Blue Lake Public Radio - Classics in the Classroom

Bach was one of the greatest composers (if not the greatest) of all time. He wrote many pieces of music for different combinations of instruments and voices. He worked as an organist for a church in Weimar* (1707-1717), as a court musician in Cothen* (1717-1723) and as a church musician in Leipzig (1723-1750). He could sit down at a keyboard and play for a long time by making it up as he went along. When he was quite young, he walked 200 miles to hear another organist play. He had 20 children and he wrote piano pieces for them so they could learn to play. He signed all of his compositions like this: “Soli Deo Gloria”.

A suite is a multi-movement form from the Baroque period which contains a sequence of pieces based on dance-like rhythms. There are five sections or movements in this piece. The instruments playing are strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion, which together make an orchestra. The second movement is probably the most famous one and it is called “Air on the G String.” Listen for the pretty melody played by the violin. The other movements are fast, each one in two repeated sections, and are written with strong dance-like rhythms.

Bach wrote six special concertos as a gift for the Margrave of Brandenburg, the son of the Prince. The first is for an orchestra divided into three groups of instruments – strings, woodwinds, and brass – with solo instruments within each group.

This piece for pipe organ is in two parts. The first is like a hymn and the second is a fugue. In an organ fugue, we heard the melody or “subject” played once, then repeated at different intervals by different voices. In this case, the organist plays the melody with one hand, then repeats it with the other (probably on another keyboard: organs often have 2 or more manuals or keyboards), and then with the feet on the pedals. It sounds very much like a “round.” All of these lines of melody weave through one another at the same time, until the music comes together in a grand ending.

This concerto is written for two solo instruments, an oboe and a violin, accompanied by an orchestra. The first movement is fast, the second is slow with a lovely melody played by each instrument, and the third is fast. We’ll hear at least a part of this concerto today.




	Johann Sebastian Bach Born March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany Died July 28, 1750 Nationality: German Period/Style: Baroque About the composer: Bach was one of the greatest composers (if not the greatest) of all time. He wrote many pieces of music for different combinations of instruments and voices. He worked as an organist for a church in Weimar* (1707-1717), as a court musician in Cothen* (1717-1723) and as a church musician in Leipzig (1723-1750). He could sit down at a keyboard and play for a long time by making it up as he went along. When he was quite young, he walked 200 miles to hear another organist play. He had 20 children and he wrote piano pieces for them so they could learn to play. He signed all of his compositions like this: “Soli Deo Gloria”. About the music: Orchestral Suite #3 (17-26 min) A suite is a multi-movement form from the Baroque period which contains a sequence of pieces based on dance-like rhythms. There are five sections or movements in this piece. The instruments playing are strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion, which together make an orchestra. The second movement is probably the most famous one and it is called “Air on the G String.” Listen for the pretty melody played by the violin. The other movements are fast, each one in two repeated sections, and are written with strong dance-like rhythms. Brandenburg Concerto #1 (approx. 20 min) Bach wrote six special concertos as a gift for the Margrave of Brandenburg, the son of the Prince. The first is for an orchestra divided into three groups of instruments – strings, woodwinds, and brass – with solo instruments within each group. St. Anne Fugue (13-18 min) This piece for pipe organ is in two parts. The first is like a hymn and the second is a fugue. In an organ fugue, we heard the melody or “subject” played once, then repeated at different intervals by different voices. In this case, the organist plays the melody with one hand, then repeats it with the other (probably on another keyboard: organs often have 2 or more manuals or keyboards), and then with the feet on the pedals. It sounds very much like a “round.” All of these lines of melody weave through one another at the same time, until the music comes together in a grand ending. Double Concerto (excerpt) This concerto is written for two solo instruments, an oboe and a violin, accompanied by an orchestra. The first movement is fast, the second is slow with a lovely melody played by each instrument, and the third is fast. We’ll hear at least a part of this concerto today. Suggested activities: Find out what “Soli Deo Gloria” means. On a map of Germany locate the three cities where Bach worked. Discover why Bach spent some time in jail. Trace the route he may have walked as he traveled from Arnstadt to Lubeck. VY-mar prounounced much like “curtain”

Johann Sebastian Bach