Baroque Music 2

Venice

violinist

450

for a great variety of instruments

four

Leipzig

taught organ and composition, gave recitals, and was often asked to judge the quality of organs was responsible for the musical education of some fifty-five students in the St. Thomas school rehearsed, conducted, and usually composed an extended work for chorus, soloists and orchestra for each Sunday and holiday of the church year

music created at the same time as it is performed

opera

suites

The masterpieces of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) mark the high point of Baroque music. Bach came from a long line of musicians and passed on this musical heritage; four of his sons were also composers. Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany, and began his musical career as a church organist and later, concertmaster of the church orchestra in Weimar.

Instrumental music has always been closely linked with dancing; in the past, much of it was written for use in palace ballrooms. During the Renaissance, dances often came in pairs; a dignified dance in quadruple meter was often followed by a lively one in triple meter. In the Baroque period and later, music meant for listening was, nevertheless, often related to specific dance types in tempo, meter and rhythm.

chorale

had been adapted from Catholic hymns were composed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries had been adapted from folk songs

chorale prelude

cantata

oratorio

acting, scenery, or costumes

Italy

an oratorio

Johann Sebastian Bach

England

the Old Testament