For questions about the composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Do not use the tag for just his works.
Questions tagged [j-s-bach]
145 questions
39
votes
12 answers
Appreciating the music of J. S. Bach
I have been learning piano for many years and am able to really enjoy the music of Beethoven and Chopin. However, when it comes to Bach, I must shamefully admit, I can't see why he is held in such high esteem.
To me - his work just seems like…
gigahari
- 1,124
- 3
- 12
- 16
25
votes
11 answers
Why does Bach sometimes end with flat 7ths?
I've been studying the Bach inventions, and I see a common patterns in the first 3 inventions: They tend to include the flat 7ths in the very end. Examples:
C major:
D major:
E♭ major:
From a music theoretical standpoint, it's confusing, but…
Karamell
- 353
- 4
- 8
23
votes
4 answers
Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier Order
I have played a few pairs of pieces from this collection, however it was some time ago. I have the ambitious goal to work my way through the entire collection.
It will obviously take me some time to work my way through the entire collection (both…
Rebecca Chernoff
- 1,782
- 2
- 18
- 21
23
votes
8 answers
Learning the musical concepts in the book "Gödel, Escher, Bach"
I am reading the book "Gödel, Escher, Bach", in which the author tries to present concepts in mathematics, drawings and music as instances of a certain "pattern", that he calls "strange loops". He makes several comments about Bach's music, in…
Otavio Macedo
- 333
- 2
- 8
19
votes
5 answers
Was Bach the first to use thumbs on a keyboard?
This question reminded me of a claim that I've heard before, namely, that J. S. Bach was the first keyboardist to utilize the thumbs in his playing technique. I'm not sure where I've heard this, but believe I've seen it in several places, always…
Caleb Hines
- 20,376
- 2
- 50
- 106
19
votes
4 answers
Who was listening to Bach's compositions in his lifetime?
Who ever encountered his work? Was his music played somewhere else in Europe, or only where he lived? What strata of society had any chance of coming into contact with his music? What might be the approximate number of people who encountered his…
aaron
- 191
- 1
- 3
18
votes
2 answers
Why does Brahms stand next to Bach and Beethoven?
I've often heard the expression, "Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms" as sort of a summary of classical music, or something. I feel that I understand why Bach and Beethoven should serve as pillars of classical music, but I haven't heard much about…
elliot svensson
- 591
- 3
- 10
18
votes
2 answers
Why didn't Bach sign his manuscripts?
From what I can tell when looking up images of Bach's manuscripts, he often didn't sign them. Is there any specific reason for this?
Pabble Goobs
- 673
- 2
- 12
18
votes
3 answers
How does one maintain voice integrity when longer and shorter notes of the same pitch occur in two voices
Here is an excerpt from Bach's BWV 796, measures 8–9. (Unfortunately, ABCjs renders the ties in exactly the wrong direction!)
X:1
T:Sinfonia No. 10 in G Major, BWV 796
M:3/4
C:J.S. Bach
%%staves [(1 2)…
200_success
- 1,633
- 13
- 19
17
votes
3 answers
J. S. Bach's place in musical history
Was there any reason Bach didn't follow the trends of the times? He was surely very much in touch with contemporary composers, and knew of Handel's and Scarlatti's works specifically. Amazingly, he composed not a single opera in his life. Did his…
Noldorin
- 1,133
- 11
- 22
16
votes
2 answers
J.S.Bach's organ tablature notation
Is anyone familiar with some freely available guide explaining in detail how to read Bach's organ tablature notation?
Apparently, Bach was very comfortable in using the tablature notation, especially in his youth, probably because it saved him a…
Kresimir
- 358
- 1
- 12
15
votes
1 answer
What does "super" in title of organ pieces mean?
Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a couple of Trio Supers and Fantasia Supers, e.g.:
Trio super 'Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend', BWV 655
Trio super 'Nun komm der Heiden Heiland', BWV 660 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)
Trio super 'Allein Gott in der Höh sei…
Jack L.
- 713
- 4
- 14
14
votes
5 answers
What does a mordent written to the left of a note mean?
In this arrangement of Wachet Auf, there are quite a few mordents sprinkled around, as well as trills and grace notes. I understand most of them, but in the middle of this excerpt,
right before the bar line, there is a mordent that appears to the…
LarsH
- 377
- 1
- 12
14
votes
2 answers
Training and Influences of J. S. Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach is undoubtedly among the most celebrated of Baroque composers, and to many the great composer in all history. The era of the late 17th and early 18th centuries in which he lived, however, means that his life was not as well…
Noldorin
- 1,133
- 11
- 22
14
votes
3 answers
Triplets against twos in Bach's music
I was reading up on tuplets and polyrhythms because I was having trouble playing some of Bach's keyboard works containing three-against-two rhythms. Then I found something interesting:
(...) It is prudent to note that even until the latter half of…
neuviemeporte
- 1,625
- 15
- 21