The story of the Suites for Unaccompanied Cello is one of genius and tragic neglect, with a triumphant and long-lived epilogue. “Wachet Auf” is one such example—the original tune was by Philipp Nicolai, composed in the 16th century, but most listeners would recognize Bach’s version first. "But he is the ultimate composer. All contents © 2021 The Slate Group LLC. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, the capital of the duchy of Saxe-Eisenach, in the Thuringian region of the Holy Roman Empire, on 21 March 1685 O.S. Why is Bach's and Vivaldi's music style so violently alive? He referenced so many composers, both older and contemporary. As I’ve grown older I’ve realized his complete mastery of melody, for his contrapuntal work and for the religious works that are so deeply inspired as to reach an agnostic like myself. For example, religion explains why the trumpet was his favorite instrument (think heavens-reaching pitches) or why Bach didn't seek beauty as an end in itself but as a means to an end (honoring God). The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, is a musical composition for harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach, consisting of an aria and a set of 30 variations.First published in 1741, it is named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who may also have been the first performer of the work. He is a musical genius and a superb musical student. Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach, by Elias Gottlob Haussmann, 1748. Ask a question, get a great answer. Slate relies on advertising to support our journalism. “I played the Goldberg Variations at St. Thomas Church, right in front of Bach’s grave,” Hewitt says. Bach is an intellectual puzzle. read more, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Zelenka and Rameau, to mention only the greatest composers of the Late Baroque, are profoundly different composers, as different from each other as Stravinsky, Strauss, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov are in the 20th Century. I have never forgotten the iconic beginning to his “Six Cello Suites” or his “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” or “Air on the G String.”. 0. Share Share Tweet Email. Why is Live Music so much better than a CD. The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846-893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by Johann Sebastian Bach might have been viewed as old-fashioned not long after his death, but since Mendelssohn’s revival, we see that Bach can be played on any instrument, and his melodies are still so culturally relevant that contemporary musicians have reused them several times throughout the centuries since his death. This is wonderful and is justly famous. Listen to his seminal work, “Psalmen Davids” for more appreciation of Bach’s later method to his cantatas. read more, Vivaldi’s claim to fame in modern times is, like Pachelbel, for one piece only: his Four Seasons, which has near universal appeal and is longer and more complex and varied than Pachelbel’s Canon (though Vivaldi certainly had many more reasons to be famous; that’s another discussion). Answer 31 of 35: We are going to Daytona Beach in July. While there's no single answer to why Bach remains one of music's most beloved contributors, but experts have some ideas. read more, 6. Bolan and Sabo actually fought to keep the song off Skid Row, so Bach asked the band’s manager, Doc McGhee (famous for also working with KISS, Bon … At first it was out of stock because Blue Tansy is in short supply and is a staple in many of our favorite YL blends. Why we love Bach - Classic FM Why we love Bach Johann Sebastian Bach was and is the Baroque period's most notable export. 2. Why Princess Diana Is So Beloved By Immigrant Moms With a new season of The Crown comes a new wave of sympathy for Princess Diana, particularly from immigrant mothers. Bear in mind that Bach was mainly known as an organist in his day rather than a composer. Bach and Vivaldi, on the other hand, wrote many pieces which are well known, and beloved. Artists like Nina Simone admired Bach’s melodies—she herself interwove them with her own songs. By the time he was ten, both his parents had died. “I felt so at home with the piano. By Chapter 26, Beloved and Sethe have switched places, with Beloved acting as the mother and Sethe as the child. Because they wrote better music. An extremely important reason that Bach is so good is his intense study of music itself. A simple answer here. L ook through the classical section of any record shop, and you'll find lots of CDs of some of the greatest pianists of modern times playing Bach's piano music. When I am out of practice, I still return to that particular Bourrée. Bach made some very good friends at Weimar, among whom was the eminent philologist and scholar Johann Matthias Gesner, who expressed with great eloquence his admiration for the composer's genius. And you'll never see this message again. read more. Shirley Fleming felt that the Sonatas and Partitas were written not for an occasion but for Bach's own pure intellectual pleasure. Even looking at the scores forces me to wonder how he thought when composing. There are actually far more composers who influenced Bach, which was very interesting to read. Faith informs so much of Bach's art that to push it aside is the surest way to get the story wrong. At the age of 14 he was awarded a choral scholarship to study at the prestigious St. Michael's School in Lüneburg. Having loved Bach since childhood, I can say I find his music to be a companion for all times, good and bad. What are the differences between Baroque and Romantic interpretations of the Bach Cello Suites? How many members arę in the league of assasins? And so Bach gave an impressive solo performance before the assembled audience and referees, establishing himself as the finest organist of the day. For those who aren’t familiar with why this is such a huge deal, let me first explain why it’s been our of stock for so long. Comment. So let’s talk about why Bach’s music is so fantastic. But Bach's six suites haven't always been so beloved or renowned. He was, let’s face it, the greatest… This composer was a revolutionary, breaking the rules, stretching … Men like Georg Philipp Telemann and Georg Friedrich Handel were more highly regarded and in demand. I… Pachelbel and the Bach family. However, he wrote nothing that I know of that even compares to that. Looking back now, it had a very simple structure, but even in the simplified version, there were still chances to switch between different melodic chords before returning to the key of A Minor. (31 March 1685 N.S.). Learn from experts and access insider knowledge. … He was a man through and through.”. 3. You’ve run out of free articles. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Their role reversal may simply mark m… Pachelbel is known today only because of one piece: the Canon. He spent a great deal of time studying the Italian Baroque style, probably playing the works of Arcangelo Corelli and Giovanni Pergolesi. Pachelbel has close ties to the Bach family, and his style of music played an instrumental role in influencing and enriching that of Johann Sebastian Bach indirectly. He took simple Lutheran melodies and developed them into fully-fledged works, adding his own touch of genius and love complexity to each one. Thanks to early organ lessons, a knack for melody and a timely renaissance, he's still as relevant today as he was at the time, if not more. Was J.S. Answer by Deborah LeFer, student at Open University, England: I agree with Franz Schubert, who said in his diary: “Johann Sebastian Bach has done everything completely. Bach and Vivaldi, on the other hand, wrote many pieces which are well known, and beloved. He learned and taught, composed and played, and brought joy to millions of music fans around the world. J S Bach is beloved by those who appreciate traditional music (myself included; by chance, I had just put on a cd of his cantatas before seeing this question), because he knew as no other how to fulfill the desires of his patrons, most often the Church. An extremely important reason that Bach is so good is his intense study of music itself. But I cannot name a piece that is simply awful; everything can be listened to, can be appreciated. As someone else here has mentioned, you do get to realize the structure and formations after a while, but that doesn’t stop me from admiring the sheer genius behind such melodies. This is very odd, because Bach wrote virtually nothing for the piano. I often feel that Buxtehude isn’t given enough exposure, yet if you study his organ music and cantatas, you can really see where how Bach evolved from this. He referenced so many composers, both older and contemporary. Johann Sebastian Bach had a prestigious musical lineage and took on various organist positions during the early 18th century, creating famous compositions like "Toccata and Fugue in … It feels so naturally written and genuine. What makes this show so special to so many fans? All rights reserved. So for whom did Bach write these works? There is so much to learn about Bach. Bach knew about Vivaldi, but did Vivaldi know about Bach? And his “Passions” and “Mass in B Minor” stand apart from choral music in general. 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