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)
Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild (God the Lord is sun and shield), BWV 79, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in...
Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild (God the Lord is sun and shield), BWV 79, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1725 for Reformation Day and first performed it on 31 October 1725.
Bach composed the cantata for the Reformation Day. The prescribed readings for the feast day were from the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, "be steadfast against adversaries" (2 Thessalonians 2:3–8), and from the Book of Revelation, fear God and honour him (Revelation 14:6–8). An unknown poet was not concerned about the readings, but did justice to the festive occasion, beginning with a quotation from Psalm 84 (Psalms 84:11), and including the first stanza from Martin Rinckart's hymn "Nun danket alle Gott" and as the closing chorale the final stanza of Ludwig Helmbold's hymn "Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren".
Bach first performed the cantata on 31 October 1725. He performed it again, probably in 1730, when he re-orchestrated it, doubling the oboes by flutes and assigning a flute as the obbligato instrument in the alto aria. He used the music of the opening chorus and the duet again in his Missa in G major, BWV 236, and the music of the alto aria in his Missa in A major, BWV 234.
John Eliot Gardiner, who conducted the cantatas for Reformation at the Schlosskirche, Wittenberg where the Reformation began, describes this, the first chorale "Nun danket alle Gott" (Now let everyone thank God), that Bach uses the first theme of the opening again, simultaneously with the chorale tune. Helmuth Rilling notes the unity of topic, praise and thanks to God, for the first three movements. Gardiner assumes that the sermon may have followed the chorale.
Although originally scored for four vocal soloists—soprano, alto, tenor and bass, two horns, timpani and basso continuo, I created this arrangement for Flute, Oboe & Strings (2 Violins, Viola, Cello & Bass).
GUITAR
KEYBOARD
STUDIO
PA
LIGHT
DEEJAY
MIC
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