Johann Sebastian Bach (21 March 1685 ? 28 July 1750) was a German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.[1] Although he introduced no new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and motivic organisation in composition for diverse instrumentation, and the adaptation of rhythms and textures from abroad, particularly Italy and France.
Revered for their intellectual depth, technical command and artistic beauty, Bach's works include the Brandenburg concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Partitas, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Mass in B Minor, the St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion, the Magnificat, The Musical Offering, The Art of Fugue, the English Suites, the French Suites, the Sonatas and Partitas for violin solo, the Cello Suites, more than 200 surviving cantatas, and a similar number of organ works, including the celebrated Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
While Bach's abilities as an organist were recognized and highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, he was not particularly well-known as a composer. His adherence to Baroque forms and contrapuntal style was considered "old-fashioned" by his contemporaries, especially late in his career when the musical fashion tended towards Rococo and later Classical styles. A revival of interest and performances of his music began early in the 19th century, and he is now widely considered to be one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition. (Collapse)...(Read more)
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 instr...
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.
Bach's Cantata No. 194 "Höchsterwunschtes Freudenfest" (Welcome, joyous festival day) (BWV 194) was composed for the inauguration of the new organ at Storm-Thal in Leipzig on November 2, 1723. The music apparently is a parody of an early secular cantata Bach had written sometime during his tenure in Cothen. Setting an anonymous text later published in the Leipziger Kirchenmusik of 1731, "Höchsterwunschtes Freudenfest" is one of Bach's largest cantatas. It is in two parts of six movements each and scored for bass, soprano, and tenor soloists and chorus, three oboes, strings, and basso continuo. The first part of "Höchsterwunschtes Freudenfest" begins with a ceremonial French overture for chorus and full orchestra followed by a stern secco recitative for bass soloist and continuo and a pastoral aria for bass soloist, obbligato oboe, strings, and continuo; followed by an anguished secco recitative for soprano soloist and continuo and a gavotte aria for soprano soloist, strings, and continuo; and closes with a lush setting of a chorale by Johann Heermann from 1630 for chorus and full orchestra colla parte. The second part of "Höchsterwunschtes Freudenfest" begins with a heroic secco recitative for tenor soloist and continuo and a gigue aria for tenor soloist and cello-driven continuo, followed by a duet secco recitative for soprano and bass soloist and continuo and a long and lovely minuet duet aria for soprano and bass soloists, a pair of obbligato oboes, strings, and continuo, followed by a brief a secco recitative for bass soloist and continuo. It concludes with a straightforward harmonization of a chorale by Paul Gerhardt for chorus and full orchestra colla parte.
Although originally scored for three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, three oboes, bassoon, two violins, viola, and basso continuo, I created this arrangement for String Quartet (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
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