The most famous work of Bach. Bach's most famous work (organ sounds)

From the 19th century to the present day, interest in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach has not subsided. The creativity of an unsurpassed genius is striking in its scale. known all over the world. His name is known not only by professionals and music lovers, but also by listeners who do not show much interest in "serious" art. On the one hand, Bach's work is a kind of result. The composer relied on the experience of his predecessors. He knew very well the choral polyphony of the Renaissance, German organ music, and the peculiarities of the Italian violin style. He carefully got acquainted with new material, developed and generalized the accumulated experience. On the other hand, Bach was an unsurpassed innovator who managed to open up new prospects for the development of world musical culture. The work of Johann Bach had a strong influence on his followers: Brahms, Beethoven, Wagner, Glinka, Taneyev, Honegger, Shostakovich and many other great composers.

Bach's creative legacy

He created over 1000 works. The genres to which he addressed were the most diverse. Moreover, there are such works, the scale of which was exceptional for that time. Bach's work can be divided into four main genre groups:

• Organ music.
• Vocal-instrumental.
• Music for various instruments (violin, flute, clavier and others).
• Music for instrumental ensembles.

The works of each of the above groups belong to a certain period. The most outstanding organ compositions were composed in Weimar. The Keten period marks the appearance of a huge number of clavier and orchestral works. In Leipzig, most of the vocal-instrumental songs were written.

Johann Sebastian Bach. Biography and creativity

The future composer was born in 1685 in the small town of Eisenach, into a musical family. For the whole family, this was a traditional profession. Johann's first music teacher was his father. The boy had an excellent voice and sang in the choir. At the age of 9, he turned out to be an orphan. After the death of his parents, he was raised by Johann Christoph (elder brother). At the age of 15, the boy graduated from the Ohrdruf Lyceum with honors and moved to Lüneburg, where he began to sing in the choir of the "chosen". By the age of 17, he learned to play various instruments: viola, harpsichord, organ, violin. Since 1703 he lives in different cities: Arnstadt, Weimar, Mühlhausen. The life and work of Bach during this period were full of certain difficulties. He constantly changes his place of residence, which is connected with the unwillingness to feel dependent on certain employers. He served as a musician (as an organist or violinist). Working conditions also did not suit him constantly. At this time, his first compositions for clavier and organ appeared, as well as spiritual cantatas.

Weimar period

From 1708, Bach began to serve as court organist to the Duke of Weimar. At the same time he works in the chapel as a chamber musician. The life and work of Bach during this period are very fruitful. These are the years of the first composer's maturity. The best organ works appeared. This:

• Prelude and fugue c-moll, a-moll.
• Toccata C-dur.
• Passacaglia c-moll.
• Toccata and fugue in d-moll.
• "Organ Book".

At the same time, Johann Sebastian is working on compositions in the cantata genre, on arrangements for the clavier of Italian violin concertos. For the first time he turns to the genre of solo violin suite and sonata.

Keten period

Since 1717, the musician settled in Köthen. Here he holds a high-ranking position of head of chamber music. He, in fact, is the manager of all musical life at court. But he is not satisfied with a too small town. Bach is keen to move to a larger and more promising city in order to give his children the opportunity to go to university and get a good education. There was no quality organ in Keten, and there was also no choir. Therefore, Bach's clavier creativity develops here. The composer also pays much attention to ensemble music. Works written in Köthen:

• 1 volume "HTK".
• English suites.
• Sonatas for solo violin.
• "Brandenburg Concertos" (six pieces).

Leipzig period and last years of life

Since 1723, the maestro has been living in Leipzig, where he directs the choir (occupies the position of cantor) at the school at the Church of St. Thomas in Thomasschul. He takes an active part in the public circle of music lovers. The "college" of the city constantly arranged concerts of secular music. What masterpieces at that time replenished the work of Bach? Briefly, it is worth pointing out the main works of the Leipzig period, which can rightfully be considered the best. This:

• "Passion according to John".
• Mass in h-moll.
• "Passion according to Matthew".
• About 300 cantatas.
• "Christmas Oratorio".

In the last years of his life, the composer focuses on musical compositions. Writes:

• Volume 2 "HTK".
• Italian concert.
• Partitas.
• "The Art of the Fugue".
• Aria with various variations.
• Organ mass.
• "Musical offering".

After an unsuccessful operation, Bach went blind, but did not stop composing music until his death.

Style characteristic

Bach's creative style was formed on the basis of various musical schools and genres. Johann Sebastian organically wove the best harmonies into his works. In order to understand the musical language of the Italians, he rewrote their compositions. His creations were saturated with texts, rhythms and forms of French and Italian music, North German contrapuntal style, as well as Lutheran liturgy. The synthesis of various styles and genres was harmoniously combined with the deep poignancy of human experiences. His musical thought stood out for its special uniqueness, versatility and a certain cosmic nature. Bach's work belongs to a style that has firmly established itself in the art of music. This is the classicism of the high baroque era. Bach's musical style is characterized by possession of an extraordinary melodic structure, where the main idea dominates the music. Thanks to the mastery of the technique of counterpoint, several melodies can simultaneously interact at once. was a true master of polyphony. He was characterized by a penchant for improvisation and brilliant virtuosity.

Main genres

Bach's work includes various traditional genres. This:

• Cantatas and oratorios.
• Passions and Masses.
• Preludes and Fugues.
• Choral arrangements.
• Dance suites and concerts.

Of course, he borrowed the listed genres from his predecessors. However, he gave them the broadest scope. The maestro skillfully updated them with new musical and expressive means, enriched them with features of other genres. The clearest example is "Chromatic Fantasy in D Minor". The work was created for the clavier, but contains a dramatic recitation of theatrical origin and the expressive properties of large organ improvisations. It is easy to see that Bach's work "bypassed" the opera, which, by the way, was one of the leading genres of its time. However, it is worth noting that many of the composer's secular cantatas are difficult to distinguish from a comedic interlude (at that time in Italy they were reborn as opera buffa). Some of Bach's cantatas, created in the spirit of witty genre scenes, anticipated the German Singspiel.

The ideological content and range of images of Johann Sebastian Bach

The composer's work is rich in its figurative content. From the pen of a real master, both extremely simple and extremely majestic creations come out. Bach's art contains both ingenuous humor, and deep sorrow, and philosophical reflection, and the sharpest drama. The brilliant Johann Sebastian in his music displayed such significant aspects of his era as religious and philosophical problems. With the help of the amazing world of sounds, he reflects on the eternal and very important issues of human life:

• On the moral duty of man.
• About his role in this world and purpose.
• About life and death.

These reflections are directly related to religious themes. And this is not surprising. The composer served almost all his life at the church, so he wrote most of the music for her. At the same time, he was a believer, he knew the Holy Scriptures. His reference book was the Bible, written in two languages ​​(Latin and German). He adhered to fasts, confessed, observed church holidays. A few days before his death, he took communion. The main character of the composer is Jesus Christ. In this ideal image, Bach saw the embodiment of the best qualities inherent in a person: purity of thoughts, fortitude, fidelity to the chosen path. The sacrificial feat of Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind was the most intimate for Bach. In the composer's work, this theme was the most important.

Symbolism of Bach's works

Musical symbolism appeared in the Baroque era. It is through her that the complex and wonderful world of the composer is revealed. Bach's music was perceived by contemporaries as transparent and understandable speech. This was due to the presence in it of stable melodic turns expressing certain emotions and ideas. Such sound formulas are called musical-rhetorical figures. Some conveyed affect, others imitated the intonations of human speech, and others were pictorial in nature. Here are some of them:

• anabasis - ascent;
• circulatio - rotation;
• catabasis - descent;
• exclamatio - exclamation, rising sixth;
• fuga - running;
• passus duriusculus - a chromatic move used to express suffering or grief;
• suspiratio - breath;
• tirata - an arrow.

Gradually musical-rhetorical figures become a kind of "signs" of certain concepts and feelings. So, for example, the descending figure of catabasis was often used to convey sadness, sadness, grief, death, the position in the coffin. Gradual upward movement (anabasis) was used to express ascension, uplifted spirit and other moments. Motives-symbols are observed in all works of the composer. Bach's work was dominated by the Protestant chorale, to which the maestro turned throughout his life. It also has a symbolic meaning. Work with the chorale was carried out in a wide variety of genres - cantatas, passions, preludes. Therefore, it is quite logical that the Protestant chant is an integral part of Bach's musical language. Among the important symbols found in the music of this artist, stable combinations of sounds that have permanent meanings should be noted. Bach's work was dominated by the symbol of the cross. It consists of four multidirectional notes. It is noteworthy that if the composer's surname (BACH) is deciphered in notes, then the same graphic pattern is formed. B - si flat, A - la, C - do, H - si. A great contribution to the development of Bach's musical symbols was made by such researchers as F. Busoni, A. Schweitzer, M. Yudina, B. Yavorsky and others.

"Second birth"

During his lifetime, the work of Sebastian Bach was not appreciated. Contemporaries knew him more as an organist than a composer. Not a single serious book has been written about him. Of the vast number of his works, only a few were published. After his death, the name of the composer was soon forgotten, and the surviving manuscripts gathered dust in the archives. Perhaps we would never know anything about this brilliant man. But, fortunately, this did not happen. True interest in Bach arose in the 19th century. Once, F. Mendelssohn found in the library the notes of the Matthew Passion, which interested him very much. Under his direction, this work was successfully performed in Leipzig. Many listeners were delighted with the music of the still little-known author. We can say that this was the second birth of Johann Sebastian Bach. In 1850 (on the 100th anniversary of the composer's death) the Bach Society was founded in Leipzig. The purpose of this organization was to publish all Bach's manuscripts found in the form of a complete collection of works. As a result, 46 volumes were collected.

Bach's organ work. Summary

For the organ, the composer created excellent works. This instrument for Bach is a real element. Here he was able to liberate his thoughts, feelings and emotions and convey all this to the listener. Hence the enlargement of the lines, concert quality, virtuosity, dramatic images. The compositions created for the organ are reminiscent of frescoes in painting. Everything in them is presented mainly in close-up. In the preludes, toccatas and fantasies, there is a pathos of musical images in free, improvisational forms. Fugues are characterized by a special virtuosity and unusually powerful development. Bach's organ work conveys the high poetry of his lyrics and the grandiose scope of magnificent improvisations.

Unlike clavier works, organ fugues are much larger in volume and content. The movement of the musical image and its development proceed with increasing activity. The unfolding of the material is presented as a layering of large layers of music, but there is no particular discreteness and gaps. On the contrary, continuity (continuity of movement) prevails. Each phrase follows from the previous one with increasing tension. So are the climaxes. Emotional uplift eventually intensifies to the highest point. Bach is the first composer who showed the patterns of symphonic development in major forms of instrumental polyphonic music. Bach's organ work seems to fall into two poles. The first is preludes, toccatas, fugues, fantasies (large musical cycles). The second - one-part They are written mainly in the chamber plan. They reveal mainly lyrical images: intimate and mournful and sublimely contemplative. The best works for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach - and fugue in D minor, prelude and fugue in A minor and many other compositions.

Works for clavier

When writing compositions, Bach relied on the experience of his predecessors. However, here, too, he showed himself as an innovator. Bach's clavier creativity is characterized by scale, exceptional versatility, and the search for expressive means. He was the first composer to feel the versatility of this instrument. When composing his works, he was not afraid to experiment and implement the most daring ideas and projects. When writing, he was guided by the entire world musical culture. Thanks to him, the clavier has expanded significantly. He enriches the instrument with new virtuoso technique and changes the essence of musical images.

Among his works for organ, the following stand out:

• Two-part and three-part inventions.
• "English" and "French" suites.
• "Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue".
• "The Well-Tempered Clavier"

Thus, Bach's work is striking in its scope. The composer is widely known all over the world. His works make you think and reflect. Listening to his compositions, you involuntarily immerse yourself in them, thinking about the deep meaning underlying them. The genres to which the maestro turned throughout his life were the most diverse. This is organ music, vocal-instrumental, music for various instruments (violin, flute, clavier and others) and for instrumental ensembles.

He became famous as a skilled composer and virtuoso performer of organ music. In addition, the musician was also a talented teacher and led concert groups.

Briefly about the composer

During his lifetime, Johann Sebastian did not receive recognition, and only after almost a century did they begin to show interest in his works. Perhaps nothing from the music of the Baroque period is now as popular as the works of Bach. A list by year of these works should be compiled taking into account the main stages of the author's work. Subsequently, the master's works entered the golden fund of eternal classics and are still popular, firmly entering the repertoire of concert performances.

The beginning of creativity

Bach, whose list of works is the subject of an interesting review, was born into a musical family: his father, older brother and sister were musicians. From childhood, the future composer showed an amazing talent for learning to play the violin. Even in his youth, he was seriously carried away by the works of famous composers, did not miss the opportunity to listen to famous masters, constantly studied, replenishing his knowledge.

Very soon he showed himself as a talented organist. He perfectly mastered playing this instrument, so even musicians began to turn to him for advice. Bach, whose list of works can be opened by mentioning compositions for organ, imitated his time, but at the same time supplemented the scores with folk melodies, trying to give it a national sound.

The first works of the composer were chorales, hymns and preludes for organ. These works are distinguished by a solemn, majestic character. However, the works of Bach, the list of which was constantly updated, were diverse in their processing: his early toccata and fugue have a colorful, dramatic sound.

Weimar period (1708-1717)

The flourishing of the composer's creative career began at his new place of work, when he received a court position as an organist and musician under one of the German dukes. Here, for the author, there were optimal conditions for creativity: he was free to choose the subject and worked with a very good orchestra.

It was during this period that he created his famous cycle of fugues, which made up the first volume of his well-known work, The Well-Tempered Clavier. None of the musicians of that time was such a virtuoso of organ art as Bach was. The list of the composer's works was constantly expanding: he worked hard, composing and reworking concertos by Italian composers. Nine years later, Johann leaves his old job and goes in search of a new one.

In Köthen

The patron of the composer was the prince, who loved music and appreciated the talent of the composer. He gave him the position of Kapellmeister and gave him great freedom of action. Bach's works, the list of which was replenished with works of a secular nature, received approval and recognition. He composed clavier music, suites on French and English themes, more than two dozen preludes, and fugues. The creation of the famous Brandenburg Concertos dates back to this time. These days they are usually performed by chamber orchestras.

He also composed several concertos. Bach, whose list of works at that time often consisted of works of an entertaining nature, created sonatas and solo performances for violin and flute that looked like funny songs. Despite this, in his concerts each instrument received an independent sound.

religious music

At this time, Johann Sebastian Bach had already become one of the most famous composers in Germany. Works, the list of which now included religious music, grew rapidly. The author wrote several masses on Gospel stories, which are considered among the best in the composer's work. As musical director of the city's churches, he created a cycle of cantatas for worship, which were based on Protestant chants. Separate mention should be made of the "Mass in B minor", in which the author partially used excerpts from his best cantatas.

secular melodies

However, compositions of a secular, entertaining nature continued to occupy a prominent place in his work: they were given special importance by Johann Sebastian Bach. The works, the list of which quickly increased due to melodies composed especially for the author's musical assembly, entered the treasury of the world repertoire. They are admired to this day. Bach, whose list of works was constantly updated with a variety of works, at that time created his famous "Coffee Cantata", as well as a number of concertos for cello and harpsichord.

In the late 1740s, the composer wrote a new cycle, consisting of a trio, ricercars and canons, which he presented as a gift to the king under the name "Musical Offering". At the same time, he composed a number of fugues, in which his art of creating polyphony was especially clearly manifested. This work did not see the light during the author's lifetime and was published after his death by the composer's sons.

Essay features

The most famous works of Bach, the list of which was presented above, reflect the characteristic features of his melodies. The composer is deservedly recognized as a master of polyphony: his fugues and sonatas amaze with their richness of sound, drama, color and variety of sounds. Even during his lifetime, he was considered an unsurpassed master of playing the organ. Then none of the composers could compare with him in this art form.

Another feature is that he worked in all known musical genres of the 18th century, with the exception of opera. However, her motives are still present in a number of his choral works. The author skillfully combined the achievements of northern and southern composers in Western Europe. He was greatly influenced by the work of German, Italian and French musicians.

Bach skillfully combined their melodies, often reworking the works of other composers. Often he edited his own works, which later became the so-called covers, independent and original. He also successfully composed clavier works. Many of them became a kind of guide for writing and performing polyphonic music: Bach's experience introduced students to the technique and more advanced methods of working with musical instruments (clavier exercises).

The value of the composer's work

There is a fairly widespread point of view that after his death Bach was forgotten. However, this is not so: his organ music and chorales continued to sound in churches and have not lost their significance to this day. But the fact is that it was replaced by classicism, which focused not on polyphony, but on harmony. Therefore, indeed, many young composers began to consider the music of Johann Sebastian obsolete.

But such famous authors as Beethoven and Mozart often admired the work of their great predecessor. Both learned from his work, which had a great influence on their work. Today, the composer's works are an integral part of concert performances, and the same work can sound in different versions, since not all of Johann's scores contain complete information about the instrumentation. The works of Bach, the list in Russian of which was presented in the article, is only a short list of the works of this outstanding composer and music teacher.

INSTRUMENTAL WORKS

For organ

Preludes and Fugues: C-dur, D-dur, e-moll, f-moll, g-moll, A-dur, d-moll, G-dur, a-moll, h-moll, C-dur, c- moll, C-dur, e-rnoll, c-minor, G-dur, a-moll, Es-dur.
Fantasies and fugues: g-moll, c-moll, a-moll.
Toccata with fugues: F-dur, E-dur, d-moll (Dorian), C-dur, d-moll.
Eight small preludes and fugues: C-dur, d-moll, e-moll, F-dur, G-dur, g-moll, a-moll, B-dur.
Preludes: C-dur, G-dur, A-moll.
Fugues: c-moll, c-moll, G-dur, G-dur, g-moll, h-moll (on a Corelli theme).
Fantasy: C-dur, G-dur, G-dur, h-moll, C-dur (unfinished).
Pastoral F-dur. Trio.
Passacaglia c-moll.
Concerts by Vivaldi (a-moll, C-dur, d-moll) and other authors. Konzertsatz C-dur.
Sonatas: Es-dur, c-moll, d-moll, e-moll, C-dur, G-dur.
Orgelbuchlein - 46 short chorale preludes.
Choral variations: “Christ, der du bist der helle Tag (“You are all like a bright, clear day”); "Oh Gott, du frommer Gott" ("Oh you sweetest"); “Sei gegriisset, jesu gutig” (“I send greetings to you, welcome”) and others.
Canonical variations of "Vom Himmel hoch, da Komm" ich her ("From the heights of heaven").
Six chorales ("Shubler's").
13 chorales (the so-called "big"; the last of them is the dying one: "Vor deinen Thron tret" ich ("At the Throne").
Choral arrangements "Preludes to the Catechism and Other Chants" (12 large and 9 small). Included in the III part of the "Klavieriibung".
Choral adaptations (mainly of the youthful period) that were not included in these collections.
24 choral arrangements (collection of Kirnberger).

For harpsichord

Little preludes (movements I, II) and fugues.
15 two-part inventions and 15 three-part symphonies.
"Das Wohltemperierte Klavier" ("The Well-Tempered Clavier")
I part 24 preludes and fugues. II part 24 preludes and fugues. Fantasies and fugues (fughettas): a-moll, d-moll, c-moll, B-dur, D-dur. Chromatic fantasy and fugue in d-moll. The Art of the Fugue (Die Kunst der Fuge).
Separate preludes and fugues.
Toccatas: fis-moll, c-moll, D-dur, d-moll, e-moll, g-moll, G-dur.
Fantasies: g-moll, c-moll, g-moll.
Fantasy-rondo c-moll.
Preludes (fantasies) c-moll, a-moll.
Suites: 6 French suites: d-moll, c-moll, h-moll, Es-dur, G-dur, E-dur.
6 English suites: A-dur, a-moll, g-moll, F-dur, e-moll, d-moll.

Klavierubung ("Clavier School"):
I part. Partitas: B-dur, c-moll, a-moll, D-dur, G-dur, e-moll.
II part. Italian Concerto and Partita (French Overture) h-moll.
III part. 21 Chorale prelude (also for organ), Prelude and triple fugue Es-dur, 4 duets: e-moll, F-dur, G-dur, a-moll.
IV part. Aria with 30 variations ("Goldberg Variations"). "Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother" B-dur. Capriccio in E-dur. (in honor of J.K. Bach). Aria variata alia maniera italiana (Aria varied in Italian
manner) a-moll. Minuets: G-dur, g-moll, G-dur (from the clavier book by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach). Sonatas. Scherzo d-moll (e-moll variant).

HARPIXOR TREATMENTS OF OWN WORKS

Sonata d-moll (arrangement of the 2nd violin sonata a-moll).

Suite E-dur (arrangement of the 3rd violin partita). Adagio G-dur (from the 3rd Violin Sonata).

ARRANGEMENTS FOR CLAVIERE OF WORKS BY OTHER AUTHORS

Sonata a-moll (from "Hortus musicus" - "Music Garden" by I. A. Rein-ken).
Sonata C-dur (from the same place).
Fugue B-dur (from the same place).
Fugue B-dur (arrangement of fugues by Erzelius).
16 concerts by Vivaldi, Marcello, Telemann, Johann Ernest of Weimar.

ORCHESTRAL COMPOSITIONS

Overtures (suites).
No. 1, C-dur; No. 2, h-moll; No. 3, D-dur; No. 4, D-dur; No. 5, g-moll. Symphony F-dur.

6 "Brandenburg" concertos: No. 1, F-dur; No. 2, F-dur; No. 3, G-dur;
No. 4, G-dur; No. 5, D-dur; No. 6, B-dur.

Concertos for harpsichord with orchestra accompaniment: No. 1, d-moll; No. 2, E-dur; No. 3, D-dur; No. 4, A-dur; No. 5, f-moll; No. 6, F-dur; N° 7, g-molL

Concertos for two harpsichords with orchestra accompaniment: No. 1, c-moll; No. 2, C-dur; No. 3, c-moll.
Concertos for three harpsichords with orchestra accompaniment: No. 1, d-moll; No. 2, C-dur.
Concertos for violin with orchestra accompaniment: No. 1, a-moll; No. 2, E-dur; No. 3, d-moll.
Concerto for two violins with d-moll accompaniment.
Triple concerto for harpsichord, flute and violin, accompanied by an a-moll orchestra.
Concerto for violin and orchestra in D-dur (excerpt).

CHAMBER WORKS FOR STRINGS, WIND INSTRUMENTS AND ENSEMBLES

Sonatas and partitas for violin solo: g-moll, h-moll, a-moll, d-moll, C-dur,
E-dur. Suites (sonatas) for cello: G-dur, d-moll, C-dur, Es-dur, c-moll,
D major.
Sonata for two violins with figures, bass C-dur. Four sonatas ("inventions") for violin and cembalo: g-moll, G-dur, F-dur, c-moll.
Trio for two violins and cembalo, d-moll. Sonatas for harpsichord and violin: h-moll, A-dur, E-dur, c-moll, f-moll, G-dur.
Suite for harpsichord and violin A-dur.
Sonatas for harpsichord and viola da gamba: G-dur, D-dur, g-moll. For lute (arranged for harpsichord): 3 partitas: g-moll, e-moll, c-moll. A small prelude in c-moll. Prelude, Fugue and Allegro Es-dur. Fugue in g-moll Flute sonatas: solo - a-moll; for flute with numbers, bass: C-dur,
e-moll, E-dur.
Sonata for flute and violin with numbers, G-dur bass. Sonata for two flutes with numbers, G-dur bass. Sonatas for harpsichord and flute: h-moll, Es-dur, A-dur. "Musical Offering".

SECULAR VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL GENRES

"Musical dramas" ("Dramma per musica") and cantatas:

"Slide, effortlessly, waves" ("Schleicht, spielende Wellen").

"Discord defeated by changeable strings" ("Vereinigte Zwietrachb").

"Rise, Thundering Sounds!" ("Auf, schmetternde Tone!").

“Sound, timpani, and trumpets, blow!” ("Tonet, ihr Pauken, erschallet, Trompeten!").
"Cupid the Traitor" ("Amore traditore"). For bass.

"The Contest of Phoebus with Pan" ("Der Streit zwischen Phobus und Pan").
"On a life of contentment" ("Von der Vergnugsamkeit").
"Eol the Peaceful" ("Der zufriedengestellte Aeolus").
"The Choice of Hercules" ("Die Wahl des Herkules").
“We have a new boss” (“Meg hahn en neue Oberkeet”) - Peasant cantata.
“Crowned with the glory of the heavenly century” (“Mil Gnaden bekronet”).
“Not knowing the sorrows of life” (“Non sa che sia dolore”).
“Let us watch in worries” (“Lasst uns sorgen”).
"Oh wonderful song!" ("O angenehme Melodei").
“O wonderful day, desired age” (“O Tag holder, erwunschte Zeit”).
"Hail Saxony, blessed" ("Preise dein Glticke, gesegnetes
Saxen").

“Let the chatter be silent” (“Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht”) - Coffee cantata.

“In a rush, everything forward” (“Schwingt freudig euch empor!”).

“One hunt only invigorates me” (“Was mir behagt”).

"You disperse, shadows of grief!" ("Weichet nur, betrubte Schatten").

"Dig up the grave, destroy that crypt!" ("Zerreisset, zersprenget, zerstoret
die Gruft!").

"Highest Leopold" ("Durchlauchster Leopold").

SPIRITUAL WORKS

Masses: h-moll (High Mass); F-dur, A-dur, g-moll, G-dur (short).
"Magnificat" ("My soul magnifies"), D-dur.
"Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus" ("Holy, holy, holy"): C-dur, D-dur, d-moll,
G-dur, D-dur.
Passion according to Matthew, according to John, according to Luke, according to Mark. Oratorios: "Christmas" (in 6 parts); "Easter" ("Kommt, eilet und laufet" - "Hurry, oh people!"); "On the ascension" (cantata no. 11). Motets: "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" ("Sing him a new song"), for 8 voices, B-dur. "Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf" ("The high spirit will strengthen us"), for
8 voices, B-dur.
"Furchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir" ("Don't be afraid, I'm with you!"), for 8 voices.
"Komm, Jesu, Komm!" "Come, Jesus!", for 8 voices. "Jesu, meine Freude" ("My Joy"), for 5 voices, e-moll. "Lobet den Herrri" ("Praise the Lord"), for 4 voices, C-dur. Spiritual cantatas (total 199).
185 chorales for four voices from the collection of C. F. E. Bach. Spiritual songs and arias from "Gesangbuch Schemellis" - "Book of Songs" by G. Schemelli (21) and from the 2nd "Notebook" (Notenbuch) by Anna Magdalene Bach (10).

Johann Sebastian Bach
Years of life: 1685-1750

Bach was a genius of such magnitude that even today it seems to be an unsurpassed, exceptional phenomenon. His work is truly inexhaustible: after the "discovery" of Bach's music in the 19th century, interest in it has steadily increased, Bach's works are gaining an audience even among listeners who usually do not show interest in "serious" art.

Bach's work, on the one hand, was a kind of summing up. In his music, the composer relied on everything that had been achieved and discovered in the art of music. before him. Bach had an excellent knowledge of German organ music, choral polyphony, and the peculiarities of the German and Italian violin style. He not only met, but also copied the works of contemporary French harpsichordists (primarily Couperin), Italian violinists (Corelli, Vivaldi), and major representatives of Italian opera. Possessing an amazing receptivity to everything new, Bach developed and generalized the accumulated creative experience.

At the same time, he was a brilliant innovator who opened up for the development of world musical culture new perspectives. His powerful influence was also reflected in the work of the great composers of the 19th century (Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Glinka, Taneyev), and in the works of outstanding masters of the 20th century (Shostakovich, Honegger).

Bach's creative heritage is almost boundless, it includes more than 1000 works of various genres, and among them there are those whose scale is exceptional for their time (MP). Bach's works can be divided into three main genre groups:

• vocal and instrumental music;
• organ music,
• music for other instruments (clavier, violin, flute, etc.) and instrumental ensembles (including orchestral).

The works of each group are mainly associated with a certain period of Bach's creative biography. The most significant organ works were created in Weimar, clavier and orchestral works mainly belong to the Köthen period, vocal and instrumental compositions were mostly written in Leipzig.

The main genres in which Bach worked are traditional: these are masses and passions, cantatas and oratorios, choral adaptations, preludes and fugues, dance suites and concertos. Inheriting these genres from his predecessors, Bach gave them a scope that they did not know before. He updated them with new means of expression, enriched them with features borrowed from other genres of musical creativity. A striking example is . Created for the clavier, it includes the expressive qualities of large organ improvisations, as well as dramatic recitations of theatrical origin.

Bach's creativity, for all its universality and inclusiveness, "bypassed" one of the leading genres of its time - opera. At the same time, little distinguishes some of Bach's secular cantatas from the comedy interlude, which was already being reborn at that time in Italy in opera-buffa. The composer often called them, like the first Italian operas, "dramas on music." It can be said that such works by Bach as "Coffee", "Peasant" cantatas, solved as witty genre scenes from everyday life, anticipated the German Singspiel.

Circle of images and ideological content

The figurative content of Bach's music is boundless in its breadth. The majestic and the simple are equally accessible to him. Bach's art contains both deep grief, and simple-minded humor, the sharpest drama and philosophical reflection. Like Handel, Bach reflected the essential aspects of his era - the first half of the 18th century, but others - not effective heroism, but the religious and philosophical problems put forward by the Reformation. In his music, he reflects on the most important, eternal issues of human life - about the purpose of a person, about his moral duty, about life and death. These reflections are most often connected with religious themes, because Bach served almost all his life at the church, wrote a huge part of the music for the church, he himself was a deeply religious person, who knew the Holy Scripture perfectly. He observed church holidays, fasted, confessed, and a few days before his death he took communion. The Bible in two languages ​​- German and Latin - was his reference book.

Bach's Jesus Christ is the main character and ideal. In this image, the composer saw the personification of the best human qualities: fortitude, fidelity to the chosen path, purity of thoughts. The most sacred thing in the history of Christ for Bach is Golgotha ​​and the cross, the sacrificial feat of Jesus for the salvation of mankind. This theme, being the most important in Bach's work, receives ethical, moral interpretation.

Musical symbolism

The complex world of Bach's works is revealed through the musical symbolism that has developed in line with the Baroque aesthetics. By Bach's contemporaries, his music, including instrumental, "pure", was perceived as understandable speech due to the presence of stable melodic turns in it, expressing certain concepts, emotions, ideas. By analogy with classical oratory, these sound formulas are called musical rhetorical figures. Some rhetorical figures were pictorial in nature (for example, anabasis - ascent, catabasis - descent, circulatio - rotation, fuga - running, tirata - arrow); others imitated the intonations of human speech (exclamatio - exclamation - ascending sixth); still others conveyed an affect (suspiratio - a sigh, passus duriusculus - a chromatic move used to express grief, suffering).

Thanks to stable semantics, musical figures have turned into "signs", emblems of certain feelings and concepts. For example, descending melodies (catadasis) were used to symbolize sadness, dying, and laying in a coffin; ascending scales expressed the symbolism of the resurrection, etc.

Symbolic motifs are present in all of Bach's compositions, and these are not only musical and rhetorical figures. Melodies often appear in symbolic meaning protestant chant, their segments.

Bach was associated with the Protestant chorale throughout his life - both by religion and by occupation as a church musician. He constantly worked with the chorale in a variety of genres - organ choral preludes, cantatas, passions. It is quite natural that P.Kh. became an integral part of Bach's musical language.

Chorals were sung by the entire Protestant community; they entered the spiritual world of a person as a natural, necessary element of the worldview. Choral melodies and the religious content associated with them were known to everyone, so the people of Bach's time easily had associations with the meaning of the chorale, with a specific event in Holy Scripture. Penetrating all the work of Bach, the melodies of P.Kh. fill his music, including instrumental, with a spiritual program that clarifies the content.

Symbols are also stable sound combinations that have constant meanings. One of Bach's most important symbols - cross symbol, consisting of four differently directed notes. If you graphically connect the first with the third, and the second with the fourth, a cross pattern is formed. (It is curious that the surname BACH, when transcribed into musical notes, forms the same pattern. Probably, the composer perceived this as a kind of finger of fate).

Finally, there are numerous connections between Bach's cantata-oratorio (i.e., textual) compositions and his instrumental music. Based on all the above connections and analysis of various rhetorical figures, a Bach's musical symbol system. A. Schweitzer, F. Busoni, B. Yavorsky, M. Yudina made a huge contribution to its development.

"Second birth"

Bach's brilliant work was not truly appreciated by his contemporaries. Enjoying fame as an organist, he did not attract due attention as a composer during his lifetime. Not a single serious work was written about his work, only an insignificant part of the works was published. After Bach's death, his manuscripts gathered dust in the archives, many were irretrievably lost, and the composer's name was forgotten.

Genuine interest in Bach arose only in the 19th century. It was started by F. Mendelssohn, who accidentally found the notes of the Passion according to Matthew in the library. Under his direction this work was performed in Leipzig. Most listeners, literally shocked by the music, have never heard the name of the author. This was the second birth of Bach.

On the occasion of the centenary of his death (1850), a Bach society, which aimed to publish all the surviving manuscripts of the composer in the form of a complete collection of works (46 volumes).

Several of Bach's sons became prominent musicians: Philipp Emmanuel, Wilhelm Friedemann (Dresden), Johann Christoph (Bückenburg), Johann Christian (the youngest, "London" Bach).

Biography of Bach

Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 is a work for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, one of his most popular compositions.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 is included in all editions of the authoritative BWV catalog and in the (most complete) new edition of Bach's works (Neue Bach-Ausgabe, known as NBA).

The work was supposedly written by Bach during his stay in Arnstadt between 1703 and 1707. In January 1703, after finishing his studies, he received the position of court musician from the Weimar Duke Johann Ernst. It is not known exactly what his duties were, but, most likely, this position was not related to performing activities. For seven months of service in Weimar, the fame of him as a performer spread. Bach was invited to the position of organ superintendent in the church of St. Boniface in Arnstadt, located 180 km from Weimar. The Bach family had long-standing ties with this oldest German city.

In August, Bach took over as organist of the church. He had to work three days a week, and the salary was relatively high. In addition, the instrument was maintained in good condition and was tuned to a new system that expanded the possibilities of the composer and performer. During this period, Bach created many organ works.

A feature of this small polyphonic cycle is the continuity of the development of musical material (without a break between the toccata and fugue). The form consists of three parts: toccatas, fugues and codas. The latter, echoing the toccata, forms a thematic arc.

Title page of BWV 565 in a manuscript copy by Johannes Ringk. Due to the fact that Bach's autograph was lost, this copy, as of 2012, is the only source close in time to creation.

Toccata (in Italian toccata - touch, blow, from toccare - touch, touch) is a virtuoso piece of music for keyboard instruments (clavier, organ).

The beginning of the toccata

Fugue (Italian fuga - running, flight, fast flow) is the most developed form of polyphonic music, which has absorbed all the richness of polyphony. The content range of the fugue is practically unlimited, but the intellectual element prevails or is always felt in it. Fugue is distinguished by emotional fullness and at the same time restraint of expression.

This work begins with an alarming, but courageous strong-willed cry. It is heard three times, falling from one octave to another, and leads to a thunderous chordal rumble in the lower register. Thus, at the beginning of the toccata, a darkly shaded, grandiose sound space is outlined.

Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 played by organist Hans-André Stamm on the Trost-Organ of the Stadtkirche in Waltershausen, Germany.

Further powerful "swirling" virtuoso passages are heard. The contrast between fast and slow movement is reminiscent of cautious respite between battles with violent elements. And after a free, improvisationally constructed toccata, a fugue sounds, in which the strong-willed principle, as it were, curbs elemental forces. And the last bars of the whole work are perceived as a harsh and majestic victory of the inexorable human will.