Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musici...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musicians today. Many consider him
the greatest composer of all time.
Schübler Chorales is a name usually given to the Sechs
Chorale von verschiedener Art ('Six Chorales of Various
Kinds') for organ (BWV 645–650), a collection of six
chorale preludes by Johann Sebastian Bach, issued
around 1748. The title 'Schübler Chorales' derives
from the engraver and publisher Johann Georg Schübler,
who is named on the title page. All six of the preludes
are for an organ with two manuals and pedal, at least
five of them transcribed from movements in Bach's
cantatas, mostly chorale cantatas.
The fact that Bach had gone to the trouble and expense
of securing the services of a master engraver to
produce a collection of note-for-note transcriptions of
this kind indicates that he did not regard the
Schübler Chorales as a minor piece of hack-work, but
as a significant public statement, worthy of the same
serious consideration as his other engraved collections
of keyboard music. These six chorales provide provide
an approachable version of the music of the cantatas
through the more marketable medium of keyboard
transcriptions.[1] Virtually all Bach's cantatas were
unpublished in his lifetime.
Although this piece was originally written for Organ
and Chorus, I arranged it for Flute Duet.
SHEET MUSIC