, major or minor, which represents the final point of rest for a piece, or the focal point of a section. ... In musical tuning, a temperament is a system of tuning which slightly compromises the pure intervals of just intonation in order to meet other requirements of the system. ... Johann Sebastian Bachs Two Part Inventions (BWV 772-801) is a collection of thirty short keyboard compositions, consisting of fifteen inventions and fifteen sinfonias. ... In music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting, as a separate musical performance, not accompanying an opera, ballet, or theater-piece. ... The English Suites (BWV 806–811) refer to a set of six suites written by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach for harpsichord and generally thought to be the earliest of Bachs 18 suites for keyboard, the others being the 6 French Suites (BWV 812–817) and the 6... French Suites refer to compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The Partitas for keyboard (BWV 825–830) refer to a set of six suites written by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach for harpsichord and are the last of Bachs 18 suites for keyboard, the others being the 6 English Suites (BWV 806-811) and the 6 French Suites... An allemande (also spelled allemanda, almain, or alman) (from French German) is a type of dance popular in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite, generally the first or second movement. ... The courante, corrente, coranto and corant are just some of the names given to a family of triple metre dances from the late Renaissance and the Baroque era. ... In music, the sarabande (It. ... The gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance in a compound metre such as 3/8, 6/8, 6/4, 9/8 or 12/16. ... The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, original title Aria mit verschiedenen Veränderungen[1] published as Clavierübung, bestehend in einer Aria. ... In music, variation is a formal technique where material is altered during repetition; reiteration with changes. ... A bassline is a series of notes with tones that are low in pitch or frequency. ... In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e. ...


Orchestral and chamber music

Bach wrote music for single instruments, duets and small ensembles. Bach's works for solo instruments – the six sonatas and partitas for violin (BWV 1001–1006), the six cello suites (BWV 1007–1012) and the Partita for solo flute (BWV 1013) – may be listed among the most profound works in the repertoire. Bach also composed a suite and several other works for solo lute. He wrote trio sonatas; solo sonatas (accompanied by continuo) for the flute and for the viola da gamba; and a large number of canons and ricercare, mostly for unspecified instrumentation. The most significant examples of the latter are contained in The Art of Fugue and The Musical Offering. The Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001–1006) is a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The first page from the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach of Suite No. ... The trio sonata is a musical form which was particularly popular around the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. ... Sonata (From Latin and Italian sonare, to sound), in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to cantata (Latin cantare, to sing), a piece sung. ... Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervallic content (the intervals which make up a sonority), later chords, in relation to a bass note. ... Various Viola da gamba The viol or viola da gamba family of musical instruments is related to the vihuela, rebec, etc. ... In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e. ... A ricercar (or ricercare; the terms are interchangeable) is a type of late Renaissance and mostly early Baroque instrumental composition. ... A portrait which may show Bach in 1750 The Art of Fugue or The Art of the Fugue (original German: Die Kunst der Fuge), BWV 1080, is an unfinished work by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The Musical Offering (German title Musikalisches Opfer or Das Musikalische Opfer), BWV 1079, is a collection of canons and fugues and other pieces of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, based on a musical theme by Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) and dedicated to him. ...


Bach's best-known orchestral works are the Brandenburg concertos, so named because he submitted them in the hope of gaining employment from Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt in 1721; his application was unsuccessful. These works are examples of the concerto grosso genre. Other surviving works in the concerto form include two violin concertos (BWV 1041, and BWV 1042); a Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor (BWV 1043), often referred to as Bach’s "double" concerto; and concertos for one, two, three and even four harpsichords. It is widely accepted that many of the harpsichord concertos were not original works, but arrangements of his concertos for other instruments now lost. A number of violin, oboe and flute concertos have been reconstructed from these. In addition to concertos, Bach also wrote four orchestral suites, a series of stylised dances for orchestra. The work now known as the Air on the G String is an arrangement for the violin made in the nineteenth century from the second movement of the Orchestral Suite No. 3. Johann Sebastian Bach, c. ... Margrave (Latin: marchio) is the English and French form (recorded since 1551) of the German title Markgraf (from Mark march and Graf count) and certain equivalent nobiliary (princely) titles in other languages. ... 1710 painting of Christian Ludwig by Antoine Pesne Christian Ludwig (14 March 1677 – 3 September 1734) was a margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt and a military officer of Brandenburg-Prussias Hohenzollern dynasty. ... The concerto grosso (plural concerti grossi) (Italian for big concert) was a popular form of baroque music using an ensemble and usually having four to six movements in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists (the concertino) and full orchestra (the ripieno). ... The term concerto (plural concertos or concerti) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. ... The Violin Concerto in A minor by J. S. Bach (BWV 1041) is a concerto in 3 movements: Allegro moderato Andante — with an ostinato style theme Allegro assai The Clavier (Piano) concerto in G minor, BWV 1058, is an arrangement of this concerto with piano or harpsichord. ... The Violin Concerto in E major by J. S. Bach (BWV 1042) is a concerto for violin, strings and continuo in 3 movements: Allegro Adagio e sempre piano Allegro The harpsichord concerto in D major, BWV 1054, is an arrangement of this work made by Bach himself. ... The Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043, is perhaps one of the most famous works by J.S. Bach and considered among the best examples of the work of the late Baroque period. ... The harpsichord concertos, BWV 1052-1065, are concertos for harpsichord, string orchestra and continuo by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The Four Orchestral Suites BWV 1066–1069 are a set of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, probably composed around 1720 in Köthen. ... The Air on the G String is an adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bachs famous Air. ...


Vocal and choral works

Bach performed a cantata on Sunday at the Thomaskirche, on a theme corresponding to the lectionary readings of the week, as determined by the Lutheran Church Year calendar. He did not perform cantatas during the seasons of Lent and Advent. Although he performed cantatas by other composers, he also composed at least three entire sets of cantatas, one for each Sunday and holiday of the church year, at Leipzig, in addition to those composed at Mühlhausen and Weimar. In total he wrote more than 300 sacred cantatas, of which only about 195 survive. A cantata (Italian, sung) is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment and generally containing more than one movement. ... The Thomaskirche in Leipzig The Thomaskirche (St. ... A Lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings for Christian worship. ... Mühlhausen is a city in the federal state Thuringia, Germany. ...


His cantatas vary greatly in form and instrumentation. Some of them are only for a solo singer; some are single choruses; some are for grand orchestras, some only a few instruments. A very common format, however, includes a large opening chorus followed by one or more recitative-aria pairs for soloists (or duets), and a concluding chorale. The recitative is part of the corresponding Bible reading for the week and the aria is a contemporary reflection on it. The melody of the concluding chorale often appears as a cantus firmus in the opening movement. The best known of these cantatas are BWV 4 ("Christ lag in Todesbanden"), BWV 80 ("Ein' feste Burg"), BWV 140 ("Wachet auf") and BWV 147 ("Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben"). A chorale was originally a hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation. ... In music, a cantus firmus (fixed song) is a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition, often set apart by being played in long notes. ... Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 4 (Christ lay in deaths bonds) is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Rare early printing of A Mighty Fortress. ... Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140, sometimes called Sleepers Awake, is a noted cantata written in 1731 by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life) is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


In addition, Bach wrote a number of secular cantatas, usually for civic events such as council inaugurations. These also include wedding cantatas, the Wedding Quodlibet, the Peasant Cantata and the Coffee Cantata, which concerns a girl whose father will not let her marry until she gives up her addiction to that extremely popular drink. The Quodlibet or Wedding Quodlibet, BWV 524, is a lighthearted composition by Johann Sebastian Bach which today exists only in fragmentary form. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...


Bach’s large choral-orchestral works include the famous St Matthew Passion and St John Passion, both written for Good Friday vespers services at St Thomas’s and St Nicholas' Churches in alternate years, the Christmas Oratorio (a set of six cantatas for use in the Liturgical season of Christmas). The Magnificat in two versions (one in E-flat major, with four interpolated Christmas-related movements, and the later and better-known version in D major) and the Easter Oratorio compare to large, elaborated cantatas, of a lesser extent than the Passions and the Christmas Oratorio. This aritcle does not cite any references or sources. ... Johannespassion (English: St. ... The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachtsoratorium) BWV 248 is a work by Johann Sebastian Bach celebrating the Christmas season. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about... The Visitation in the Book of Hours of the Duc of Berry For the David and the Giants album, see Magnificat (album) The Magnificat (also known as the Song of Mary) is a canticle frequently sung (or said) liturgically in Christian church services. ...


Bach's other large work, the Mass in B minor, was assembled by Bach near the end of his life, mostly from pieces composed earlier (such as cantata BWV 191 and BWV 12). It was never performed in Bach’s lifetime, or even after his death until the 19th century. The Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) is a work of music by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... See also Great Doxology: Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Latin for Glory to God in the highest) is the title and beginning of the Great Doxology used in the Roman Catholic Mass, Divine Service of the Lutheran Church and in the services of many other Christian churches. ... Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12 (Weeping, lamenting, worrying, fearing), is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


All of these works, unlike the six motets (Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied; Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf; Jesu, meine Freude; Fürchte dich nicht; Komm, Jesu, komm!; and Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden), have substantial solo parts as well as choruses. There are over 1000 known compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...


Bach's copy of a two volume Bible commentary by the orthodox Lutheran theologian, Abraham Calov, was discovered in the 1950s in a barn in Minnesota, purchased apparently in Germany as part of a "job lot" of old books and brought to America by an immigrant. Its provenance was verified and it was subsequently deposited in the rare book holdings of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. It contains his markings of texts for his cantatas and notes. It is only rarely displayed to the public. A study of the so-called Bach Bible was prepared by Robin Leaver, titled J. S. Bach and Scripture: Glosses from the Calov Bible Commentary (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1985). This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... For other uses, see Concordia Seminary (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ...


Performances

Present-day Bach performers may pursue either of two traditions: authentic performance practice, utilising historical techniques, or alternatively the use of modern instruments and playing techniques, with a tendency towards larger ensembles. In Bach’s time orchestras and choirs were usually smaller than those known to, for example, Brahms, and even Bach's most ambitious choral works, such as his Mass in B minor and Passions, are composed for relatively modest forces. Some of Bach's important chamber music does not indicate instrumentation, which gives greater latitude for variety of ensemble. The authentic performance movement is an effort on the part of musicians and scholars to perform works of classical music in ways similar to how they were performed when they were originally written. ... Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of classical music. ...


"Easy listening" realisations of Bach's music and its use in advertising also contributed greatly to Bach's popularisation in the second half of the twentieth century. Among these were the Swingle Singers' versions of Bach pieces that are now well-known (for instance, the Air on the G string, or the Wachet Auf chorale prelude) and Wendy Carlos' 1968 recording Switched-On Bach using the then recently-invented Moog synthesiser. Jazz musicians have also adopted Bach's music, with Jacques Loussier, Ian Anderson and Uri Caine among those creating jazz versions of Bach works. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Swingle Singers (1962-1973) was a vocal group formed in Paris, France with Ward Swingle, Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, and Jean Cussac. ... The Air on the G String is an adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bachs famous Air. ... Wendy Carlos (November 14, 1939 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island) is an American composer and electronic musician. ... Switched-On Bach is a musical album by Wendy Carlos (then Walter Carlos) on CBS Records, released in 1968. ... The term Moog(pronounced // as in moan) synthesizer can refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for analog and digital music synthesisers. ... Jacques Loussier (born 26 October 1934 in Angers, northwestern France) is a noted pianist and composer. ... This article is about the lead singer of Jethro Tull. ... Uri Caine is a classical and jazz pianist born in Philadelphia on June 8, 1956. ...


Legacy

Since being moved in 1938, the Donndorf statue of Bach now stands in the Frauenplan in Eisenach. The pedestal has been shortened and the relief now is at the wall in the background
Since being moved in 1938, the Donndorf statue of Bach now stands in the Frauenplan in Eisenach. The pedestal has been shortened and the relief now is at the wall in the background

In his later years and after his death, Bach's reputation as a composer declined; his work was regarded as old-fashioned compared to the emerging classical style. Initially he was remembered more as a player, teacher and as the father of his children, most notably JC Bach and CPE Bach. During this time, his works for keyboard were those most appreciated and composers ever since have acknowledged his mastery of the genre. Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin were among his most prominent admirers. On a visit to Thomasschule, for example, Mozart heard a performance of one of the motets (BWV 225) and exclaimed "Now, here is something one can learn from!"; on being given the motets' parts, "Mozart sat down, the parts all around him, held in both hands, on his knees, on the nearest chairs. Forgetting everything else, he did not stand up again until he had looked through all the music of Sebastian Bach". Beethoven was a devotee, learning the Well-Tempered Clavier as a child and later calling Bach the "Urvater der Harmonie" ("Original father of Harmony") and, in a pun on the literal meaning of Bach's name, "nicht Bach, sondern Meer" ("not a brook, but a sea"). Before performing a concert, Chopin used to lock himself away and play Bach's music. Several notable composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann and Mendelssohn began writing in a more contrapuntal style after being introduced to Bach's music. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (550x800, 312 KB) Summary This image was taken by my grandfather, who forfeits all rights. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (550x800, 312 KB) Summary This image was taken by my grandfather, who forfeits all rights. ... The Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1730 through 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. ... Johann Christian Bach (September 5, 1735 – January 1, 1782) was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (March 8, 1714 – December 14, 1788) was a German musician and composer, the second of five sons of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. ... “Mozart” redirects here. ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... “Chopin” redirects here. ... In Western music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions. ... “Mozart” redirects here. ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... For others with the same name see Robert Schumann (disambiguation). ... Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ...

The Bach monument that was constructed in 1884 by Adolf von Donndorf and erected in front of the Georgenkirche at the Marktplatz in Eisenach
The Bach monument that was constructed in 1884 by Adolf von Donndorf and erected in front of the Georgenkirche at the Marktplatz in Eisenach

Today the "Bach style" continues to influence musical composition, from hymns and religious works to pop and rock. Many of Bach’s themes—particularly the theme from Toccata and Fugue in D minor—have been used in rock songs repeatedly and have received notable popularity. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1583x2043, 1304 KB) Source: Modern Music & Musicians, University Society, New York, 1918 This image is in the public domain in the United States. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1583x2043, 1304 KB) Source: Modern Music & Musicians, University Society, New York, 1918 This image is in the public domain in the United States. ... Toccata and Fugue in D Minor is the name of two different pieces of music by Johann Sebastian Bach for the organ: BWV 538 and BWV 565. ...


The revival in the composer’s reputation among the wider public was prompted in part by Johann Nikolaus Forkel’s 1802 biography, which was read by Beethoven. Goethe became acquainted with Bach's works relatively late in life, through a series of performances of keyboard and choral works at Bad Berka in 1814 and 1815; in a letter of 1827 he compared the experience of listening to Bach's music to "eternal harmony in dialogue with itself".[9] But it was Felix Mendelssohn who did the most to revive Bach's reputation with his 1829 Berlin performance of the St Matthew Passion. Hegel, who attended the performance, later called Bach a "grand, truly Protestant, robust and, so to speak, erudite genius which we have only recently learned again to appreciate at its full value".[10] Mendelssohn's promotion of Bach, and the growth of the composer’s stature, continued in subsequent years. The Bach Gesellschaft (Bach Society) was founded in 1850 to promote the works, publishing a comprehensive edition over the subsequent half century. Johann Nikolaus Forkel (February 22, 1749–March 20, 1818), was a German musician, musicologist and music theorist. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced [gø tə]) (August 28, 1749–March 22, 1832) was a German writer, politician, humanist, scientist, and philosopher. ... Bad Berka is a town in Germany. ... Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (August 27, 1770 - November 14, 1831) was a German philosopher born in Stuttgart, Württemberg, in present-day southwest Germany. ... A page from the Bach-Gesellschaft edition of J.S. Bachs St. ...


Thereafter Bach’s reputation has remained consistently high. During the twentieth century, the process of recognising the musical as well as the pedagogic value of some of the works has continued, perhaps most notably in the promotion of the Cello Suites by Pablo Casals. Another development has been the growth of the "authentic" or period performance movement, which as far as possible attempts to present the music as the composer intended it. Examples include the playing of keyboard works on the harpsichord rather than a modern grand piano and the use of small choirs or single voices instead of the larger forces favoured by nineteenth- and early twentieth-century performers. The first page from the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach of Suite No. ... Casals redirects here. ... The authentic performance movement is an effort on the part of musicians and scholars to perform works of classical music in ways similar to how they were performed when they were originally written. ... Harpsichord in the Flemish style A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. ... A grand piano from Schiedmayer & Söhne, Stuttgart. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


Johann Sebastian Bach’s contributions to music, or, to borrow a term popularised by his student Lorenz Christoph Mizler, his "musical science", are frequently bracketed with those by William Shakespeare in English literature and Isaac Newton in physics. Scientist and author Lewis Thomas once suggested how the people of Earth should communicate with the universe: "I would vote for Bach, all of Bach, streamed out into space, over and over again. We would be bragging of course, but it is surely excusable to put the best possible face on at the beginning of such an acquaintance. We can tell the harder truths later." Lorenz Christoph Mizler von Kolof (or Mitzler de Koloff) (25 July 1711 - March 1778) was a German physician, mathematician, and writer on music. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Sir Isaac Newton FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [ OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist. ... Lewis Thomas (November 25, 1913 - December 3, 1993) was a physician, poet, etymologist, essayist, administrator, educator, policy advisor, and researcher. ...


Some composers have paid tribute to Bach by setting his name in musical notes (B-flat, A, C, B-natural; B-natural is notated as "H" in German musical texts, whilst B-flat is just "B") or using contrapuntal derivatives. Liszt, for example, wrote a praeludium and fugue on this BACH motif (existing in versions both for organ and piano). Bach himself set the precedent for this musical acronym, most notably in Contrapunctus XIV from the Art of Fugue. Whereas Bach also conceived this cruciform melody (among other similar ones) as a sign of devotion to Christ and his cross, later composers have employed the BACH motif in homage to the composer himself. “Liszt” redirects here. ... The BACH motif. ... The Art of Fugue (Die Kunst der Fuge), BWV1080, is an unfinished work by Johann Sebastian Bach composed in 1748-1749 and published after his death in 1750. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...


Some of the greatest composers since Bach have written works which explicitly pay homage to him. Examples include Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, Shostakovich's Preludes and Fugues, Brahms's Cello Sonata in E, whose finale is based on themes from the Art of Fugue. A 20th century work very strongly influenced by Bach is Villa-Lobos's Bachianas brasileiras. Stephen Sondheim once claimed he listened to no one else except Bach. Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827) was a German composer of Classical music, the predominant musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras. ... The 33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli Op. ... Dmitri Shostakovich   (Russian: , Dmitrij Dmitrievič Å ostakovič) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. ... The 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. ... Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of the Romantic period. ... The cello sonata number 1 in E minor, opus 38 written by Johannes Brahms in 1862–5 has three movements: Allegro non troppo, in E minor, in common (4/4) time. ... Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887 - November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, possibly the best-known classical composer born in South America. ... The Bachianas Brasileiras is a series of nine suites by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written for various combinations of instruments between 1930 and 1935. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


He is commemorated as a musician in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on July 28. The Lutheran Calendar of Saints is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by the Lutheran Church. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ...


Bach is the most represented artist on the Voyager Golden Record, a phonograph record included in two Voyager missions. Bach's compositions comprise 3 of the 27 recordings chosen. The Voyager Golden Record. ... Look up voyager in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...


Although Bach had twenty children, only seven survived infancy. He has no known descendants living today. His great-granddaughter, Frau Carolina Augusta Wilhelmine Ritter, who died 13 May 1871, was his last known descendant. [1] is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...


Media

  • Prelude and Fugue No. 20 in A minor
    From the Well-Tempered Clavier (Book 1)
    Keyboard Concerto No.1 in D minor, BWV 1052, first movement
    Keyboard Concerto No.1 in D minor, BWV 1052, second movement
    Keyboard Concerto No.1 in D minor, BWV 1052, third movement
    Cantata 140, 1st movement
    Cantata 140, 2nd movement
    Cantata 140, 3rd movement
    Cantata 140, 4th movement
    Cantata 140, 5th movement
    Cantata 140, 6th movement
    Cantata 140, 7th movement
    Partita, BWV 1013
    Lute Suite No. 1 - BWV 996, E Minor - I Präludium; Presto
    Lute Suite No. 1 - BWV 996, E Minor - II Allemande
    Lute Suite No. 1 - BWV 996, E Minor - III Courante
    Lute Suite No. 1 - BWV 996, E Minor - IV (Sarabande)
    Lute Suite No. 1 - BWV 996, E Minor - V Bourrée
    Lute Suite No. 1 - BWV 996, E Minor - VI (Gigue)
    BWV 997 - Lute Suite No. 2 in C minor - I Prelude
    BWV 997 - Lute Suite No. 2 in C minor - II Fuge
    BWV 997 - Lute Suite No. 2 in C minor - III Sarabande
    BWV 997 - Lute Suite No. 2 in C minor - IV Gigue
    BWV 998 - I Prelude
    BWV 998 - II Fuge
    BWV 998 - III Allegro
    Capriccio Departure of Brother
    Chaconne for violin alone
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - prelude
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Allemande
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Courante I
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Courante II
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Double I
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Double II
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Sarabande
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Bouree I and II
    English Suite No. 1 in A major - Gigue
    English Suite No. 3 in G minor - Prelude
    English Suite No. 3 in G minor - Allemande
    English Suite No. 3 in G minor - Courante I and II
    English Suite No. 3 in G minor - Sarabande
    English Suite No. 3 in G minor - Gavotte I and II
    English Suite No. 3 in G minor - Gigue
    Fantasy - C minor
    Fugue in G minor
    Italian Concerto - F Major - 1st movement
    Italian Concerto - F Major - Andante
    Italian Concerto - F Major - Presto
    Praeludium A minor
    Prelude in G minor
    Sonata in E minor - Adagio-ma-non-tanto
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 02Epre cmaj
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 03Efuge maj
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 04Epre cmin
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 05Efuge cmin
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 06Epre Dmaj
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 07Efuge Dmaj
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 08Epre Dmin
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 09Efuge Dmin
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 10Epre Bb
    The Well-tempered Clavier - Book 1 - 11Efuge Bbmaj
    Chromatic Fantasia
    Chromatic Fugue
    BWV 156
    Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe
    Ave Maria
    Bach's Cello Suite #1, 1st movement - Prelude
    BWV 1007, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #1, 2nd movement - Allemande
    BWV 1007, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #1, 3rd movement - Courante
    BWV 1007, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #1, 4th movement - Sarabande
    BWV 1007, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #1, 5th movement - Minuets
    BWV 1007, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #1, 6th movement - Gigue.ogg
    BWV 1007, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #3 (Bwv1009), 1st movement
    Bach's Cello Suite #3 (Bwv1009), 2nd movement - Allemande
    BWV 1009, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #3 (Bwv1009), 3rd movement - Courante
    BWV 1009, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #3 (Bwv1009), 4th movement - Sarabande
    BWV 1009, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #3 (Bwv1009), 5th movement - Bourees
    BWV 1009, performed by John Michel
    Bach's Cello Suite #3 (Bwv1009), 6th movement - Gigue.ogg
    BWV 1009, performed by John Michel
    Italian Concerto, movement 1
    Italian Concerto, BWV 971, performed by John Michel
    Italian Concerto, movement 2
    Italian Concerto, BWV 971, performed by John Michel
    Italian Concerto, movement 3
    Italian Concerto, BWV 971, performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G minor, 1st movement
    Sonata No. 3 in G minor for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1029), performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G minor, 2nd movement
    Sonata No. 3 in G minor for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1029), performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G minor, 3rd movement
    Sonata No. 3 in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1029), performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G major, 1st movement
    Sonata No. 1 in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027), performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G major, 2nd movement
    Sonata No. 1 in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027), performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G major, 3rd movement
    Sonata No. 1 in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027), performed by John Michel
    Sonata in G major, 4th movement
    Sonata No. 1 in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027), performed by John Michel
  • Problems playing the files? See media help.

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Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_The_English_Suite_-1_-_20EGigue. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_English_Suite_No. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_English_Suite_No. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_English_Suite_No. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_English_Suite_No. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_English_Suite_No. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_English_Suite_No. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_Fantasy_-_C_minor. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_Fugue_in_G_minor. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_Italian_Concerto_-_F_Major_-_1st_movement. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_Italian_Concerto_-_F_Major_-_Andante. ... Image File history File links Johann_Sebastian_Bach_-_Italian_Concerto_-_F_Major_-_Presto. ... 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The Italian Concerto, BWV 971, original title: Concerto nach Italienischem Gusto (Concerto after the Italian taste), published in 1735 as the first half of Clavier-übung II, along with the Overture in the French style, is a three-movement concerto for two-manual harpsichord solo composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_Bach_Gamba_Sonata_in_g_1st_mvt_. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_Bach_Gamba_Sonata_in_g_2nd_mvt_. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_Bach_Gamba_Sonata_in_g_3rd_mvt_. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_BACH_GAMBA_SONATA_in_G_1st_mvt. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_Bach_Gamba_Sonata_in_g_2nd_mvt_. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_Bach_Gamba_Sonata_in_g_3rd_mvt_. ... Image File history File links CELLO_LIVE_PERFORMANCES_JOHN_MICHEL-J_S_Bach_Gamba_Sonata_in_G_4th_mvt_. ...

References

Modern scholarship

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
  • Butt, John (ed). The Cambridge companion to Bach (Cambridge, UK : Cambridge University Press, 1997) ISBN 0-521-45350-X (hbk.) ISBN 0-521-58780-8 (pbk.) ; (New York : Cambridge University Press, 1997) ISBN 0-521-45350-X (hbk.) ISBN 0-521-45962-1 (pbk.).
    A collection of writings on the historical context (society, beliefs and world view), profiles of his music, and influence and reception.
  • David, Hans Theodore, and Arthur Mendel (eds), revised and expanded by Christoph Wolff. The new Bach reader (New York : Norton, 1999) 2d ed. ISBN 0-393-31956-3.
    A significant repository of documentary evidence, including contemporary documents, some by Bach himself. This book includes an English translation of the biography of Bach by the early 19th-century German musicologist Forkel.
  • Wolff, Christoph. Johann Sebastian Bach: the learned musician (New York : Norton, 2000) ISBN 0-393-04825-X (hbk.) ; (New York : Norton, 2001) ISBN 0-393-32256-4 (pbk.).
    A comprehensive and engaging account of Bach's life.
  • Williams, Peter. The life of Bach (Cambridge, UK : Cambridge University Press, 2004) ISBN 0-521-82636-5 (hbk.) ISBN 0-521-53374-0 (pbk.).
    A shorter expose of the composer's life, using his obituary as the starting point; a valuable complement to Wolff's biography.
  • Stauffer, George, and Ernest May. J. S. Bach as organist: his instruments, music, and performance practices (Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 1986) ISBN 0-253-33181-1 (hbk.), (Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 1999) ISBN 0-253-21386-X (pbk.).
  • Boyd, Malcolm. Bach (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2000) 3rd ed. ISBN 0-19-514222-5 (alk. paper), ISBN 0-19-514223-3 (pbk.).
  • Deutsch, Wilhelm Otto. "Gesten der Annahme, der Verwandlung, der Verwandtschft: Ein Beitrag zur musikalischen Hermeneutik J. S. Bachs in der h-moll-Messe", in Musik und Kirche volume lxii, number 6 (1992), pages 321-327, ISSN 0027-4771 (in German).
  • Wolff, Christoph et al. The New Grove Bach Family. Macmillan 1983 ISBN 0 333 34350 6
  • Eidam, Klaus (2001). The True Life of Johann Sebastian Bach. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-01861-0. 
  • Geck, Martin; John Hargraves, translator (2006). Johann Sebastian Bach: His Life and Work. Orlando: Harcourt. ISBN 0-151-00648-2. 

Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Christoph Wolff (born May 24, 1940) is a German-born musicologist, presently on the faculty of Harvard University. ... Johann Nikolaus Forkel (February 22, 1749–March 20, 1818), was a German musician, musicologist and music theorist. ... Christoph Wolff (born May 24, 1940) is a German-born musicologist, presently on the faculty of Harvard University. ... Christoph Wolff (born May 24, 1940) is a German-born musicologist, presently on the faculty of Harvard University. ...

Earlier scholarship

  • Schweitzer, Albert. J. S. Bach (New York : Dover, 1966) 2 volumes, translated by Ernest Newman, ISBN 0-486-21631-4, reprint of (New York : Macmillan, 1950, 1955, 1962, 1966).
  • Spitta, Philipp. Johann Sebastian Bach, his work and influence on the music of Germany, 1685-1750 (London : Novello, 1884) translated by Clara Bell and JA Fuller Maitland; see also (New York : Dover, 1951).
An early, groundbreaking, three-volume study of Bach's life and music.
  • Forkel, Johann Nicolaus. Johann Sebastian Bach; his life, art, and work (New York : Da Capo Press, 1970) Notes and appendices by Charles Sanford Terry, ISBN 0-306-70010-7, contains a translation of "Ueber Johann Sebastian Bachs Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke : Für patriotische Verehrer echter musikalischer Kunst : Mit Bachs Bildnis und Kupfertafeln" (Leipzig : Hoffmeister und Kühnel, 1802). There is a 1999 reprint of the 1802 German edition by Bärenreiter Verlag, Kassel, Germany, ISBN 3-7618-1472-0.
An original biography of J. S. Bach written by a near-contemporary who was able to correspond with two of Bach's sons.

Hofstadter, Douglas, Gödel, Escher, Bach: an eternal golden braid Albert Schweitzer, M.D., OM, (January 14, 1875 – September 4, 1965), was an Alsatian theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician. ... Johann Nikolaus Forkel (February 22, 1749–March 20, 1818), was a German musician, musicologist and music theorist. ... Douglas Richard Hofstadter (born February 15, 1945) is an American academic. ... Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid: A metaphorical fugue on minds and machines in the spirit of Lewis Carroll (commonly GEB) is a Pulitzer Prize (1980)-winning book by Douglas Hofstadter, published in 1979 by Basic Books. ...

Explores cognition, formal methods, logic and mathematics—particularly Gödel's incompleteness theorem—in the music of Bach, the art of MC Escher and other sources.

In mathematical logic, Gödels incompleteness theorems are two celebrated theorems proven by Kurt Gödel in 1931. ... Self-portrait (1943) by M.C. Escher Maurits Cornelis Escher (Leeuwarden, June 17, 1898 – March 27, 1972 in Laren) was a Dutch artist most known for his woodcuts, lithographs and mezzotints, which tend to feature impossible constructions, explorations of infinity, and tessellations. ...

Notes

  1. ^ Carolina Classical Connection (1997–2005). J. S. Bach Biography: Muhlhausen. Retrieved April 27, 2005. "Bach's maternal uncle, died at Erfurt, bequeathing to his nephew a sum of 50 gulden. This inheritance ... [made] it possible for Bach to propose and subsequently to marry his second cousin from Arnstadt, Maria Barbara Bach... The wedding took place on October 17 in the village church at Dornheim, near Arnstadt."
  2. ^ http://www.npj.com/thefaceofbach/09w624.html
  3. ^ New Grove Bach Family, p98, p111
  4. ^ Siegele U, '"Bach and the domestic politics of electoral Saxony" in Butt J, pp17–34
  5. ^ Wolff C, p341
  6. ^ Death notice from the Spenersche Zeitung, quoted in The Bach Reader p188
  7. ^ Bach Reader p191-197
  8. ^ Bach Reader p407
  9. ^ http://www.bremen.de/web/owa/p_anz_presse_mitteilung?pi_mid=76241
  10. ^ http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Vocal/BWV244-Spering.htm

April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Wikisource
German Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about:

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Encyclopædia Britannica, the eleventh edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ...

General reference

Jan Hanford is a composer/musician who plays piano, harpsichord and synthesizers. ...

Scores

The International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) is a project for the creation of a virtual library of public domain music scores, based on the wiki principle. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Werner Icking Music Archive, often abbreviated WIMA, is a web archive of public domain sheet music. ... Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive and distribute cultural works. ...

Recordings

  • Free MP3 recordings of the Motets Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf - BVW 226, Jesu Meine Freude - BVW 227 and Komm, Jesu Komm - BVW 229, from Umeå Akademiska Kör.
  • (Hundreds) of MIDI files at Kunst der Fuge (to be listened and/or saved) and Classical MIDI Connection (to be listened only)
  • Johann Sebastian Bach at MusicBrainz
  • MP3s and videos of Bach arrangements for electric bass by Dave Grossman
  • Works by J. S. Bach MP3 at Magnatune
  • Cantata "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" BWV 140 MP3
  • Performances of works by Johann Sebastian Bach in MIDI and MP3 formats at Logos Virtual Library
  • mostly organ works by Bach played on virtual instruments
  • Free recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos in MP3 and FLAC provided by Czech Radio (see FLAC)

Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is a system designed to transmit information between electronic musical instruments. ... MusicBrainz (MusicBrainz. ... Magnatune is a small Berkeley, California–based independent record label, founded in spring 2003 by John Buckman, then-CEO of e-mail software company Lyris. ... FLAC, an acronym for Free Lossless Audio Codec, is a popular file format for audio data compression. ...

Specific topics

  • Bach manuscripts - video lectures by Christoph Wolff on the Bach family's hidden manuscripts archive
  • Faces of Bach - Site discussing the portraits of J. S. Bach.
  • Bach Tuning
  • An article on Bach's purported 'tuning pattern' from his manuscript of The Well Tempered Clavier
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Some Theological Perspectives by James E. EngelPDF (36.9 KiB)
  • "Bach Institute Announces Discovery of Transcription Technique", April 20 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. 
  • Bach on the bus - tour at signandsight.com
  • Virtuosi, Mystics - Biber, Bach
  • OVPP One Voice Per Part

Christoph Wolff (born May 24, 1940) is a German-born musicologist, presently on the faculty of Harvard University. ... “PDF” redirects here. ... A kibibyte (a contraction of kilo binary byte) is a unit of information or computer storage, commonly abbreviated KiB (never kiB). 1 kibibyte = 210 bytes = 1,024 bytes The kibibyte is closely related to the kilobyte, which can be used either as a synonym for kibibyte or to refer to... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... One Voice Per Part - this musical term and neologism and its abbreviation refers to the practice of performing Baroque choral music, and Bachs works in particular, with single voices on each vocal line. ...

Festivals and societies devoted to Bach

  • The American Bach Society
  • Bach Concert Series, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Oregon Bach Festival
  • Bach Festival at Baldwin-Wallace College - Oldest collegiate Bach Festival in the United States
  • Bach Festival Swidnitz, (Poland) Take place annually in July.
Persondata
NAME Bach, Johann Sebastian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION German composer and organist
DATE OF BIRTH March 21, 1685
PLACE OF BIRTH Eisenach
DATE OF DEATH July 28, 1750
PLACE OF DEATH Leipzig

A composer is a person who writes music. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 6 - James Stuart, Duke of York becomes King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. ... Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 2 - Small earthquake in London, England April 4 - Small earthquake in Warrington, England August 23 - Small earthquake in Spalding, England September 30 - Small earthquake in Northampton, England November 16 – Westminster Bridge officially opened Jonas Hanway is the first Englishman to use an umbrella James Gray reveals her sex... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ...


  Results from FactBites:
 
Johann Sebastian Bach: a detailed informative biography (8769 words)
Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21st l685, the son of Johann Ambrosius, court trumpeter for the Duke of Eisenach and director of the musicians of the town of Eisenach in Thuringia.
Johann Sebastian and one of his brothers, Johann Jakob, were taken into the home of their eldest brother, Johann Christoph (born l671) who had recently married and settled down at Ohrdruf, a small town thirty miles south-east of Eisenach.
Bach did not attempt to justify himself before what must have seemed to him a group of narrow minded and conservative old gentlemen; yet the Council, knowing how skilled his playing was, decided to treat their young and impetuous organist with leniency.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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