Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bach (1685-1750)
Baroque Organist and Composer (Lutheran Religion)
Contemporaries: Handel, Scarlatti, and Vivaldi
Outputs span over 3 Periods:
(1) Weimar: Concertmaster
Mostly for organ: chorale preludes, partitas, toccatas, passacaglia, Little Organ
Book, 2-Part Invention, 3-Part Sinfonie, 6 English Suites.
(2) Cothen: Music Director
Mostly for clavier and instrumental ensembles, and music for instruction and court
entertainment: organ arrangement of Vivaldi’s concertos, Toccatas, Chromatic
Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, 6 kbd Partitas, 6 French Suites, and 48 Preludes
and Fugues (Book I)
(3) Leipzig: Director of St. Thomas Church
Mostly cantatas and church music and mature organ, kbd works: St. John Passion,
St. Matthew Passion, Mass in B minor, 48 Preludes and Fugues (Book, II). During
this period, Bach has composed in all forms found in his time except for opera
Outputs according to genres:
(1) Orchestral: 6 Brandenburg Concertos
(2) Chamber Music: The Art of Fugue, The Musical Offering, Trio Sonatas
(3) KBD: Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, 6 English Suites, 6 French
Suites, 6 Partitas, 7 Toccatas, 2-Part and 3-Part Inventions, Goldberg
Variations, Italian Concerto, 48 Preludes and Fugues
(4) Organ: Toccata and Fugue, Passacaglia, transcriptions of Vivaldi’s concertos
(5) Chorale Preludes: Little Organ Book
(6) Cantatas: “Coffee” Cantata, “Peasant” Cantata
(7) Oratorios: Christmas Oratorio, Easter Oratorio, St. John Passion, St. Matthew
Passion, Mass in B minor
Key: D M
Modulations:
Section A--- D M- A M (G#)-G M (C natural)- e minor (C#)-b minor (A#)-A M (G #)
Section B--- A M- G M (C natural)- e minor (D#)- a minor (G#)- e minor (D#)- A M
(G#)- E M (D#)- A M.