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THE BAROQUE PERIOD OF MUSIC1600-1750BACH, HANDEL, VIVALDICHARACTERISTICS WHERE: EUROPEWHAT INSTRUMENTS WERE POPULAR: STRINGS INSTRUMENTS, ORGAN, HARPSICHORDDESCRIBE THE MUSIC: OPERA, FUGUE, LOTS OF RUNS AND TRILLS, VERY ORNAMENTEDDYNAMICS: LAYERED

Bach and the FugueWho was Bach?What is a fugue?Why should I care?

Johann Sebastian Bach was a famous composer who lived during the Baroque period. This period was between 1600 and 1750. If you do your math, that period began over 400 years ago!

Here is what Bachs music looked like. Pretty confusing, huh?Bach wrote music that is still played today, over 250 years after his death. His music must be pretty good for people to still want to hear it after such a long time. He wrote so much music that it fills over 20 volumes!

Listen to Bachs Jesu, Joy of Mans Desiring.

Now that we know a little bit about Bach, lets look at what a fugue is. A fugue is a musical form that Bach used a lot. In fact, he was so good at writing fugues that no one has ever done it better. A fugue is like a game of Follow the Leader. You know how to play that game, dont you? Your job is to follow whoever is in front of you. Thats kind of like what a fugue does. A fugue is also like a round. Have you ever sung, Row, Row, Row Your Boat?

One person starts the song, then others come in, singing the same tune, but not together. Thats what a fugue is like.

This is what a fugue would look like if it were a picture. Do you see how the themes follow each other, coming in on higher and lower pitches?The theme enters2nd time3rd time4th time5th time

Fugues are much more complicated than simple rounds. Each part of a fugue continues to play new material while other voices enter. The best way to demonstrate this is to have you listen to the five parts one more time before you hear them all joined together.

ViolaBach starts his fugue with a simple theme on the viola.

Second ViolinBach brings in the second violin. It plays the same theme, but higher.

Here is the theme played for the third time on the first violins, even higher. First Violin

CelloString BassThe cellos and string basses take the theme way down low. How many times has the theme been played so far?

FluteBach brings in the theme way up high in the flutes. How many times have you heard it?

If you guessed the theme played five times, youre right!Can you name the instruments you just heard?The instruments were:1. Viola2. Second Violin3. First Violin4. Cello5. String Bass6. FluteOf course there are more instruments in an orchestra than those we just heard. In the piece you are about to hear there is an important instrument called a harpsichord. This was one of the most important instruments of Bachs day.

Here is what a symphony orchestra look like. Can you find the instruments in this picture?In the next slide you will hear the Brandenburg Concerto in G Major. It was written by Bach. Try to hear the themes as they make their entrance.

Johann Sebastian Bach1685-1750

Listen for the themes as they make their entrance.1.2.3.4.5.

Wow! That was quite a piece, but I got lost! Thats the fun of Bachs tunes. Once you know a little bit about how he builds his music, you can sit back and enjoy the great sounds.You did a great job! Congratulations!You Are Now Ready To Take Your TestGo to FunBrain.com.Select Student and Parents Login here.Select Single class login.Enter your Classword and Password and click Logon.Select Current Assignment.Choose your test from the list. Online BibliographyBaroque. [Online] Available http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/baroque/baroque.htm, July 24, 2001.Classical Archives (c) 2001 Classical Archives, LLC. [Online] Available http://www.classicalarchives.com/, July 24, 2001. JS Bach. [Online] Available http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/bach/bach.htm, July 24, 2001.Pictures of Johann Sebastian Bach. [Online] Available http://home.uchicago.edu/~mao2/picts.html, July 24, 2001.

gmjesu.midOboeTrumpetViolin IViolin IIViolaOrganBassCopyright (C) 1992 MTAAll rights reserved.

J. S. Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G3rd Movement - Presto

Solo Violin FluteFluteViolin IViolin IIViolaCelloContrabassHarpsichord