What Makes a What Makes a Work Work of Art of Art Great?Great?

[chorale=Lutheran Hymn]

Johann Sebastian Bach:Cantata, “Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life”

I. Bach, The Difficult??

A.Bach’s Melodies

B.Bach’s Harmony

C. Density of Bach’s Musical Thought

I. Bach, The Difficult??

A.Bach’s Melodies

B.Bach’s Harmony

C. Density of Bach’s Musical Thought

D. Bach’s Mastery of Imitative Counterpoint

I. Bach, The Difficult??

A.Bach’s Melodies

B.Bach’s Harmony

C. Density of Bach’s Musical Thought

D. Bach, The Master of Imitative Counterpoint

II. Bach, the Working Stiff??A. Weimar (Organist) - 1708-1717

Organ Music

1. One of originators of modern keyboard technique (e.g. thumb under other fingers)

2. One of originators of modern pedal technique on organ

II. Bach, the Working Stiff?? (cont.)

B. Cöthen (Chapel Master) - 1717-1723

Instrumental Music

II. Bach, the Working Stiff?? (cont.)

C. Leipzig (Cantor) - 1723 - 1750

Sacred Music

1. Bach’s main genre of sacred music: cantata (e.g., Wachet auf: Awake a Voice is Calling)

II. Bach, the Working Stiff?? (Summary)

D. JSB’s principal Types of Composition

1. Keyboard Music

2. Other Instrumental Music

3. Sacred Music, esp. cantata

III. Bach, Teacher and Musical Encyclopedist??

A. 6 Brandenburg Concertos = 6 concerti grossi

B. 6 Sonatas/Partitas for Solo violin & 6 Suites for ‘Cello

C. 6 English Suites, 6 French Suites, 6 Partitas for Harpsichord (Suite=group of baroque dances)

D. 2 Books of the Well-Tempered Clavier: each = 24 Preludes & Fugues for Keyboard

E. The Goldberg Variations = variations for harpischord

F. The Art of the Fugue

IV. Bach and the Lutheran Church Cantata

c. Sectional: movements, or independent sections

A.Cantata Types1. Solo Cantata

2. Lutheran Church Cantata

1) Choruses2) Arias (for soloists)3) Recitatives (for soloists)4) Chorales (Lutheran hymns)

a. Musical centerpiece of Lutheran worship.

b. Involves: soloists (often >1); chorus; instruments

a. Often secular; 1 vocal soloist + b.c. (sometimes1 or 2 other instr.)

V. Bach Cantata #140: Wachet auf(Awake, A Voice Is Calling)

A. Chorale Cantata (i.e., based on the text and music of the main hymn)

B. Structure of “Wachet auf”=7 mvmts.1. **Chorale verse I (chorus) CD 1/21-222. Recit3. Aria (Duet)4. **Chorale verse II (tenor aria) CD 2/15. Recit.6. Aria (Duet)7. **Chorale verse III (simple chorale) CD2/2

V. Bach Cantata #140: Wachet auf

C. Bach’s Chorales (=Lutheran Hymns)1. Set for 4 voices (SATB)

2. Melody (not by Bach) in top voice (Sopr.)

3. Block Homophonic Texture

4. Bar Form (AAB)

A.Chorale Cantata (i.e., based on the text and music of the main hymn)

B. Structure of “Wachet auf”

VI. Movement 7: Gloria sei dir, Simple Chorale Setting

Wright CD #2/2

A A B

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 31. Set for 4 voices (SATB)

2. Melody in top voice (Sop.)

3. Block Homophonic Texture

4. Bar Form (AAB)

2

3

4 5 (identical) 6 7 (sequence)

3

Mvmt. 7: “Wachet auf” Simple Chorale Setting A.

8

1

B.

VII. Movement I, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

VII. Movement I, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

VII. Movement I, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

Music in Accessible, Popular Style

Today’s Sermon Hymn

LearnedCounterpoint

Abstract,Scientific, or UniversalPattern

Intellectual Challenge: All of this unfolding simultaneously

1. 1724: Different Listeners/Different Experiences

2. 2011: Appeal Today

3. 20??: Rich enough for a new experience next time

Great Art: so rich with meanings that they are nearly inexhaustible