Johann Sebastian Bach: Everything In Music

Today is the birthday - in 1685 (Old Style calendar) - of Johann Sebastian Bach, often named as the greastest composer of all time. I was introduced to his music as an infant at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in my little hometown in the mountains of Maryland. My interest in music grew and broadened quite a lot over the years but my awe and appreciation of Bach never waned.

J.S. Bach portrait at age 61 Elias Haussmann, Germany, 1746

Bach gave us some of the most sublime music in western culture and it would be an oversight, especially as a Lutheran, not to honor this master of the Baroque and pillar of Lutheranism. His music was largely forgotten for a few generations following his death (1750), but had been restored by the first quarter of the 19th century. The new-found popularity of Bach was due largely to the composer-performers, Felix Mendelssohn and Ludwig van Beethoven, and the publication of many of Bach's works.

In this post commemorating the 338th anniversary of his birth, Bach's music is the real content. No need for names, dates, places, and details. Let the music speak for him.

The late Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould, was perhaps the most technically perfect interpreter of Bach's keyboard music in our lifetime. His performances were filled with eccentricities - see his Wikipedia enry for more details - including his well-known vocal accompaniment that drove sound engineers mad and some classical music purists away from his concerts. At the same time no one could deny that Gould was a magician at the keyboard. Here he is playing several of Bach's Goldberg Variations, BWV 988. Bear with the soft sound for the first three minutes. The magic along with Gould's vocal noises fills the rest of the video.

From what is generally recognized as his most well-known cantata, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140, here is the opening chorus. This work is also known as Sleepers Awake.

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

Wake up, the voice calls us

Der Wächter sehr hoch auf der Zinne,

of the watchmen high up on the battlements,

Wach auf, du Stadt Jerusalem!

wake up, you city of Jerusalem!

Mitternacht heißt diese Stunde;

This hour is called midnight;

Sie rufen uns mit hellem Munde:

they call us with a clear voice:

Wo seid ihr klugen Jungfrauen?

where are you, wise virgins ?

Wohl auf, der Bräutgam kömmt;

Get up, the bridegroom comes;

Steht auf, die Lampen nehmt! Alleluja!

Stand up, take your lamps! Hallelujah!

Macht euch bereit

Make yourselves ready

Zu der Hochzeit,

for the wedding,

Ihr müsset ihm entgegen gehn!

you must go to meet him!

Here is a familiar piece, Prelude & Fugue in D major, BWV 532, performed by the young Dutch organist, Gert van Hoef. He became interested in the organ at thirteen and received some basic instruction from his grandfather before moving on to formal training from 2014-18.  Van Hoef has a Facebook page that often links to many of his live performances.

And finally here is the Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007, played by the irrepressible American cellist, Yo Yo Ma.

Bach's music has been a part of me for so long that I couldn't begin to tell you when I first heard it other than to say it had to be in church at a very early age. The preludes. fugues, harmonies, the shear wonder of his work, it's all in my blood. And I can't play a single note of it. Wouldn't have it any other way. I simply listen and let it flow.

Music’s ultimate end or final goal…should be for the honor of God and the recreation of the soul. 

                    Johann Sebastian Bach - Leipzig, 1738

Sources


Text:

 title taken from a quote by Johannes Brahms, “Study Bach: there you will find everything.”

translation, bach-contatas.com