Johann Sebastian Bach (Eisenach III-21-1685 - Leipzig VII-28-1750)

The most outstanding representative of the German musical baroque was born in a village in Thuringia as a descendant of a family devoted to music for at least four generations. Orphaned by his father and mother at the age of ten, he attended the high school in Ohrdruf as a guest of his brother Johann Christoph who learned the rudiments of music. But Johann Sebastian was essentially self-taught and was able to treasure his experience as a singing child in Lüneburg (from 1700), where he learned valuable lessons from studying in the well-stocked library of San Michele. Here he studied the works of foreign masters - mainly Italians- and came into contact with a flourishing musical life that introduced him to German performers and foreigners and led him to often go to Hamburg, where the North German school was in full bloom. In 1703 he entered the Weimar court as a violinist, but a few months later, we find him in Arnstadt as an organist in San Bonifacio, where he remained for four years. He held the same position in Mühlhausen in the church of San Biagio, and in Dornheim, he married his cousin Maria Barbara. Still, in 1708, following the alteration of relations with the musical environment of the town, he returned to Weimar as court organist. Here he became the first violin in the orchestra in 1714; he returned to the study of the Italians (Vivaldi and Frescobaldi in particular). Still, he was unable to obtain the post of choirmaster in 1716. Hence, a year later, he entered the court of Cothen with this position, where he remained until 1723 (passing after the death of Maria Barbara in a second marriage with Anna Magdalena Wilcken in 1721), and where she had the opportunity to devote herself in particular to secular music (the Six Brandenburg Concerts are born here).

In 1723 he finally settled as Cantor and music director in St. Thomas of Leipzig after passing a complicated exam. Here he will remain for the rest of the days, not without occasionally traveling to inaugurate new organs, visit his sons, give concerts, and in 1747 play in Potsdam in the presence of Frederick the Great.

In Leipzig, the practical commitments (the school, the direction of the choir and the orchestra, the discipline of the children entrusted to him) absorbed him a lot, the friction with the city council did not make his life easy, and even the family environment is not exactly idyllic. Yet, Bach found a way to write a new cantata for each week and to conceive some of his most colossal creations in the field of sacred music (the Great Mass in B minor and four other minor masses, the Passions, the Christmas Oratorio, as well as to several minor compositions). In 1749 he had his eyes operated on by a famous English ophthalmologist. Still, he lost his sight entirely, and his general conditions worsened, so much so that a year later, he died of apoplexy while he was about to complete the colossal Art of escape.

It remains an unforgettable memory for the whole XVIII century as an organist than as a composer (his widow will end up in poverty in the common grave). Only in 1802 did the historian Johann N. Forkel re-evaluate his importance as a composer in an essay, and in 1829 Mendelssohn presented the Passion according to St. Matthew in Berlin. Here begins the ascending parable of Bach's fame, which remains uncorrupted and very high over two centuries after death.

Germany still lacked a clear stylistic musical direction in the 17th century, unlike Italy and France. The activity was dispersed in the many courts of large and small cities and imitated without absorbing the most striking cultural phenomena of other countries: do not forget that Schüz had come to study in Italy with Gabrieli and that most of the German musicians of the ' 600 had trained at the Dutch Sweelinck school. With Bach, German music receives a decisive impulse. With his colossal work, Bach defines and individualizes the specific characters of Germanic music. The composer of Eisenach identifies Protestant sacred music as one of the elements that can give greater individuality to national production and conceives of the great Passions and cantatas. In instrumental music, he refers to Italian models but relives them from within a pearl of constructive wisdom that does not forget that of the old masters of the Netherlands. Finally, he identifies the organ as a solo instrument of capital importance and creates a vast collection of works of unsurpassed value.

Bach was thus able to avoid the current fashion in the courts. He realized that the premises of autonomous art in the national sense could not be created along the line of the salons' innovations by the French. In a period in which Italian opera dominated not by chance. He refrained from a theatrical production which led to the accusation of conservatism that was raised in his life and the widespread feeling that he was an outdated composer even before completing his work. History has instead established that the real innovator was Johann Sebastian, not, for example, his contemporary Telemann, undoubtedly more "à la page" than him and yet much less modern in spirit.

In his instrumental works, Bach laid the foundations for the orchestra of the late eighteenth century. He made far-sighted use of the most diverse instruments; he also gave dances of Italian or French origin a formal structure that no longer allowed them to be confused with the available music of that time. : with him begins an evolution that will lead directly to the most varied and daring developments of the German school, first classical and later romantic.

Brandenburg Concerts

In 1720 Bach met Margrave Christian Ludwig von Brandenburg in Karlsbad, who invited him to write pieces for his chapel.  Thus were born in 1721, conceived on the Italian model of Corelli and Vivaldi.  These six concerts denote an in-depth thematic and contrapuntal elaboration.  The latter is much richer and more anticipatory than had ever happened in the works of the Italians and Handel himself.  According to the large concert model, these pieces are characterized by the concertante game between some instruments ("concertino"), contrasting with the orchestral block.  They do so through a dialectic that drags the listener from the first to the last bar.  The staff of the orchestra and the "concertino" varies from piece to piece: it should be borne in mind that these six compositions were written for an orchestra, that of the Margrave of Brandenburg, particularly rich in possibilities and that in them, the author tended to achieve the most excellent variety of combinations.

CONCERT No. 1 IN F MAJOR - Includes three oboes, two horns, a bassoon, tiny violin, strings, and harpsichord.  The initial "Allegro" of majestic character and tireless rhythm precedes an "Adagio," which is considered among Bach's rare instrumental pieces on the type of "accompanied melody." In the latter, the oboe, violin, and bass alternate in the slender melodic conduct, with the expressive intervention of the other instruments that punctuate the flowery flow of the central part with often dissonant harmonies (sometimes with overlapping of different tonalities).  The third movement, "Allegro," in six eighths, resumes a lively rhythmic character.  Similarly, at the end of the Concerto, we have "Minuet" (and relative "trio") and "Polacca" (also with "trio") with a full-bodied sonority of the wind instruments as if to give the composition a Landler character to be performed in the open air.

CONCERT N. 2 IN F MAJOR - Composed of trumpet, flute, oboe, violin, strings, and harpsichord, it presents a typical diversity between "tutti" and "concertino," allowing the composer a play of lights and shadows, of dynamic contrasts unusual.  After the initial "Allegro" in 2/2, the "Andante" is entrusted to flute, oboe, and violin solos, accompanied by cellos and harpsichord.  It is a peaceful movement in 3/4 in the key of D minor, where the contrapuntal interweaving of the three "suns" unfolds in a discourse that does not lose its marked melodic characteristics for an instant.  And with a real stroke of timbre genius, the last tempo ("Allegro molto") starts, in contrast to the whole atmosphere of the previous piece, with a trumpet solo.  To the latter, the oboe immediately followed by imitation, then the solo violin, the flute, and finally the "tutti," arriving in various alternations of doughs to a festive conclusion.  The trumpet again gives a triumphant character.  Note the use of the small trumpet in F: it is an unusual instrument today that requires specialized players.  The way Bach utilizes it here gives the whole an extraordinary character of brightness.

CONCERT N. 3 IN G MAJOR - Unlike the others, the staff of the Third Concerto consists of only strings and a harpsichord.  The role of "concertino" is assumed from time to time by the trio of violins, violas, and cellos, thus achieving a unity of timbre that still allows a dynamic understanding and endless variety due to the register changes.  The whole concert sounds a tireless and enthralling rhythm.  Especially in the first half acquires an unusual vigor thanks to the massive intervention of the entire orchestra in the salient points of the thematic development.  Another characteristic of this composition is the lack of slow tempos: after an "Adagio" of a single measure which serves to introduce a momentary harmonic variation (with a passage to the dominant of E minor), the second movement - "Allegro "- begins with a fast action of eighths and sixteenth notes in 12/8, where the play of imitations leads to dynamic peaks of rare intensity, despite the absolute serenity of the whole speech.

CONCERT N. 4 IN G MAJOR - With the Fourth Concerto, Bach contrasts the "tutti" with two flutes and a "main violin."  Here too, the first movement, in 3/8, denotes a playful, almost carefree trend of chasing each other and contrasting the instruments of the "concertino" not only with the whole orchestra but also with each other.  Today's listener, accustomed to regular performances with modern flutes (transverse flutes), undoubtedly loses an essential part of the effectiveness of this beautiful Bach Concerto, initially conceived for two straight flutes.  The nourished sound of our orchestras and the vastness of the environments in which symphonic music is played would not allow us to appreciate these instruments' faint sounds properly.  However, to this chamber dimension, the whole Fourth Concert must be traced back to listening.  The second movement, "Andante" in E minor, shows off a broad baroque pathetism, typical for the two by two eighth note ligatures and the apparent contrast of piano and forte.  The final "Presto" in cut time is, on the other hand, a vigorous escape, where the dialectic between "suns" and "all" gives rise to ever new and always unpredictable figurations in the fun of the imagination that captivates and excites.

CONCERT N. 5 IN D MAJOR - And here we are at the Fifth Concerto, the most popular and brilliant, the most virtuosic and immediate of the Eisenach master.  The role of "concertino" is entrusted to the flute, violin, and harpsichord, and here the solo element jumps clearly to the foreground in the whole structure of the work.  This happens above all in the first movement, which with its elastic rhythms and at the same time solidly anchored to a constant direction, leads to a series of episodes of the three "suns" that are enriched with ever new modulations and designs up to the tremendous final cadence of the harpsichord, perhaps the most virtuosic piece that Bach wrote for this instrument.

As it had already happened in the Second Concerto, the central slow tempo is entrusted to the three soloists.  It is entirely based on a tenuous recording exhibited by the violin.  Here, the intertwining of the solos only gives greater prominence to the melodic component of this short piece, which Bach indicated with the superscription "Affectionate." Finally, in the last movement ("Allegro" in 2/4), it is again the soloists who initially propose a theme clearly articulated in triplets.  At the same time, the orchestra's entrance, without introducing new elements, brings back the characteristic sonorities of the big concert, alternating until the end with the soloists in a varied and always elegant intertwining.

CONCERT N. 6 IN B BEMOLLE MAJOR - It is the only one of the six that requires an instrumental out of the ordinary, especially nowadays: without violins, it has violas, violas, cello, violone, and harpsichord.  The instruments of the ancient viola family would therefore be necessary for the execution, which, compared to the modern viola, has many differences and has long since fallen into disuse.  However, the Sixth Concerto, now also performed with a standard string orchestra (note the lack, as in the Third, of wind instruments), deserves to be considered on a par with the best Bach concertos.

The first movement is based on one of those typical procedures in which the thematic element also becomes the main factor of rhythmic propulsion.  Thus, the canon between the two violas at a distance of only two sixteenth notes generates one of those discourses in which the rhythmic flow is supported by a profound contrapuntal science, giving life to one of Bach's most intense instrumental pages has written.  Suppose the central "Adagio ma non molto" may seem less happy in the invention.  In that case, the final "Allegro" refers to the main characters of the beginning, giving rise, in a vigorous 12/8 time, to a vast fresco in which, once again, the most surprising element is granted by the singular timbral color of the whole.

Suites for orchestra

 

The period when the four suites were composed (or - according to the custom of the time - "overtures") is uncertain. However, it is believed that the first two were written in Cothen around 1721 and the others in Leipzig (doubtful the attribution to Bach of a fifth suite). It is a series of dance pieces modeled on the French and Italian composers of the '600-'700. On the other hand, Bach prepares a solemn prelude to it, almost as if to admonish that it is not the usual dance music but an art form that is now autonomous and capable of a life of its own.

 

SUITE N. 1 IN C MAJOR: it is a composition with a light and bright character, authentic entertainment music that does not want to draw particular depths of thought. Alongside the usual currents, gavotte, minuets, and bourrées, also note the presence of a dance of presumably Italian origin, such as the "Forlana" or Friulian.

SUITE N. 2 IN B MINOR: it is an amusement of incomparable formal refinement, in which the dances of the time (after the "Prelude," in the order: "Rondeau," "Sarabande," "Bourrée I" and "Bourrée II, '' "Polonaise," "Minuetto" and "Badinerie") are transfigured in a discourse that makes them tiny jewels of elegance and timbre and formal accuracy.

SUITE N. 3 IN D MAJOR: of large proportions not only for the extension of the five pieces that compose it but also for the orchestra's staff, including two oboes, three trumpets, timpani, and harpsichord (in addition to the mass of the strings), the dance character, especially in the first and second pieces, almost entirely disappears to make way for a musical elaboration that knows no patterns or conventions: particularly the "Air," which comes in second place in the order of the pieces after the 'overture, deserves attention for its spread in scrolls expressive and truly touching melodic movements. Two "Gavotte," a "Bourrée," and a "Giga" follow, which conclude this varied score in serenity.

SUITE N. 4 IN D MAJOR: less popular than the previous ones, it presents some moments in which we find the best Bach next to weaker pages. At the beginning of the pompous system, singularly analogous to the third, there is a rapid "Allegro" in 9/8 which ends again with the initial slow tempo.

Two "Bourrées," one "Gavotta," two "Minuets," and a final "Réjouissance," which is a curious name for a lively 3/4 time with a dance character followed it.

The art of escape

Die Kunst der Fuge (1749-50) - Unanimously considered the summa of the contrapuntal science of musical baroque, this grandiose composition remained unfinished and bore no indication of instruments, as if Bach had thought of it as a score to be enjoyed exclusively in reading with the inner ear.  Based on a theme in D minor of extreme conciseness and melodic simplicity Bach creates a series of derivative themes by inversion, melodic or rhythmic variation, and other gimmicks.  He realizes a composition of 21 pieces whose order of execution, a cause of the musician's death, which occurred when the composition was not completed, is not definitively fixed.

Considered for many years, even after Bach's re-evaluation, as an exclusively learned and theoretical product, as a mere demonstration of a transcendental technical ability, the Art of fugue revealed its profound artistic validity only in relatively recent times.  Since then, it conquered its inalienable place among the highest creations of the Eisenach Master.

The score needs to be transcribed for one or more modern instruments since the autograph leaves the absolute freedom of choice. The Art of Fugue requires a chamber orchestra and takes up an entire program in current transcriptions. After Graeser edited the first orchestra transcription in 1927, numerous others were edited by Husmann, David, Vuataz, Mlinchinger, the very personal but fascinating one by H. Scherchen, and so on (besides various transcriptions for a keyboard instrument).

Here is the order of succession of the 21 passages, subject, however, to changes in the various transcriptions; keep in mind that the term "contrapunctus" is equivalent to the modern fugue:

Contrapunctus 1-5 (all for 4 voices);

Contrapunctus 6 "in French style" (for 4 voices);

Contrapunctus 7 for aggravation and decrease (4 voices);

Contrapunctus 8 (for 3 voices);

Contrapunctus 9-11 (for 4 voices);

Contrapunctus 12: a) for right motion, b) for opposite motion (4 voices); 

Contrapunctus 13, in two parts like 12 (for 3 voices);

Contrapunctus 14 (for 4 voices);

2-item fee for aggravation and contrary motion;

2-voice canon in the octave;

2-voice canon at the tithe;

2-voice canon at the twelfth;

Fugue I and II for 2 pianos;

Fugue 3 subjects (4 voices), unfinished.

The well tempered harpsichord

The two books of Preludes and Fugues bearing the title of Well-Tempered Clavier date back to two different periods in Bach's life and activity.  Book I was completed in 1722 during Köthen's period, as the autograph preserved in the Deutsche specifies Staatsbibliothek in Berlin, while Book II was compiled between 1740 and 1744 when the great musician was now permanently residing in Leipzig.  This second autograph, considered lost for a long time, was purchased in 1896 by the British Museum in London, where it is located.  There are various copies of the complete collection.  Some of them saw the light already in the years immediately following the creation of the work.

Only the first book appeared with the title of Well-tempered Harpsichord, whereas the second book bore the title of Twenty-four new preludes and fugues.  The layout of the two books is perfectly analogous so that they were usually considered two parts of the same work.  Each book includes twenty-four Preludes and twenty-four Fugues: a Prelude and a Fugue for each of the different shades that follow one another in ascending chromatic order.

Each piece has its own specific character that differentiates it from all the others.  The Preludes are carried out in multiple forms and constitute the moment, so to speak static, of the compositional structure: furthermore, the Preludes show a greater variety of attitudes, they refer to the archaic style of the Toccata, or they anticipate the gallant style, they are affected by specific organ compositions, or they refer to the dances of the ancient Suite.  The Fugues, on the other hand, represent the dynamic element of the compositional structure.  They signify the outcome of Bach's astonishing inventiveness on the same subject, moving from the simplest to the most complex figures.  Bach treats them with new aspects and is very close to the nature of the thematic material used each time.  There is a two-part fugue in the first book, eleven three-part fugues, ten four-part fugues, two five-part fugues; in book II, there are fifteen three-part fugues and nine four-part fugues.  As Alberto Basso observes with insight, Bach was "very expert in the art of fugue, which in his youth he had cultivated above all in cantatas and works for organ, with the fugues of the well-tempered harpsichord he set about to give a systematic and scientific arrangement to a subject in boiling, confirming how provocative the manifestation of the laws of attraction could be exerted by the progressive affirmation of tonalism.  The stylus antiquus, the counterpoint understood in the most rigorous of its expressions that of canonical imitation, now found a new setting: with the consolidation of the temperate staircase, the fugue was erected as a rigid but not immobile architectural system, bound to a specific formalism which could affect every aspect of the composition, not least the nature of the thematism.

The Preludes and Fugues of the 2nd book, perfectly analogous in their layout, substantially present some differences compared to the previous collection, the main one of which lies in the greater breadth of the Preludes of the 2nd book, also highlighted by the frequent use of the form bipartite (nos. 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20 and 21), mainly with a more significant second part. This attention paid to the bipartite structure probably derives from the habit of the forms of dance. Also, in the Fugues of the II book, in addition to the adoption of the archaic style (nos. 7 and 9) and the absence of five-voice schemes, the evident influence of dance rhythms occurs (nos. 1, 4, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21 and 24). Finally, the relationship of metric unity between Prelude and Fugue is less marked, which in the first book occurs in nine cases while in the second only in five (nos. 2, 3, 8, 12, 20). From these and other observations derives the consideration that the second book of Preludes and Fugues was created in an artistic and practical context very different from the one existing in Köthen, where the need for an ethical commitment to take care of the gradual professional preparation of Bach's first children. In Leipzig, as Alberto Basso once wrote, "in the bourgeois and academic civitas lipsiense, the well-tempered harpsichord is at the center of a compositional process in which keyboard instruments, harpsichord, and organ emerge as protagonists, with an astonishing progression of inventions and deductions that, coming back from the tested experiences of the suite and the concert, conquer the deep spaces of speculation, of musica artificialis, of the ars combinatorial, without losing sight of the initial opportunities and motivations that are those of the exercise, of the experimentum, of the ratio ordinis."