Johann Sebastian Bach

Question 1

Information About Him (5)

Answer 1

• (1685-1750)
• born in Eisenach, Germany into a family of musicians
• trained in music by one of his brothers
• sang in choirs
• played violin and organ

Question 2

Information About His Time in Arnstadt, Mülhassen (4)

Answer 2

• (1703-1708)
• court violinist and organist for royalty
• visited Buxtehude because his writing was influential to him
• married Maria Barbara and had children

Question 3

Information About His Time in Weimar (3)

Answer 3

• (1708-1717)
• musician for the duke of Weimar
• composed a lot of church music

Question 4

Information About His Time in Cöthen (4)

Answer 4

• (1717-1723)
• court conductor to Prince Leopold
• composed a lot of solo and chamber works
• first wife died, married Anna Magdalena

Question 5

Information About His Time in Leipzig (3)

Answer 5

• (1723-1750)
• appointed Cantor of St. Thomas School
• responsibilities included teaching, composing, directing choirs, and leading church music

Question 6

His Style and Contributions (6)

Answer 6

• master of contrapuntal art
• combined German, French, and Italian styles
• he composed the Brandenburg Concertos, a series of orchestral works
• Wrote organ, keyboard, and chamber music
• keyboard works: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Italian Concerto, Chromatic Fantasy, Fugue
• choral music: St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion, Mass in B Minor

Question 7

Important Work: Prelude and Fugue no. 21 in B flat Major (1)

Answer 7

-consists of a prelude and a fugue (basically a filler card)

Question 8

Prelude Section of Prelude and Fugue no. 21 in B flat Major (5)

Answer 8

• in common time
• in binary form (A, B)
• homophonic and polyphonic texture
• A section: has 32nd-note patterns and scales
• B section: toccata-like with rapid scales and arpeggios

Question 9

Fugue Section of Prelude and Fugue no. 21 in B flat Major (7)

Answer 9

• in 3/4 time
• has 3 voices
• subject is presented in the top voice, 4 bars long
• tonal answer enters in the middle voice
• the subject enters in the bass voice while a counter-subject is heard in the top voice
• in the middle section, there are episodes and key changes
• in the final section, ends with a tonal answer followed by a coda