Life and Works of Bach
This course will explore the hallmark of Bach’s achievement: the unique marriage of consummate craftsmanship and intense spirituality. We will examine the depth and complexity of the preludes, fugues, and suites for keyboard, the Brandenburg concerti, and his sacred masterpieces, the Mass in B Minor and the St. Matthew Passion. We will discuss his phenomenal virtuosity, the sometimes surprising duties of a Kapellmeister, and his often contentious relationship with his contemporaries among the nobility and clergy. Finally, we will consider the impact of his tremendous legacy on subsequent composers in the classical and romantic eras.
Syllabus
Eisenach (1685-1695)
Ohrdruf (1695-1700)
Lüneburg (1700-1703)
Arnstadt (1703-1707)
Mühlhausen (1707-1708)
Weimar (1708-1717)
Anhalt-Cöthen (1717-1723)
Leipzig (1723-1750)
Week 1: Bach’s Life from Eisenach - Mühlhausen
Caprice on the Departure of the Beloved Brother (ca. 1703-1706)
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (before 1708)
Cantata No. 4 (107-1708)
Week 2: Bach in Weimar and Cöthen
Brandenburg Concertos (1721)
St. John Passion (1724)
Week 3: The Suites and Concertos
Week 4: Bach in Leipzig
Documentary examination of Bach’s tenure in Leipzig
Cantatas
Week 5: WTC, Books 1 and 2
Week 6: The St. Matthew Passion (1729)
Italian Concerto (1735)
Partitas (1731)
Week 7: Mass in B Minor (1724-1749)
Week 8:
Art of the Fugue (ca. 1742-1749)
Musical Offering (1747)
Works of Bach’s sons,W. F., C. P. E., and J. C. Bach
