Johann Sebastian Bach

Question 1

Johann Sebastian Bach musical style and contributions

Answer 1

• although best known as organist during his lifetime, his music represents ultimate Baroque craftsmanship and culmination of hundreds of years of polyphonic writing
• did not invent new forms but perfected existing forms of his day
• master of contrapuntal art
• wrote fugues throughout career
• also used contrapuntal texture within other genres
• organized large-scale works systematically
• composed many “sets” of works
• composed many sacred works for the Lutheran Church (chorales, cantatas:); composed a Mass in B Minor, even though he was not Catholic
• Italian, French, English influences
• composed keyboardmusic for all levels

Question 2

What existing form did Bach perfect?

Answer 2

• fugues
• concertos
• cantatas

Question 3

Why was Bach a great master of contrapuntal art?

Answer 3

demonstrated ultimate control of polyphonic textures

Question 4

What did the fugues that Bach wrote demonstrate?

Answer 4

-wide variety of techniques and approaches

• ex.:
• The Well-Tempered Clavier
• The Art of Fugue

Question 5

What are examples of Bach using contrapuntal texture within other genres?

Answer 5

• choral fugue in Cantata No. 80

- fugal passage in Brandenburg Concertos

Question 6

What is a large-scale work that Bach organized systematically?

Answer 6

The Well-Tempered Clavier is ordered chromatically by key:

C major, C minor, C# major, C# minor, D major, D minor, etc

Question 7

What is an example of “sets” of work that Bach composed?

Answer 7

• fifteen two-part inventions
• fifteen three-part inventions
• six English suites
• six French suites
• six partitas

Question 8

What are examples of Bach’s Italian influences?

Answer 8

• lyricism of operatic arias

- dynamic instrumental style

Question 9

What are examples of Bach’s French influences?

Answer 9

• dance rhythms
• French overtures
• ornamentation

Question 10

What are examples of Bach’s English influences?

Answer 10

• choral style

- English dances

Question 11

What levels of keyboard music did Bach compose?

Answer 11

• from elementary level pieces for students (including selections in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena)
• to concert works requiring the highest level of technical and musical mastery (toccatas, fugues, concertos, Goldberg Variations)