The obituary states that Bach’s early works share two roots: his rapidly growing skill as keyboard virtuoso and his “observation of the works of the most famous and proficient composers of his day.” Bach’s early keyboard works balance a variety of elements taken from his models: technical virtuosity, free composition, strict polyphony, and expressive, often unconventional harmony.īy the end of his tenure in Weimar (1718), Bach had achieved great acclaim as a keyboard virtuoso. A relatively large number of surviving copies attest to the success of these pieces. His compositions from those years and the improvisations that inspired them must have made up a large part of Bach’s concert repertoire. Numerous concerts from this period areĭocumented. By the time he was twenty-three he was organist at the ducal court of Weimar, becoming concertmaster there in 1717. Throughout his career, Bach went to great lengths to acquaint himself with the works of his German contemporaries, including Telemann, Graun and Handel as well as French and Italian composers.īach’s ability as a performer blossomed early, gaining him his first appointment as an organist when he was eighteen. In his 20s, he discovered the concertos of Vivaldi which profoundly influenced his conception of musical form. He also studied notable composers of previous generations, including Palestrina.
Works of D’Anglebert, Lebègue, Dieupart and de Grigny. He is known to have admired the French instrumental music he heard during his teens. Later, his horizons expanded to include keyboard works by Frescobaldi and instrumental works by Albinoni, Corelli, and Legrenzi, several of which he transcribed for keyboard. Works by Italians such as Steffani, and Frenchmen such as Marais and Lully rounded out Bach’s early education. His influences were the keyboard works of notable German composers such as Reincken, Pachelbel, Böhm, and Buxtehude. Rather, he acquired his knowledge of counterpoint and harmony by studying the works of others. Bach never received academic training in composition. Johann Christoph, who was an organist, gave the young Sebastian most of his keyboard training. When he was ten years old both his parents died and his older brother, Johann Christoph, took him in. His obituary says proudly, “We cannot be reproached if we are bold enough to persist in the claim that our Bach was the most prodigious organist and keyboard player that there has ever been.”īorn into a family of musicians in 1685, he was first taught the violin by his father. These accounts give us some idea of the brilliance of his playing. Agricola, and his first biography, published by Johann Nikolaus Forkel in 1802. Two are especially eloquent: his obituary written by his son, Carl Philipp Emanuel and his student, J.F. There are many contemporary accounts of Bach’s great keyboard abilities. But it is still possible to hear faint echoes of his playing from accounts by his contemporaries, and by bringing his scores to life with our fingers. Unfortunately, at the time of Bach’s death in 1750 sound recording technology lay far in the future. But during his lifetime he was celebrated less for his skills as a composer than for his prowess as a keyboard performer. Today, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) shines from atop Parnassus as the most brilliant composer in history.
– Frank Zappa, A Different Octave, Civilization Phaze III Monica: That one note makes everything else so insignificant. Light, light, is just a vibration of the note, too. Musette In D Major, BWV Anh.Spider: Everybody knows that lights are notes.115 (from NOTEBOOK FOR ANNA MAGDALENA BACH) 114 (from NOTEBOOK FOR ANNA MAGDALENA BACH) 122 (from NOTEBOOK FOR ANNA MAGDALENA BACH) The main features of the Hal Leonard Bach Meets Jazz include: Phillip Keveren presents 15 unique interpretations of Bach masterpieces in this collection, including Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, BWV 147, Menuet in G Major, BMV Anh. This songbook offers you the ability to have fun jazzing up some of your favourite Bach compositions on your keyboard or piano.
The Hal Leonard Bach Meets Jazz is a Phillip Keveren Series book featuring 15 compositions across 48 pages.