Music & Pop Culture
Johann Sebastian Bach
-
He was born in Eisenach (Germany) in 1685 and died in Leipzig in1750.
-
Today, he is considered one of the best composers in history and sometimes is called the 'Father of music'.
-
He was a towering figure of Baroque music.
-
He was a teacher, administrator, performer and composer.
-
He was born into a great musical family: He had two wives and 21 sons
-
He worked as an organist, gaining in fame for his virtuosity and ability.
-
In 1723, he was cantor and director of music in Leipzig.
-
He became the town's leader of music both secular and sacred genres.
-
He dominated every music form of his days, except the opera.
-
He knew and mastered every musical instrument language.
Among his works, these are the most remarkable:
music for harpsichord:
The well-tempered Clavier, Book 1 and 2: Collection of preludes and fugues in each of the 24 major and minor keys.
Dance suites: English suites, French suites and partitas for keyboard.
The Goldberg variations: It includes 9 canons and some fugues
Orchestral and chamber music:
Sonatas and Partitas for violin.
6 cello suites.
Brandenburg concerti
Violin concertos and harpsichord concertos.
"The musical offering".
Vocal and choral work:
300 sacred cantatas, and a few of secular cantatas.
Motets
2 Passions: St. Matthew and St. John.
Christmas Oratorio.
Mass in B minor
Organ works:
Collection of preludes, fantasias, and toccatas: free forms.
Collection of sonatas and fugues.
The "Art of fugue": It is unfinished.
Soprano aria from Cantata Nº30
Bach's Cantatas are among his most significant and celebrated compositions. While many have been lost, at least 209 of the cantatas composed by Bach have survived. As far as is known, Bach's earliest surviving cantatas date from 1707. His cantatas usually require four soloists and a four-part choir, but he also wrote solo cantatas for typically one soloist and dialogue cantatas for two singers.
The Cantata BWV.30 is a church cantata composed in Leipzig for the Feast of St. John the Baptist and first performed it on 24 June 1738 or later.
Score: Suite Bach
