Johann
Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)
While
his contemporary, George Frederic Handel, basked in the green pastures
of the London court, composing grand works for England’s aristocracy,
Johann Sebastian Bach spent his rather long life in Germany - then a patchwork
of small semi-independent states - eking out a living as an organist,
harpsichordist and composer for a succession of petty noblemen and church
officials. Oddly, this life suited him very well, and while he gained
neither fame nor wealth, he was extraordinarily prolific, composing over
twelve hundred works of various types, and securing for himself a place
in history as one of the greatest musicians of all time.
His
music was composed primarily in polyphonic counterpoint - a rather archaic
form of intertwining themes repeated with variations over and over again;
a decidedly Baroque affectation, and one that must have restricted the
creative talents of many a budding composer. But in the hands of J. S.
Bach counterpoint and it’s bastard cousin, fugue, soared to new heights.
The
lack of a sophisticated audience, as one may have performed for, say,
in Paris or London at the time, was equally uninhibiting to Bach. In fact,
he gloried in presenting his masterpieces to his bumpkin patrons who,
unprejudiced by the cultural elitism of more urbane folk, gladly sopped
up his innovative music like a dry brotchen.
Another
restriction that may have hindered lesser composers was the lack of qualified
musicians (much less orchestras) available to Bach. The large, skilled
musical ensemble was rare in Baroque Europe, and practically nonexistent
in Germany. So Bach composed much of his work in such a way as to suit
a number of odd orchestral configurations that might be available at any
given time. While this ‘transcribability’ is characteristic
of much of Baroque music, Bach was a wizard at writing easily adapted
music.
So Johann
Sebastian Bach’s music, despite it’s baroque origins in the
backwaters of central Europe, remains as fresh and rich today as when
it was quilled by it’s exuberant and prolific creator...Oh, Bach
was prolific in another way too. He fathered twenty children, many of
whom went on to become important musicians in their own right!
- Greg Knepp, ClassicT-Shirt.com