Johann Sebastian Bach:

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CHAPTER 39

• Johann Sebastian Bach
• Instrumental Music in Weimar and Cöthen

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Johann Sebastian Bach

• Born in central Germany from a family with a long
  musical tradition, J.S. Bach first studied music,
  the humanities, and theology in private Lutheran
  church schools at Eisenach, Ohrdruf, and
  Lüneburg. After serving as organist in Arnstadt,
  he moved to more promising positions in
  Mühlhausen and then in Weimar.

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• In Bach's time, the organ occupied a central
  place in German society and particularly in the
  Lutheran religious service. Then and now, the
  Germans were known for their excellence in the
  manufacture of pipe organs.
• Rank a group of similar-sounding organ pipes
  (violins, trumpets, oboes, etc.).
• Stop a small wooden knob that activates each
  rank when pulled.

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Bach in Weimar

• During his time in Weimar (1708-1717), Bach wrote
  most of his great works for organ. Among them,
  the Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book) is a
  collection of forty-six choral preludes that Bach
  might have intended as
• a repertory of pieces for the organist to play in
  church
• a demonstration on how to compose a choral
  prelude on a given tune
• a way to develop the organist's technique through
  extensive use of the pedal.
• Recall that a choral prelude is an ornamental
  setting of a pre-existing choral tune to be
  played on the organ before the singing of the
  choral by the congregation.

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"In dulci jubilo"

• Known today as the Christmas carol "Good
  Christian men rejoice," this choral prelude from
  the Orgelbüchlein sets an old Gregorian chant.
  Here, the melody is in the soprano, while the
  other voices provide counterpoint. Moreover,
  Bach adds two canons, one between soprano and
  bass, and the other between alto and tenor.

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• Pedal point a sustained or continually repeated
  pitch, usually placed in the bass and sounding
  while the harmonies change around itso called
  because of its original association with the
  pedal of the organ. Bach often concludes his
  keyboard works with a pedal point.

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Bach in Cöthen

• Bach was appointed Kappellmeister (chief court
  musician) at Cöthen in 1717, where he served
  until 1723. This position was very much a step
  up from that of organist in Weimar. Much of his
  chamber and orchestral music dates from this
  period.
• Two- and Three-Part Inventions two sets of
  didactic pieces along the lines of simple fugues.
  Each collection contains fifteen works all in
  separate keys.

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The Well-Tempered Clavier

• A collection keyboard pieces by Bach in two books
  each containing twenty-four pairs of preludes and
  fugues arranged by key in ascending order. As
  the title suggests, Bach's "clavier" should be
  tuned to play in all tonalities.
• Equal temperament a division of the octave into
  twelve equal half-steps.

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• Subject the energetic, memorable theme with
  which a fugue begins.
• Countersubject a theme that serves as a
  counterpoint to the subject.

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• Exposition the opening section of a fugue in
  which the subject is presented in imitation in
  each voice.
• Episode the section(s) that follows the
  exposition and subsequent statements of the
  subject characterized by melodic sequence and
  modulation.
• Fugue a contrapuntal piece for two, three, or
  four voices, which begins with the presentation
  of a subject in imitation in each voice
  (exposition), continues with modulating passages
  of free counterpoint (episodes) and further
  appearances of the subject, and ends with a
  strong affirmation of the tonic key.

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• Invertible counterpoint a compositional
  technique in which two voices exchange motives.

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• Picardy third the sudden shift to a major chord
  at the end of a composition in a minor key.
• Obbligato a term indicating that a composer has
  written a specific part for an instrument and
  intends it to be played as written. Bach often
  wrote out obbligato accompaniment parts for the
  harpsichord instead of a single figured bass line.

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• Bach's Brandenburg Concertos are a set of six
  concertos for "several instruments" written for
  the most part in Cöthen. They are dedicated to
  the Margrave of Brandenburg, whom Bach met during
  a visit to Berlin where he was sent to pick up a
  large new harpsichord. It was this harpsichord
  that Bach himself likely played during the
  premier of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.