BACH
Have you ever heard a piece of music that brought you to very boundary of reality? Such music could be a current rock song, a beautiful ballad, or a pounding symphony. Chances are good that it may be one of the many pieces composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. This man's unparalleled form and genius set a new standard for all that came after him. "Bach is the beginning and end of all music" (Reger 2). Johann Sebastian Bach was the greatest composer of baroque music.
Of course, baroque music originated in the baroque period (1600-1750). This style of music was crafted from the idea that music could move the listener in emotional and physical ways. Some key points behind baroque music are the textures, which consist mainly of the melody and accompaniment, freely mixed arrangements of instruments and voices, and rhythms from dance music. The melody often make dramatic and unexpected leaps.
Frontispiece of Bach's Clavier-Büchlein vor Anna ...
A six-part fugue from The Musical Offering, in the...
J.S. Bach's The Art of Fugue, breaks off abruptly ...Harmonies are based on minor and major tones, and disagreement between notes is more common than in most music. Bach, using all of these techniques in his music, gave baroque music a new name and introduced a whole new world of music to its listeners.
Unquestionably, Bach had a style unique to itself. Every piece of his has an individual style to it that made it easily recognizable as "Bach". He, without doubt, had a natural gift for writing beautiful and expressive melodies. It is sometimes said that Bach's music makes too many demands upon the listener; therefore it is enjoyable only to major musicians. It may be true that early Bach students require an initiation to his style, but an appreciative listener certainly does not require a college degree. What amateur has not been moved by masterpieces such as "Air on the G String," and...