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Briefly about Bach's work. Biography of I.S. Bach briefly. Features of the performance of Bach's works

Bach Johann Sebastian, whose biography is of interest to many music lovers, became one of the greatest composers in its entire history. In addition, he was a performer, a virtuoso organist, and a talented teacher. In this article we will look at the life of Johann Sebastian Bach and also introduce his work. The composer's works are often heard in concert halls Worldwide.

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 31 (21 - Old Style) 1685 - July 28, 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque era. He enriched the musical style created in Germany thanks to his mastery of counterpoint and harmony, and adapted foreign rhythms and forms, borrowed, in particular, from Italy and France. Bach's works are the Goldberg Variations, the Brandenburg Concertos, the Mass in B Minor, more than 300 cantatas, of which 190 have survived, and many other works. His music is considered highly technically sophisticated, filled with artistic beauty and intellectual depth.

Johann Sebastian Bach. short biography

Bach was born in Eisenach into a family of hereditary musicians. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was the founder of the city music concerts, and all his uncles were professional performers. The composer's father taught his son to play the violin and harpsichord, and his brother, Johann Christoph, taught him to play the clavichord, and also introduced Johann Sebastian to modern music. Partly according own initiative Bach attended St. Michael's vocal school in Lüneburg for 2 years. After certification, he held several musical positions in Germany, in particular, court musician to Duke Johann Ernst in Weimar, caretaker of the organ in the church of St. Boniface, located in Arnstadt.

In 1749, Bach's eyesight and overall health deteriorated, and he died in 1750, on July 28. Modern historians believe that the cause of his death was a combination of stroke and pneumonia. Johann Sebastian's fame as an excellent organist spread throughout Europe during Bach's lifetime, although he was not yet so popular as a composer. He became famous as a composer a little later, in the first half of the 19th century, when interest in his music was revived. Currently, Bach Johann Sebastian, whose biography is presented in full below, is considered one of the greatest musical creators in history.

Childhood (1685 - 1703)

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach in 1685, on March 21 according to the old style (new style - on the 31st of the same month). He was the son of Johann Ambrosius and Elisabeth Lemmerhirt. The composer became the eighth child in the family (the eldest son was 14 years older than him at the time of Bach’s birth). The future composer's mother died in 1694, and his father eight months later. Bach was 10 years old at that time, and he went to live with Johann Christoph, his older brother (1671 - 1731). There he studied, performed and transcribed music, including his brother's compositions, despite the ban on doing so. From Johann Christoph he adopted a lot of knowledge in the field of music. At the same time, Bach studied theology, Latin, Greek, French, Italian at the local gymnasium. As Johann Sebastian Bach later admitted, the classics inspired and amazed him from the very beginning.

Arnstadt, Weimar and Mühlhausen (1703 - 1717)

In 1703, after finishing his studies at St. Michael's School in Lüneburg, the composer was appointed court musician to the chapel of Duke Johann Ernst III in Weimar. During his seven-month stay there, Bach's reputation as an excellent keyboard player was established, and he was invited to new position caretaker of the organ in the church of St. Boniface, located in Arnstadt, 30 km southwest of Weimar. Despite good family connections and his own musical enthusiasm, tensions with his superiors arose after several years of service. In 1706, Bach was offered the post of organist at the Church of St. Blaise (Mühlhausen), which he took the following year. The new position paid much higher, included much better working conditions, as well as a more professional choir with which Bach had to work. Four months later, Johann Sebastian's wedding to Maria Barbara took place. They had seven children, four of whom lived to adulthood, including Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emmanuel, who later became famous composers.

In 1708, Bach Johann Sebastian, whose biography took a new direction, left Mühlhausen and returned to Weimar, this time as an organist, and from 1714 as a concert organizer, and had the opportunity to work with more professional musicians. In this city, the composer continues to play and compose works for the organ. He also began writing preludes and fugues, which were later included in his monumental work The Well-Tempered Clavier, consisting of two volumes. Each of them includes preludes and fugues, written in all possible minor and major keys. Also in Weimar, composer Johann Sebastian Bach began working on the work “Organ Book,” containing Lutheran chorales, a collection of choral preludes for organ. In 1717 he fell out of favor in Weimar, was arrested for almost a month and subsequently removed from office.

Köthen (1717 - 1723)

Leopold ( important person- Prince of Anhalt-Köthen) offered Bach the job of bandmaster in 1717. Prince Leopold, himself a musician, admired Johann Sebastian's talent, paid him well and gave him considerable freedom in composition and performance. The prince was a Calvinist, and they do not use complex and refined music in worship, accordingly, the work of Johann Sebastian Bach of that period was secular and included orchestral suites, suites for solo cello, for clavier, as well as the famous “Brandenburg Concertos”. In 1720, on July 7, his wife Maria Barbara, who bore him seven children, dies. The composer meets his second wife the following year. Johann Sebastian Bach, whose works were gradually beginning to gain popularity, married a girl named Anna Magdalena Wilcke, a soprano singer, in 1721, December 3.

Leipzig (1723 - 1750)

In 1723, Bach received a new position, beginning to work as cantor of the St. Thomas Choir. This was a prestigious service in Saxony, which the composer carried out for 27 years, until his death. Bach's duties included teaching students to sing and writing church music for the main churches of Leipzig. Johann Sebastian was also supposed to give Latin lessons, but had the opportunity to hire a special person in his place. During Sunday services, as well as on holidays, cantatas were required for church services, and the composer usually performed his own compositions, most of which appeared in the first 3 years of his stay in Leipzig.

Johann Sebastian Bach, whose classics are now well known to many people, expanded his compositional and performing capabilities in March 1729 by taking over the leadership of the College of Music, a secular assembly under the direction of the composer Georg Philipp Telemann. The college was one of dozens of private societies, popular at that time in large German cities, created on the initiative of students of musical institutions. These associations played an important role in the German musical life, being led for the most part by outstanding specialists. Many of Bach's works from the 1730s-1740s. were written and performed at the Music College. Johann Sebastian's last major work was “Mass in B Minor” (1748-1749), which was recognized as his most global church work. Although the entire “Mass” was never performed during the author’s lifetime, it is considered one of the composer’s most outstanding creations.

Death of Bach (1750)

In 1749, the composer's health deteriorated. Bach Johann Sebastian, whose biography ends in 1750, suddenly began to lose his sight and turned for help to the English ophthalmologist John Taylor, who performed 2 operations in March-April 1750. However, both were unsuccessful. The composer's vision never returned. On July 28, at the age of 65, Johann Sebastian died. Contemporary newspapers wrote that "death occurred as a result of unsuccessful eye surgery." Currently, historians consider the cause of the composer’s death to be a stroke complicated by pneumonia.

Carl Philipp Emmanuel, son of Johann Sebastian, and his student Johann Friedrich Agricola wrote an obituary. It was published in 1754 by Lorenz Christoph Mitzler in music magazine. Johann Sebastian Bach, short biography which is presented above, was originally buried in Leipzig, near the Church of St. John. The grave remained untouched for 150 years. Later, in 1894, the remains were transferred to a special repository in the Church of St. John, and in 1950 - to the Church of St. Thomas, where the composer still rests.

Organ creativity

During his lifetime, Bach was best known as an organist and composer of organ music, which he wrote in all traditional German genres (preludes, fantasies). Johann Sebastian Bach's favorite genres were toccata, fugue, and chorale preludes. His organ creativity very diverse. At a young age, Johann Sebastian Bach (we have already briefly touched upon his biography) earned a reputation as a highly creative composer, capable of adapting many foreign styles to the requirements of organ music. He was greatly influenced by the traditions of Northern Germany, in particular Georg Böhm, whom the composer met in Lüneburg, and Dietrich Buxtehude, whom Johann Sebastian visited in 1704 during a long vacation. Around the same time, Bach rewrote the works of many Italian and French composers, and later Vivaldi's violin concertos, in order to breathe life into them. new life already as works for organ performance. During the most productive creative period(from 1708 to 1714) Bach Johann Sebastian wrote fugues and tocattas, several dozen pairs of preludes and fugues and the “Organ Book” - an unfinished collection of 46 chorale preludes. After leaving Weimar, the composer wrote less organ music, although he created a number of famous works.

Other works for clavier

Bach wrote a lot of music for the harpsichord, some of which can be performed on the clavichord. Many of these works are encyclopedic, incorporating theoretical methods and techniques that Johann Sebastian Bach loved to use. The works (list) are presented below:

  • "The Well-Tempered Clavier" is a two-volume work. Each volume contains preludes and fugues in all common 24 major and minor keys, arranged in chromatic order.
  • Inventions and overtures. These two- and three-voice works are arranged in the same order as the Well-Tempered Clavier, with the exception of some rare keys. They were created by Bach for educational purposes.
  • 3 collections of dance suites, "French Suites", "English Suites" and partitas for clavier.
  • "Goldberg Variations".
  • Various pieces such as "Overture in French style", "Italian concerto".

Orchestral and chamber music

Johann Sebastian also wrote works for individual instruments, duets and small ensembles. Many of them, such as partitas and sonatas for solo violin, six different suites for solo cello, partita for solo flute, are considered among the most outstanding in the composer's repertoire. Bach Johann Sebastian wrote symphonies, and also created several compositions for solo lute. He also created trio sonatas, solo sonatas for flute and viola da gamba, a large number of ricercars and canons. For example, the cycles “The Art of Fugue”, “Musical Offering”. Bach's most famous orchestral work is the Brandenburg Concertos, so named because Johann Sebastian presented it in hopes of obtaining work from Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Swedish in 1721. His attempt, however, was unsuccessful. The genre of this work is concerto grosso. Other surviving works by Bach for orchestra: 2 violin concertos, a concerto written for two violins (key "D minor"), concertos for clavier and chamber orchestra (from one to four instruments).

Vocal and choral works

  • Cantatas. Beginning in 1723, Bach worked in the Church of St. Thomas, and every Sunday, as well as on holidays, he led the performance of cantatas. Although he sometimes staged cantatas by other composers, Johann Sebastian wrote at least 3 cycles of his works in Leipzig, not counting those composed in Weimar and Mühlhausen. In total, more than 300 cantatas devoted to spiritual themes were created, of which approximately 200 have survived.
  • Motets. Motets, authored by Johann Sebastian Bach, are works on spiritual themes for choir and basso continuo. Some of them were composed for funeral ceremonies.
  • Passions, or passions, oratorios and magnificata. Bach's major works for choir and orchestra are the St. John Passion, the St. Matthew Passion (both written for Good Friday in the churches of St. Thomas and St. Nicholas) and the Christmas Oratorio (a cycle of 6 cantatas intended for the Christmas service ). Shorter works are "Easter Oratorio" and "Magnificat".
  • "Mass in B Minor". Bach created his last great job, "Mass in B Minor", between 1748 and 1749. The "Mass" was never staged in its entirety during the composer's lifetime.

Musical style

Bach's musical style was shaped by his talent for counterpoint, his ability to lead a tune, his flair for improvisation, his interest in the music of Northern and Southern Germany, Italy and France, and his devotion to the Lutheran tradition. Thanks to the fact that Johann Sebastian had access to many instruments and works in his childhood and youth, and thanks to his ever-increasing talent for writing dense music with stunning sonority, the features of Bach's work were filled with eclecticism and energy, in which foreign influences were skillfully combined with already existing advanced German music school. During the Baroque period, many composers composed mainly only frame works, and the performers themselves supplemented them with their own melodic embellishments and developments. This practice varies considerably among European schools. However, Bach composed most or all of the melodic lines and details himself, leaving little room for interpretation. This feature reflects the density of contrapuntal textures to which the composer gravitated, limiting the freedom to spontaneously change musical lines. For some reason, some sources mention the works of other authors, which were allegedly written by Johann Sebastian Bach. "Moonlight Sonata", for example. You and I, of course, remember that Beethoven created this work.

Execution

Modern performers of Bach's works usually follow one of two traditions: the so-called authentic (historically oriented performance) or modern (using modern instruments, often in large ensembles). In Bach's time, orchestras and choirs were much more modest than they are today, and even his most ambitious works - the passions and the Mass in B minor - were written for a much smaller number of performers. In addition, today you can hear very different versions of the sound of the same music, since in some of Johann Sebastian’s chamber works there was initially no instrumentation at all. Modern "lite" versions of Bach's works have made a great contribution to the popularization of his music in the 20th century. Among them are famous tunes performed by the Swinger Singers and Wendy Carlos' 1968 recording of Switched-On-Bach, using the newly invented synthesizer. Jazz musicians, such as Jacques Loussier, also showed interest in Bach's music. Joel Spiegelman performed an adaptation of his famous “Goldberg Variations”, creating his own work in the New Age style.

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Biography

Johann Sebastian Bach - great German composer XVIII century. More than two hundred and fifty years have passed since Bach's death, and interest in his music is growing. During his lifetime, the composer did not receive deserved recognition as a writer, but was known as a performer and, especially, as an improviser.

Interest in Bach's music arose almost a hundred years after his death: in 1829, under the direction of the German composer Mendelssohn, it was publicly performed greatest work Bach - "St. Matthew Passion". For the first time - in Germany - a complete collection of Bach's works was published. And musicians all over the world play Bach’s music, marveling at its beauty and inspiration, skill and perfection. “Not a stream! “The sea should be his name,” the great Beethoven said about Bach.

Bach's ancestors have long been famous for their musicality. It is known that the composer’s great-great-grandfather, a baker by profession, played the zither. Flutists, trumpeters, organists, and violinists came from the Bach family. Eventually, every musician in Germany began to be called Bach and every Bach a musician.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685 in the small German town of Eisenach. He received his first violin skills from his father, a violinist and city musician. The boy had an excellent voice (soprano) and sang in the city school choir. Nobody doubted him future profession: little Bach was supposed to become a musician. The nine-year-old child was left an orphan. His elder brother, who served as a church organist in the city of Ohrdruf, became his teacher. The brother sent the boy to the gymnasium and continued to teach music. But he was an insensitive musician. Classes were monotonous and boring. For an inquisitive ten-year-old boy, it was painful. Therefore, he strived for self-education. Having learned that his brother kept a notebook with works of famous composers in a locked closet, the boy secretly took out this notebook at night and copied notes in the moonlight. This tedious work lasted for six months and severely damaged the future composer’s vision. And imagine the child’s disappointment when his brother caught him one day doing this and took away the already copied notes.

At the age of fifteen, Johann Sebastian decided to start independent life and moved to Luneburg. In 1703, he graduated from high school and received the right to enter the university. But Bach did not have to use this right, since he needed to earn a living.

During his life, Bach moved from city to city several times, changing his place of work. Almost every time the reason turned out to be the same - unsatisfactory working conditions, a humiliating, dependent position. But no matter how unfavorable the situation was, the desire for new knowledge and improvement never left him. With tireless energy he constantly studied the music of not only German, but also Italian and French composers. Bach did not miss the opportunity to personally meet outstanding musicians and study their manner of performance. One day, having no money for the trip, young Bach went to another city on foot to listen to the famous organist Buxtehude play.

The composer also unswervingly defended his attitude to creativity, his views on music. Contrary to the admiration of court society for foreign music, Bach studied with special love and widely used German folk songs and dances in his works. Having an excellent knowledge of the music of composers from other countries, he did not blindly imitate them. Extensive and deep knowledge helped him improve and polish his compositional skills.

Sebastian Bach's talent was not limited to this area. He was the best organ and harpsichord player among his contemporaries. And if Bach did not receive recognition as a composer during his lifetime, his skill in improvisations at the organ was unsurpassed. Even his rivals were forced to admit this.

They say that Bach was invited to Dresden to participate in a competition with the then famous French organist and harpsichordist Louis Marchand. The day before, a preliminary acquaintance of the musicians took place, both of them played the harpsichord. That same night, Marchand hastily left, thereby recognizing Bach's undeniable superiority. Another time, in the city of Kassel, Bach amazed his listeners by performing a solo on the organ pedal. Such success did not go to Bach’s head; he always remained a very modest and hardworking person. When asked how he achieved such perfection, the composer replied: “I had to study hard, whoever is just as diligent will achieve the same.”

From 1708 Bach settled in Weimar. Here he served as court musician and city organist. During the Weimar period, the composer created his best organ works. Among them are the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor, the famous Passacaglia in C minor. These works are significant and deep in content, grandiose in scale.

In 1717, Bach and his family moved to Köthen. There was no organ at the court of the Prince of Köthen, where he was invited. Bach wrote mainly keyboard and orchestral music. The composer's duties included leading a small orchestra, accompanying the prince's singing and entertaining him by playing the harpsichord. Coping with his duties without difficulty, Bach did everything free time gave to creativity. The works for clavier created at this time represent the second peak in his work after organ works. In Köthen, two- and three-voice inventions were written (Bach called three-voice inventions “sinphonies”). The composer intended these plays for classes with his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann. Pedagogical goals also guided Bach when creating the “French” and “English” suites. In Köthen, Bach also completed 24 preludes and fugues, which made up the first volume of a large work entitled “The Well-Tempered Clavier.” During the same period, the famous “Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue” in D minor was written.

In our time, Bach's inventions and suites have become mandatory pieces in the programs of music schools, and the preludes and fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier - in schools and conservatories. Intended by the composer for pedagogical purposes, these works are also of interest to a mature musician. Therefore, Bach’s pieces for the clavier, starting with the relatively easy inventions and ending with the most complex “Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue,” can be heard at concerts and on the radio performed by the best pianists peace.

From Köthen in 1723, Bach moved to Leipzig, where he remained until the end of his life. Here he took the position of cantor (choir director) of the singing school at the Church of St. Thomas. Bach was obliged to serve the main churches of the city with the help of the school and be responsible for the condition and quality of church music. He had to accept embarrassing conditions for himself. Along with the duties of a teacher, educator and composer, there were also the following instructions: “Do not leave the city without the permission of the burgomaster.” As before, it was limited to creative possibilities. Bach had to compose music for the church that would “not be too long, and also ... opera-like, but that would arouse reverence in the listeners.” But Bach, as always, sacrificing a lot, never gave up the main thing - his artistic convictions. Throughout his life, he created works that were amazing in their deep content and inner richness.

So it was this time. In Leipzig, Bach created his best vocal and instrumental compositions: most of the cantatas (in total, Bach wrote about 250 cantatas), “The St. John Passion,” “The St. Matthew Passion,” and the Mass in B minor. “Passion”, or “passions” according to John and Matthew, is a narrative about the suffering and death of Jesus Christ as described by the evangelists John and Matthew. The Mass is close in content to the Passion. In the past, both the Mass and the Passion were choral hymns in the Catholic Church. For Bach, these works go far beyond the scope of church services. Bach's Mass and Passion are monumental works concert character. They are performed by soloists, choir, orchestra, and organ. In terms of their artistic significance, the cantatas, “Passion” and Mass represent the third, highest peak of the composer’s work.

The church authorities were clearly dissatisfied with Bach's music. As in previous years, they found her too bright, colorful, and humane. And indeed, Bach’s music did not respond to, but rather contradicted, the strict church environment, the mood of detachment from everything earthly. Along with major vocal and instrumental works, Bach continued to write music for the clavier. Almost at the same time as the Mass, the famous “Italian Concerto” was written. Bach later completed the second volume of The Well-Tempered Clavier, which included 24 new preludes and fugues.

Besides the huge creative work and services at the church school, Bach took an active part in the activities of the “Music College” of the city. It was a society of music lovers that organized concerts of secular rather than church music for city residents. Bach performed with great success in concerts of the Musical College as a soloist and conductor. He wrote many orchestral, clavier and vocal works of a secular nature especially for the society’s concerts.

But Bach's main job - the head of a school of singers - brought him nothing but grief and trouble. The funds allocated by the church for the school were negligible, and the singing boys were hungry and poorly dressed. Their level was also low musical abilities. Singers were often recruited without regard for Bach's opinion. The school orchestra was more than modest: four trumpets and four violins!

All requests for help for the school, submitted by Bach to the city authorities, remained unheeded. The cantor had to answer for everything.

The only joy was still creativity and family. The grown-up sons - Wilhelm Friedemann, Philip Emmanuel, Johann Christian - turned out to be talented musicians. During their father's lifetime they became famous composers. Anna Magdalena Bach, the composer's second wife, was distinguished by her great musicality. She had excellent hearing and a beautiful, strong soprano voice. Bach's eldest daughter also sang well. Bach composed vocal and instrumental ensembles for his family.

The last years of the composer's life were darkened serious illness eye. After an unsuccessful operation, Bach became blind. But even then he continued to compose, dictating his works for recording. Bach's death went almost unnoticed by the music community. They soon forgot about him. The fate of Bach's wife and youngest daughter was sad. Anna Magdalena died ten years later in a house of contempt for the poor. The youngest daughter Regina eked out a miserable existence. In the last years of her difficult life, Beethoven helped her. Bach died on July 28, 1750.

He is one of those rare and wonderful people who could record the Divine light.

Johann Sebastian Bach- German composer, virtuoso organist, music teacher. During his life, Bach wrote more than 1000 works.

Was born March 31, 1685 in the city of Eisenach, where he lived until he was ten years old. Having been orphaned, he moved to Ohrdruf, to live with his older brother Johann Christoph, an organist.

His brother became his first teacher on the clavier and organ. Then Bach went to study at a singing school in the city of Lüneburg. There he gets acquainted with creativity modern musicians, is developing comprehensively. During the years 1700-1703, Bach's first organ music was written.

Having completed his studies, Johann Sebastian was sent to Duke Ernst to serve as a musician at court. Then he was invited to be a caretaker in the organ hall of the church in Arnstadt, after which he became an organist. During this time, many works by Bach were written. Later he became an organist in the city of Mühlhausen.

In 1707, Bach married Maria Barbara, his cousin. They subsequently had seven children, three of whom died in childhood. Two of the survivors - Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emmanuel - later became famous composers.

The authorities were pleased with his work, and the composer received a reward for publishing the work. However, Bach again decided to change jobs, this time becoming court organist in Weimar.

Bach's music is filled with the best trends of that time thanks to the teachings of other composers. Bach's next employer, who highly valued his talent, was the Duke of Anhalt-Köthen. During the period from 1717 to 1723, Bach's magnificent suites (for orchestra, cello, clavier) appeared.

In 1720, Bach's wife died, but a year later the composer married again, now to a singer. The happy family had 13 children. During his stay in Köthen, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos were written.

In 1723, the musician became a teacher at the church, then music director in Leipzig. Johann Sebastian Bach's wide repertoire included secular and wind music. During his life, Johann Sebastian Bach managed to be the head of a music college. Several cycles of the composer Bach used all kinds of instruments ("Musical Offering", "The Art of Fugue").

The last years of the composer's life were overshadowed by a serious eye disease. After an unsuccessful operation, Bach became blind. But even then he continued to compose, dictating his works for recording.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH – THE CHOSEN ONE OF MUSIC

The surname Bach and the word “musician” were synonymous in Germany for several centuries, because this ancient family gave the world 56 musicians, but only in the fifth generation was born the one who was destined to glorify the surname -. His biographer later wrote that Johann's work radiated so much bright light that its reflection fell on all representatives of the family. This man became the pride of his fatherland; it seemed as if the art of music itself patronized him. However, during the life of the great composer he could hardly be considered the chosen one of fate.

Influenced by brother

At first glance, the path of life Johann Sebastian Bach may seem no different from the biographies of other German musicians who lived in XVII-XVIII centuries. He was born in 1685 in the small town of Eisenach in Thuringia. Bach was orphaned early - he was only 9 years old when his mother died, and a year later his father. He was taken in by his older brother Johann Christoph, who was an organist in a neighboring town. First Johann Sebastian He studied music under the guidance of his brother and school cantors; he later moved to the Lower Saxon city of Lüneburg, where he attended a church school. He mastered the technique of playing the harpsichord, violin, viola, organ; in addition, Johann Sebastian was a singer in the choir, and later became an assistant cantor after a voice mutation.

Already in his youth, Bach clearly realized his calling in organ music. He constantly studied the art of organ improvisation from the best German masters of that time. Subsequently, these skills will become the basis of his mastery. It is worth adding to this the acquaintance of Johann Sebastian with various genres European music. He participated in concerts of the court chapel of the city of Celle, which was distinguished by its love of French music, visited Lubeck and Hamburg, and had the opportunity to study the works of Italian masters in the school library.

Young perfectionist

Johann Sebastian was already a fairly educated and experienced musician after school, but the thirst for learning did not leave him throughout his life. He was interested in everything that could expand his professional horizons even a little. Bach's career was characterized by perfectionism and an eternal desire for self-improvement. It was not at all by chance that he occupied this or that position, every level of his musical hierarchy (from organist to cantor) earned through perseverance and hard work. And with every step, the practicing musician turned into a composer, whose creative impulses and achievements went far beyond the goals that were set for Bach.

In 1703 he became court musician to Duke Johann Ernst in Weimar. A few months later they started talking about him as a prominent performer. Bach was then invited to Arnstadt to take up the position of church organ caretaker. In the Church of St. Boniface, Johann Sebastian worked with a well-tuned instrument, which expanded his performing and composing capabilities. In Arnstadt he wrote many organ works, but over time he had problems communicating with local authorities. Bach was not satisfied with the level of training of choir singers, and local officials showed dissatisfaction with him musical accompaniment choral performance that allegedly confuses the parishioners.

Bach's large family

In Arnstadt, Johann Sebastian fell in love with his cousin Maria. Despite their relationship, the lovers decided to get married, but they the family union was short-lived. Maria lived only 36 years, although she gave birth to the composer 7 children. Only four of them survived. Bach's second wife was Anna Magdalena, who was 16 years younger than him. But such an age difference did not prevent Anna from becoming a caring mother for her husband’s already grown-up children. She gave Johann Sebastian 13 more heirs and did an excellent job managing household and was sincerely interested in her husband’s achievements in the musical field.

In search of prospects

When Bach was offered the position of organist in Mühlhausen in 1706, he without a doubt changed his job. The position was profitable and provided Johann Sebastian with clearly greater opportunities than in Arnstadt, but it turned out to be insufficient to contribute to the development of church music, as Bach believed. By this time he had already accumulated an extensive repertoire and, without seeing for his own prospects, he wrote a resignation letter to the city magistrate.

A variety of activities awaited Johann Sebastian Bach in the castle church and chapel at the court of Duke Ernst of Saxe-Weimar. In Weimar, the composer managed to complete several of his iconic works - Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Passacaglia in C minor, as well as the famous "Organ Book" - a guide for beginning organists. Bach became famous far beyond the city as an expert in improvisation and the best adviser on organ construction. The Weimar period also dates back to the failed competition between Johann Sebastian and the famous French organist Louis Marchand, which was overgrown with myths and decided to give in to his opponent even before the meeting.

Experience of Weimar and Köthen

The composer's dream of regularly writing church music came true after his appointment as vice-kapellmeister in 1714. According to the terms of the contract, Bach had to create new works every month. Johann Sebastian was no less active in his role as accompanist. The intense musical life of Weimar gave the composer the opportunity not only to become closely acquainted with European music, but also to create under its influence. He made organ arrangements of concertos, and keyboard arrangements by Tomaso Albinoni and Alessandro Marcello.

In Weimar, Bach first turned to the genre of suite and solo violin sonata. The master’s instrumental experiments were not in vain - in 1717 he was invited to Köten and offered take the post of Grand Duke's bandmaster. The most favorable creative atmosphere reigned here. Prince Leopold was a passionate music lover and also a musician who played the viol and harpsichord and had extraordinary vocal abilities. Johann Sebastian was supposed to accompany the prince's singing and playing, but his main responsibility was to lead the chapel orchestra. Here the composer's creative interests moved to the instrumental sphere. In Köthen he wrote orchestral suites, concertos, and sonatas for violin and cello. There he continued his teaching work and created compositions, as he said, for musical youth who strive to learn. The first among them is “The Music Book of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.” He began it in 1720 for his first-born son and future composer. In addition to arrangements of chorales and dance miniatures, it contains prototypes of the “Well-Tempered Clavier” and two and three-voice “Inventions”. In a couple of years, these meetings will end.

Simultaneously with the annual increase in the number of Bach's students, his teaching repertoire was also replenished. This legacy of Johann Sebastian became a school of performing skills for many generations of musicians.

The end of Bach's wanderings

With a wealth of experience and an enviable repertoire, Bach took another step higher in his career and became music director of Leipzig and cantor of the school of St. Thomas. This city became the last point on the map of Bach's wanderings. Here he reached the top of the service hierarchy. While the magistrate allocated funding for the creation of liturgical music, Johann Sebastian's energy as a cantor knew no bounds. He attracted experienced professional musicians to perform. His Leipzig work combined the knowledge and skills acquired in Weimar and Köthen. He created cantatas weekly and wrote more than one and a half hundred of them, at the same time he composed two of his famous works on the theme of the Gospel - “The Passion according to John” and “The Passion according to Matthew”. In total, he wrote four or five passions, but only these have been fully preserved to this day.

In Leipzig, the composer again took on the duties of bandmaster and headed the student “Musical Commonwealth”. With this group, Bach gave weekly concerts for secular audiences, making an invaluable contribution to the musical life of the city. Researchers believe that it was in Leipzig that a special type of piano concerto by Johann Sebastian arose. These were, in modern terminology, remixes - adaptations of his own concertos for violin or violin and oboe.

Unforgotten genius

In 1747, Johann Sebastian was invited to visit the royal residence in Potsdam to improvise on a novelty among musical instruments– piano. I asked the composer the theme Frederick II himself. Inspired by this idea, Bach created the grandiose cycle “Musical Offering”, which is considered an incomparable monument of contrapuntal (polyphonic) art. In parallel with this creation, the composer completed the cycle “The Art of Fugue”, conceived many years ago, which contained all types of canons and counterpoints.

Towards the end of his life, Johann Sebastian lost his sight, and she helped him in his work loving Anna Magdalena. His name gradually began to be lost in the line of other musicians, but, contrary to popular myth, great composer was not completely forgotten. died 1750. His grave was lost over time and only in 1894 the composer’s remains were accidentally discovered during the reconstruction of the church.

Numerous published and handwritten works by Bach were collected by his students and simple connoisseurs of the composer’s work, because he, like no one else, in a time generous with talent, managed to connect the incompatible, completing the evolution of many genres.

Surname Johann Sebastian Bach translated from German means “stream”. Once using this analogy, he said that “it’s not a stream, but a sea there must be a name for him,” meaning the entire scale of the genius’s creativity.

Bach's older brother had a collection of works by famous composers of that time, which he hid from Johann Sebastian in a closet with bars. Nine-year-old Bach somehow pulled out at night music collection and under moonlight rewrote it. One day his brother found him, took the notes and sent him to bed. In tears, Johann Sebastian shouted that he himself would write such music or even better. Time has shown that the boy kept his promise.

Updated: April 7, 2019 by: Elena

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 amazes with its scale. known all over the world. His name is known not only to professionals and music lovers, but also to listeners who do not show much interest in “serious” art. On the one hand, Bach's work is a certain result. The composer relied on the experience of his predecessors. He knew perfectly well the choral polyphony of the Renaissance, German organ music, and the peculiarities of the Italian violin style. He carefully studied new material, developed and generalized his accumulated experience. On the other hand, Bach was an unsurpassed innovator who managed to open up new perspectives 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 heritage

He created over 1000 works. The genres he addressed were very diverse. Moreover, there are works whose scale 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 specific period. The most outstanding organ compositions were composed in Weimar. The Keten period marks the appearance huge amount keyboard and orchestral works. Most of the vocal and instrumental songs were written in Leipzig.

Johann Sebastian Bach. Biography and creativity

The future composer was born in 1685 in the small town of Eisenach, in musical family. For the whole family it 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 became 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 singing in the choir of the “chosen ones”. By the age of 17, he had learned to play the different harpsichords, organ, violin. Since 1703 he has lived in different cities: Arnstadt, Weimar, Mühlhausen. Bach's life and work during this period were full of certain difficulties. He constantly changes his place of residence, which is due to his reluctance to feel dependent on certain employers. He served as a musician (as an organist or violinist). Working conditions also constantly dissatisfied him. At this time, his first compositions for clavier and organ, as well as spiritual cantatas, appeared.

Weimar period

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

  • Prelude and Fugue in C minor, A minor.
  • Toccata C major.
  • Passacaglia c-moll.
  • Toccata and fugue in d minor.
  • "Organ book".

At the same time, Johann Sebastian is working on works in the cantata genre, on transcriptions of Italian violin concertos for the clavier. 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 as director of chamber music. He, in fact, is the manager of all musical life at court. But he is not happy with the town being too small. Bach is keen to move to a larger, more promising city to give his children the opportunity to go to university and earn a good education. There was no high-quality organ in Köthen, and there was also no choir. Therefore, Bach’s keyboard creativity develops here. The composer also pays a lot of attention to ensemble music. Works written in Köthen:

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

Leipzig period and last years of life

Since 1723, the maestro has lived in Leipzig, where he leads the choir (holds the position of cantor) at the school at the Church of St. Thomas in Thomaschul. Takes an active part in a public circle of music lovers. The city's "collegium" constantly organized secular music concerts. What masterpieces were added to Bach’s work at that time? It is worth briefly indicating the main works of the Leipzig period, which can rightfully be considered the best. This:

  • "St. John's Passion".
  • Mass h-minor.
  • "Matthew Passion"
  • About 300 cantatas.
  • "Christmas Oratorio".

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

  • Volume 2 "HTK".
  • Italian concert.
  • Partitas.
  • "The Art of 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 characteristics

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 works. His creations were rich in the texts, rhythms and forms of French and Italian music, North German contrapuntal style, as well as Lutheran liturgy. Synthesis variety of styles and genres were harmoniously combined with the deep poignancy of human experiences. His musical thought stood out for its special uniqueness, universality and a certain cosmic quality. Bach's work belongs to a style that is firmly established in musical art. This is the classicism of the high baroque era. Bach's musical style is characterized by mastery of an extraordinary melodic structure, where the music is dominated by main idea. Thanks to the mastery of counterpoint techniques, several melodies can interact simultaneously. was a true master of polyphony. He had 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.
  • Chorale arrangements.
  • Dance suites and concerts.

Undoubtedly, listed genres he borrowed from his predecessors. However, he gave them the broadest scope. The maestro skillfully updated them with new musical and expressive means and enriched them with features of other genres. The clearest example is "Chromatic Fantasia in D Minor". The work was created for the clavier, but contains dramatic recitation of theatrical origins and the expressive properties of large organ improvisations. It is easy to notice that Bach’s work “bypassed” 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 comedic interludes (at this time in Italy they were degenerating into 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 true master come both extremely simple and extremely majestic creations. Bach's art contains simple-minded humor, deep sorrow, philosophical reflection, and acute drama. The genius Johann Sebastian reflected such significant parties 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 human life:

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

These reflections are directly related to religious topics. And this is not surprising. The composer spent almost his entire life serving the church, which is why he wrote most of the music for it. At the same time, he was a believer and knew the Holy Scriptures. His reference book was the Bible, written in two languages ​​(Latin and German). He kept fasts, went to confession, and observed church holidays. A few days before his death he took communion. The composer's main character is Jesus Christ. In this ideal image Bach saw the embodiment best qualities, inherent in man: purity of thoughts, strength of spirit, fidelity to the chosen path. The sacrificial feat of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity was the most sacred for Bach. This theme was the most important in the composer’s work.

Symbolism of Bach's works

In the Baroque era, musical symbolism appeared. It is through her that the complex and amazing world of the composer is revealed. Bach's music was perceived by his contemporaries as transparent and understandable speech. This happened 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 of a figurative nature. Here are some of them:

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

Gradually, musical and rhetorical figures become a kind of “signs” of certain concepts and feelings. For example, the descending figure catabasis was often used to convey sadness, melancholy, mourning, death, and the position in the coffin. A gradual upward movement (anabasis) was used to express ascension, high spirits and other moments. Symbolic motifs are observed in all the composer’s works. Bach's work was dominated by Protestant chorale, to which the maestro turned throughout his life. He also has 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 chorale is an integral part of Bach’s musical language. Among the important symbols found in the music of this artist, we should note stable combinations of sounds that have constant meanings. The symbol of the cross predominated in Bach's work. It consists of four multi-directional notes. It is noteworthy that if you decipher the composer’s surname (BACH) with notes, the same graphic pattern is formed. B - B flat, A - A, C - C, H - B. Researchers such as F. Busoni, A. Schweitzer, M. Yudina, B. Yavorsky and others made a great contribution to the development of Bach’s musical symbols.

"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 huge number of his works, only a few were published. After his death, the composer's name was soon forgotten, and the surviving manuscripts gathered dust in the archives. Perhaps we would never have known anything about this brilliant man. But, fortunately, this did not happen. True interest in Bach arose in the 19th century. One day F. Mendelssohn discovered the notes of the St. Matthew Passion in the library, 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 created in Leipzig. The purpose of this organization was to publish all found manuscripts of Bach in the form full meeting essays. As a result, 46 volumes were collected.

Bach's organ works. Summary

The composer created excellent works for the organ. This instrument is a real force of nature for Bach. Here he was able to liberate his thoughts, feelings and emotions and convey all this to the listener. Hence the enlargement of lines, concertity, virtuosity, and dramatic images. The compositions created for the organ resemble frescoes in painting. Everything in them is presented predominantly close-up. In preludes, toccatas and fantasies, the pathos of musical images in free, improvisational forms is observed. Fugues are characterized by special virtuosity and unusually powerful development. Bach's organ work conveys the high poetry of his lyrics and the grandiose scope of his 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 in the form of layering of large layers of music, but there is no particular discreteness or breaks. On the contrary, continuity (continuity of movement) prevails. Each phrase follows from the previous one with increasing tension. Also built climaxes. The emotional upsurge eventually intensifies to highest point. Bach is the first composer to demonstrate the patterns of symphonic development in large forms of instrumental polyphonic music. Bach's organ work seems to split into two poles. The first is preludes, toccatas, fugues, fantasies (large musical cycles). The second is one-part. They are written mainly in chamber style. They reveal predominantly lyrical images: intimate, mournful and sublimely contemplative. Best works for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach - and fugue in D minor, prelude and fugue in A minor and many other works.

Works for clavier

When writing compositions, Bach relied on the experience of his predecessors. However, here too he proved himself to be an innovator. Bach's keyboard creativity is characterized by scale, exceptional versatility, search expressive means. He was the first composer to appreciate 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, I was guided by the entire world musical culture. Thanks to him, the clavier expanded significantly. He enriches the instrument with new virtuoso techniques and changes the essence of musical images.

Among his works for organ, the following stand out:

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

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