Baroque music: history, characteristics, and major composers

Baroque Music

The Life and Works of Johann Sebastian Bach

One of the most famous German Baroque composers and musicians was Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach came from a long legacy of musically inclined individuals, a family traditional which was epitomized by the life and career of Johann Sebastian Bach. Through his heritage, education, and experience with the best musical programs in Germany, Bach quickly rose to the top of German society. He made friends with royalty and brought great discipline to even the most fractured musical schools in Germany. The incredible ambiance of his original performances has continued through the generations into modern day performances, which give credence to the brilliance within every Bach composition.

Born in 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach entered into an already musically inclined family. His father, Johann Ambrosius, was under the employment of the Duke of Eisnach as a court trumpeter, (Smith, 1996). Johann Ambrosius also served as the director of musicians within their native town. Also musically inclined within the Bach family were his older brothers and uncles, who brought variety and expertise to the future composer and musician. In fact, it was his father who introduced him to the violin and harpsichord, and his older brother who directed him towards mastering the organ. Johann Sebastian Bach was forced to live with his oldest brother when both his parents died within a year's time, when he was still a child of nine years old.

Despite the tragedy, Bach's older brother proved an amazing teacher and mentor for the budding composer. After introducing him to the organ, Johan Christoph, his older brother, directed him to study composition through emulating such greats as German composers Jakob Froberger, Johann Caspar Kerll, and Pachelbel, (Smith, 1996). There is a popular anecdote which claims Johann Christoph found Sebastian Bach copying valuable compositions by the light of the moon. While excelling in other subjects such as Latin, Greek, and Theology, Sebastian Bach continued to develop his musical prowess during his years as a school boy in the Baroque period Germany. During this period he also explored his musical talent through vocals, when he joined the choir at the Michaelis monastery at Luneberg. Here at Luneberg, Bach excelled within the prestigious choir through his beautiful Soprano voice. After several years, Bach traveled back to his native home in Thuringia to work as an organist. Throughout the next several years, he perfected his skills on the organ, employed by several high ranking German Dukes.

Bach really entered into his prime during the years of his early adulthood. After marrying his first cousin Maria Barbara, who was also heavily involved in the Bach musical tradition, Bach returned to his previous position under the Duke of Weimar in 1708. Though he came from a well-known musical family, he really captured public attention in a public performance in Dresden in 1713, where he performed solo in organ competition, (Smith, 1996). His main competitor, Louis Marchand, fled back to his native France on the day of the competition. Johann Sebastian Bach was later made leader of the orchestra in 1714, where he began to write laboriously for the organ. After loosing his first wife to tragedy in 1720, and marrying his second soon after, Bach worked in several locations throughout Germany as an organist and composer. In 1723, Bach successfully applied for the position of Cantor of the Thomasschule which had opened up in 1722 in Leizpeg. Here, Bach spent the last 27 years of his career serving as Cantor and Director of Music. Here, made sure his instruments within the orchestra were supreme and strictly oversaw his musicians and choir. Finally, in 1750, his illustrious career came to a close after he died following a serious infection from two cataract operations performed the same year. He continued composing even into the last few days before his death with the help of prescription drugs and his closest associated.

Several different characteristics stood out within the various performances Bach watched over in his career, whether as a composer or an organist. After attaining the position of Cantor in Leizberg, Bach made his discipline apparent in performances there. In order to curb previous bad reputations, many reported Bach's performances to be astounding presentations of organization and discipline on the behalf of both Bach and his musicians. This then helped earn his stern and forceful reputation which allowed him to gain so much fame within the German musical scene at the time.

Another earlier stage of Bach's career represented a more informal and casual approach to performances. When employed under Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothn, Bach engaged in casual performances both for and with the Prince. The Prince, who was reported to be an extremely talented at the harpsichord and viola da gamba, loved to join performances with his small orchestra of musicians (Smith, 1996). Bach and the young Prince soon became good friends, a fact which was definitely seen in their performances together. This is definitely a stark contrast between these more casual performances, and the much stricter performances within church walls as his role as Cantor in Leizpeg.

One of his famous compositions, entitled "Badinerie," represents a classic baroque piece which epitomizes Bach's style of musical arrangements and writing. This piece, composed between 1718 and 1721, (Geocities, 1997), presents the audience with a fast tempo. This piece is also heavily reliant on the lead of the flute, which represent the type of high pitch melodies an organist likes to take advantage of. The flute leads the rest of the orchestra in the context of the piece. It is also a showcase for the talents of the string musicians who have had the luxury of performing this typical Baroque piece. There is a strange story to this piece; the original composition being lost by Bach and later rewritten and revised during his time in Leipzig.