He created the Brandenburg and violin concertos; in Leipzig, some of these works were arranged for clavier with accompaniment, and in the mid-1930s the Italian Concerto was written. This was preceded, starting from Weimar, by intensive work to assimilate experience Italian masters, primarily Vivaldi, no less than nine of whose violin concertos Bach arranged for clavier and organ. The transcription of Vivaldi's concerto in B minor for four violins is Bach's concerto for four claviers.
The thirteen keyboard concertos written by Bach during the Leipzig period belong entirely to him. Here he is the pioneer of this genre. At that time the clavier was gradually entering into musical life a large German city with a tradition of public concerts and a relatively wide circle of fans musical art. Several concertos were written for the Telemann Society, where Bach acted as a conductor since 1729. These works of the master not only “came in time” in his era, but formed a new, very significant genre line in the history of music that stretches to the present day.
Seven concertos for one clavier with accompaniment: No. 1 (according to the numbering adopted in the publication of the Bach Society) - d-moll, No. 2 - E-dur, No. 3 - D-dur, No. 4 A-dur, No. 5 - f-moll, No. 6 - F-dur, No. 7 - g-moll and one c-moll - for two claviers with accompaniment - represent transcriptions of Bach’s own violin concertos.
Most popular in modern piano repertoire concert No. 1 d-minor, two parts of which were included in the cantata “Great Sorrow Leads Us.” This work is extremely organic, beautiful in its clavier texture and, according to the fair remark of F. Wolfrum, “least of all reminds of its “violin” origin.”
Perfect examples of Bach's keyboard-concert style - double concert in C major and both triple concerto - C major and d minor, written by the master specifically for these ensembles.
While performing and studying all these beautiful works We must not forget that Bach’s differs from the modern concert not only in its timbre-dynamic capabilities, structure of forms, technique, but also in the other role of the solo instrument: it is nothing more than an “obligatory part” in the overall ensemble (strings and accompanying clavier - basso continuo). This is already reflected in a certain “universality”, generalization of thematics (violin - clavier; clavier - organ). The principle of competition (concerting) operates here as immutably as among the Italians; hence the greater or lesser thematic richness of the entire fabric and the almost incessant active melodic movement in the bowed parts. In the extreme parts, the main, most prominent thematic implementations are assigned to tutti or unison solo and tutti. In addition, the strings lead the voices that counterpoint the melodic lines of the soli and participate in “episodes” of a developmental nature. But in the middle slow parts of the three-movement cycle (also according to the Italian model), the tutti modestly recede into the background or fall silent altogether (Adagio of the double concerto in C major), and the solo clavier assumes sovereign rights and sings his lyrical melody in full sonority with accompaniment (left hand part ). In terms of structure, these middle parts are rather homophonic and are usually built in the old two-part or variation form(on ostinato bass). Between the two Allegri seething with life, they create a captivatingly poetic contrast.
The first parts of the cycles are the most impressive in scope and concert-like in presentation, energetic in tone, and intensive in thematic development. They contain the most elements that can serve as material for future sonata-symphonic forms. This is, first of all, a motivic fragmentation with contrapuntal, modulation development and a typical tonal plan for thematic developments: a tonic-dominant antithesis in the first part of the form, a turn into the subdominant sphere in the middle and a return to the main key towards the end. However, thematically, such an Allegro is still very far from a sonata-symphonic one. Its theme is often close in type to polyphonic forms (core and subsequent neutral movement). If the theme is a period, then most often it is a period of the unfolding type, with the dissolution of the initial construction in modulating sequences. In addition, the Allegro theme is essentially one, and it is its implementation that forms the supporting line of the entire tonal plane. Between them are parts of the form similar to the middle of the development type; we could call them “thematic rarefaction” (the term of V. A. Tsukkerman). In this sense, the structure of the first part of the concert is “two-faced”: thematically it still gravitates towards a rondo with developmental episodes; tonally it is already approaching a sonata.
After the high lyricism of the Adagio, with its characteristic slow development of the song image, the finales of the concerts again plunge us into the sphere of energetic movement, high and even tone. The original tonality, tempo, ronda-like features of the three-part form, and active concertoing by the strings are returned. This is how the second great contrast of the concert cycle arises. But it is not completely symmetrical to the first (Allegro - Adagio). In the finales there is more brilliance, a spill of energy, a “big touch”, and more than once the naturalness with which associations arise here, leading to images of celebration and folk dance, has been rightly emphasized in literature. But precisely because of this, the finales are more elementary than the first parts in terms of thematic design and development, in particular modulation; they have less depth and intensity of internal development, although this is almost always compensated for by excellently “organized” imitative polyphony. All taken together leads to a peculiar result - incomplete symmetry of contrasting close-up images.
Johann Sebastian Bach is the most talented composer of the 18th century. More than 250 years have passed since his death, and interest in his music has not waned to this day. But during his lifetime the composer never received the recognition he deserved. Interest in his work appeared only a century after his departure.
Johann Sebastian Bach is the most remarkable member of the famous musical family Bakhov and one of greatest composers of all times and peoples. Having lost his father, Johann Ambrose Bach (1645 - 1695), at the age of 10, Johann Sebastian was placed in the care of his older brother Johann Christoph, an organist in the city of Ohrdruf (Thuringia), who laid the foundation for his music lessons. After the death of his brother, 14-year-old Johann Sebastian went to Lüneburg, where he entered the gymnasium choir as a treble singer and received a higher school education. From here he often traveled to Hamburg to get acquainted with the playing of organist Reincken, as well as Celle, and listen to the famous court chapel. In 1703, Bach became a violinist at the court chapel in Weimar. In 1704 he became an organist in Arnstadt, from where in 1705 he went to Lübeck to listen to and study with the famous organist Buchstegude. In 1707 Johann Sebastian became an organist in Mühlhausen, in 1708 - court organist and chamber musician in Weimar, a position he held until 1717.
Start of independent life
At the age of 15, Bach entered the prestigious Luneburg School of Church Choristers, which was located at the Church of St. Michael, and at the same time, thanks to his beautiful voice, young Bach was able to earn a little extra money in a church choir. In addition, in Luneburg the young man met Georg Böhm, a famous organist, communication with whom influenced early work composer. He also traveled to Hamburg several times to listen to the playing of the largest representative of the German organ school, A. Reincken. Bach's first works for clavier and organ date back to the same period. After successfully completing school, Johann Sebastian receives the right to enter the university, but due to lack of funds he was not able to continue his education.
Johann's abilities were not limited only to composing skills. Among his contemporaries he was considered best performer playing the harpsichord and organ. It was for his improvisations on these instruments that he received recognition (even from his rivals) during his lifetime. They say that when the harpsichordist and organist from France Louis Marchand heard Bach performed on these instruments on the eve of a competition in Dresden, he hastily left the city.
Life path
Johann began his career in Weimar, where he was accepted into the court chapel of Duke Johann Ernst of Saxony as a violinist. However, this did not last long, since such work did not satisfy creative impulses young musician. In 1703, Bach, without hesitation, agreed to move to the city of Arnstadt, where he was in the church of St. Boniface was initially offered the position of organ keeper, and then the post of organist. A decent salary, work only three days a week, a good modernized instrument tuned to the latest system, all this created conditions for expanding the creative capabilities of the musician not only as a performer, but also as a composer. During this period he creates large number organ works, as well as capriccios, cantatas and suites. Here Johann becomes a true organ expert and a brilliant virtuoso, whose playing aroused unbridled delight among listeners. It was in Arnstadt that his gift of improvisation was revealed, which the church leadership really did not like. Bach always strived for perfection and never missed an opportunity to get acquainted with famous musicians, for example with organist Dietrich Buxtehude, who served in Lübeck. Having received a four-week vacation, Bach went to listen to the great musician, whose playing impressed Johann so much that he, forgetting about his duties, stayed in Lübeck for four months. Upon returning to Arndstadt, the indignant management gave Bach a humiliating trial, after which he had to leave the city and look for a new place of work.
The next city on life path Bach was Mühlhausen. Here in 1706 he won a competition for the position of organist in the Church of St. Vlasiya. He was accepted with a good salary, but also with a certain condition: the musical accompaniment of the chorales must be strict, without any kind of “decoration”. The city authorities subsequently treated the new organist with respect: they approved a plan for the reconstruction of the church organ, and also paid a good reward for the festive cantata “The Lord is My King” composed by Bach, which was dedicated to the inauguration ceremony of the new consul. Bach's stay in Mühlhausen was marked by a happy event: he married his beloved cousin Maria Barbara, who later gave him seven children.
In 1708, Duke Ernst of Saxe-Weimar heard the magnificent performance of the Mühlhausen organist. Impressed by what he heard, the noble nobleman immediately offered Bach the positions of court musician and city organist with a salary significantly higher than before. Johann Sebastian began the Weimar period, which is characterized as one of the most fruitful in creative life composer. At this time, he created a large number of compositions for clavier and organ, including a collection of choral preludes, “Passacaglia in C minor”, the famous “Toccata and Fugue in D minor”, “Fantasy and Fugue in C major” and many others greatest works. It should also be noted that the composition of more than two dozen spiritual cantatas dates back to this period. Such effectiveness in Bach's compositional work was associated with his appointment in 1714 as vice-kapellmeister, whose duties included regular monthly updating of church music.
In 1717, Bach left Weimar to take a job in Köthen as a court conductor for Prince Anhalt of Köthen. In Köthen, Bach had to write secular music, since, as a result of the reforms, music was not performed in the church, except for the singing of psalms. Here Bach occupied an exceptional position: as a court conductor he was well paid, the prince treated him as a friend, and the composer repaid this with excellent works. In Köthen, the musician had many students, and for their training he compiled the “Well-Tempered Clavier.” These are 48 preludes and fugues that glorified Bach as a master of keyboard music. When the prince married, the young princess showed dislike for both Bach and his music. Johann Sebastian had to look for another job.
Establishment in Leipzig
Bach moved to this city in 1723 and remained there forever. At the Church of St. Thomas, he received the position of director of the choir. Conditions for Bach were again cramped. In addition to many duties (educator, composer, teacher), he was ordered not to travel outside the city without the permission of the burgomaster. He also had to write music according to the rules: not too operatic and long, but at the same time, something that would evoke awe in the listeners. But, despite all the restrictions, Bach, as always, continued to create. Their best compositions he created it in Leipzig. The church authorities considered Johann Sebastian's music too colorful, humane and bright, and allocated little funds for the maintenance of the school. The composer's only joy remained creativity and family. His three sons also turned out to be excellent musicians. Anna Magdalena, Bach's second wife, had a magnificent soprano voice. His eldest daughter also sang quite well.
Bach's organ works
The composer created excellent works for the organ. This instrument is a real force of nature for Bach. Here he was able to liberate his thoughts, feelings and emotions and convey all this to the listener. Hence the enlargement of lines, concertity, virtuosity, and dramatic images. The compositions created for the organ resemble frescoes in painting. Everything in them is presented predominantly close up. In preludes, toccatas and fantasies, the pathos of musical images in free, improvisational forms is observed. Fugues are characterized by special virtuosity and extraordinary powerful development. Bach's organ work conveys the high poetry of his lyrics and the grandiose scope of his magnificent improvisations. Unlike clavier works, organ fugues are much larger in volume and content. Movement musical image and its development proceeds with increasing activity. The unfolding of the material is presented in the form of layering of large layers of music, but there is no particular discreteness or breaks. On the contrary, continuity (continuity of movement) prevails. Each phrase follows from the previous one with increasing tension. Also built climaxes. The emotional upsurge eventually intensifies to highest point. Bach is the first composer to demonstrate the patterns of symphonic development in large forms of instrumental polyphonic music. Bach's organ work seems to split into two poles. The first is preludes, toccatas, fugues, fantasies (large musical cycles). The second is one-part chorale preludes. They are written mainly in chamber style. They reveal predominantly lyrical images: intimate, mournful and sublimely contemplative. Best works for the organ by Johann Sebastian Bach - this is a toccata and fugue in D minor, a prelude and fugue in A minor and many other works.
Personal life
Johann Sebastian belonged to the largest German musical dynasty, whose pedigree is usually traced back to Veit Bach, a simple baker, but very music lover and beautifully performing folk melodies on his favorite instrument - the zither. This passion was passed on from the founder of the family to his descendants, many of them became professional musicians: composers, cantors, bandmasters, as well as a variety of instrumentalists. They settled not only throughout Germany, some even went abroad. Over the course of two hundred years, there were so many Bach musicians that any person whose occupation was related to music began to be named after them. The most famous ancestors of Johann Sebastian, whose works have come down to us, were: Johannes, Heinrich, Johann Christoph, Johann Bernhard, Johann Michael and Johann Nikolaus. Johann Sebastian's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was also a musician and served as an organist in Eisenach, the city where Bach was born.
Johann Sebastian himself was the father of a large family: he had twenty children from two wives. He first married his beloved cousin Maria Barbara, daughter of Johann Michael Bach, in 1707. Maria bore Johann Sebastian seven children, three of whom died in infancy. Maria herself also did not live long life, she died at the age of 36, leaving Bach with four young children. Bach took the loss of his wife very hard, but a year later he again fell in love with a young girl, Anna Magdalena Wilken, whom he met at the court of the Duke of Anhalt-Kethen and proposed to her. Despite the large age difference, the girl agreed and it is obvious that this marriage was very successful, since Anna Magdalena gave Bach thirteen children. The girl did an excellent job with the housework, cared for the children, sincerely rejoiced at her husband’s successes and provided great assistance in his work, rewriting his scores. Family was a great joy for Bach; he devoted a lot of time to raising his children, playing music with them and composing special exercises. In the evenings, the family often organized impromptu concerts, which brought joy to everyone. Bach's children had excellent talent by nature, but four of them had exceptional musical talent - Johann Christoph Friedrich, Carl Philipp Emanuel, Wilhelm Friedemann and Johann Christian. They also became composers and left their mark on the history of music, but none of them could surpass their father either in composing or in the art of performance.
Death of the composer
In 1749, the composer's health deteriorated. Bach Johann Sebastian, whose biography ends in 1750, suddenly began to lose his sight and turned for help to the English ophthalmologist John Taylor, who performed 2 operations in March-April 1750. However, both were unsuccessful. The composer's vision never returned. On July 28, at the age of 65, Johann Sebastian died. Contemporary newspapers wrote that "death occurred as a result of unsuccessful eye surgery." Currently, historians consider the cause of the composer’s death to be a stroke complicated by pneumonia. Carl Philipp Emmanuel, son of Johann Sebastian, and his student Johann Friedrich Agricola wrote an obituary. It was published in 1754 by Lorenz Christoph Mitzler in music magazine. Johann Sebastian Bach, short biography which is presented above, was originally buried in Leipzig, near the Church of St. John. The grave remained untouched for 150 years. Later, in 1894, the remains were transferred to a special repository in the Church of St. John, and in 1950 - to the Church of St. Thomas, where the composer still rests.
- - Bach was a recognized expert on organs. He was invited to check and tune instruments in various churches in Weimar, where he lived for quite a long time. Every time he amazed his clients with the amazing improvisations that he played to hear how the instrument in need of his work sounded.
- - Johann was bored with performing monotonous chorales during the service, and he, without holding back his creative impulse, impromptu inserted into the established church music their own small decorating variations, which caused great dissatisfaction with the authorities.
- - Better known for his religious works, Bach also excelled in composing secular music, as evidenced by his “Coffee Cantata.” Bach presented this humorous work as a small comic opera. Originally called "Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht" ("Be quiet, stop talking"), it describes an addiction lyrical hero to coffee, and, not by chance, this cantata was first performed in the Leipzig coffee house.
- - At the age of 18, Bach really wanted to get the position of organist in Lubeck, which at that time belonged to the famous Dietrich Buxtehude. Another contender for this place was G. Handel. The main condition for occupying this position was marriage to one of Buxtehude’s daughters, but neither Bach nor Handel decided to sacrifice themselves in this way.
- - Johann Sebastian Bach really liked to dress up as a poor teacher and in this form visit small churches, where he asked the local organist to play the organ a little. Some parishioners, hearing the performance, which was unusually beautiful for them, left the service in fear, thinking that what they had in the church was like strange man the devil himself appeared.
- - The Russian envoy to Saxony, Hermann von Keyserling, asked Bach to write a work to which he could quickly fall asleep. This is how the Goldberg Variations appeared, for which the composer received a gold cube filled with a hundred louis d'or. These variations are still one of the best “sleeping pills”.
- - Johann Sebastian was known to his contemporaries not only as outstanding composer and a virtuoso performer, as well as a person with a very difficult character, intolerant of the mistakes of others. There is a known case when a bassoonist, publicly insulted by Bach for imperfect performance, attacked Johann. A real duel took place, as both were armed with daggers.
- - Bach, who was keen on numerology, liked to weave the numbers 14 and 41 into his musical works, because these numbers corresponded to the first letters of the composer’s name.
- - Thanks to Johann Sebastian Bach in church choirs Today it is not only men who sing. The first woman to sing in the church was the composer’s wife Anna Magdalena, who has a beautiful voice.
- - In the mid-19th century, German musicologists founded the first Bach Society, whose main task was to publish the composer’s works. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the society dissolved itself and the entire collection of Bach’s works was published only in the second half of the twentieth century on the initiative of the Bach Institute, created in 1950. In the world today there are a total of two hundred and twenty-two Bach societies, Bach orchestras and Bach choirs.
- - Researchers of Bach’s work suggest that the great maestro composed 11,200 works, although the legacy known to descendants includes only 1,200 compositions.
- - Today there are more than fifty-three thousand books and various publications about Bach on different languages, about seven thousand published full biographies composer.
- - Everyone knows that Beethoven suffered from hearing loss, but few people know that Bach became blind in his declining years. In fact, an unsuccessful eye operation performed by quack surgeon John Taylor caused the composer’s death in 1750.
- - Johann Sebastian Bach was buried near the Church of St. Thomas. After some time, a road was built through the cemetery territory and the grave was lost. At the end of the 19th century, during the reconstruction of the church, the composer’s remains were found and reburied. After World War II in 1949, Bach's relics were transferred to the church building. However, due to the fact that the grave changed its location several times, skeptics doubt that the ashes of Johann Sebastian are in the burial.
- - To date, 150 have been produced worldwide postage stamps, dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach, 90 of them were published in Germany.
- - To Johann Sebastian Bach - the great musical genius, is treated with great reverence throughout the world, monuments to him have been erected in many countries, only in Germany there are 12 monuments. One of them is located in the town of Dornheim near Arnstadt and is dedicated to the wedding of Johann Sebastian and Maria Barbara.
Major works of Bach
Vocal works (accompanied by orchestra):
- - 198 church cantatas
- - 12 secular cantatas
- - 6 motets
- - Christmas and Easter oratorios Great Mass h-minor VI. 4 small masses and 5 sancti VII. Magnificat D major VIII. Passion according to Matthew and John IX. Funeral ode
Works for orchestra and chamber music:
- - 4 overtures (suites) and 6 Brandenburg concertos
- - 7 concertos for clavier and orchestra 3 concertos for two keyboards and orchestra 2 concerts for three keyboards and orchestra 1 concert for four keyboards and orchestra III. 3 concertos for violin and orchestra IV. 6 solo sonatas for violin 8 sonatas for violin and clavier 6 sonatas for flute and clavier 6 solo sonatas (suites) for cello 3 sonatas for viola da gamba and clavier 3 sonatas for trio
Works for the clavier:
- - Partitas, French and English suites, inventions for two and three voices, symphonies, preludes, fugues, fantasies, overtures, toccatas, capriccios, sonatas, duets, Italian concerto, Chromatic fantasia and fugue
- - Well-tempered clavier
- - Goldberg Variations
- - The Art of Fugue
Works for organ:
- - Preludes, fantasies, toccatas, fugues, canzones, sonatas, passacaglia, concertos on Vivaldi themes
- - Chorale preludes
- - III. Chorale Variations
Keyboard concerts Bach - concertos for harpsichord written by the composer (nowadays often performed on piano), string orchestra and basso continuo. Concertos for one to four claviers and orchestra are included in Schmieder's catalog under the numbers BWV 1052-1065, respectively.
The creation of keyboard concertos dates back approximately to the 30s of the 18th century. Since 1729, Bach headed the Musical Student Society at the University of Leipzig, participating in its concerts as a conductor and soloist. It was for these performances that concerts for one, two, three and four harpsichords with orchestra were created. The vast majority of these works are the author's adaptations of previously written works for other instruments (judging by the nature and texture of the solo parts, mainly violin concertos). The content of the music of the keyboard concertos itself, the nature of thematic themes, development techniques, and structural layout clearly and convincingly indicate that they were written by Bach.
2.1 Concerto No. 1 for keyboard and orchestra (D minor) BWV 1052
2.2 Concerto No. 2 for keyboard and orchestra (E major) BWV 1053
2.3 Concerto No. 3 for keyboard and orchestra (D major) BWV 1054
2.5 Concerto No. 5 for keyboard and orchestra (F minor) BWV 1056
Concerto No. 1 for clavier and orchestra (D minor) BWV 1052
Consists of three parts:
Allegro (¢) ~ 8 min.
Adagio (3/4) ~ 6 min.
Allegro (3/4) ~ 8 min.
The concerto is transcribed from the lost violin concerto BWV 1052R.
This concert belongs to the most popular works Bach. Although the original, which has not survived, was obviously intended for the violin, the keyboard version is impressive in its perfection of writing and, as the German musicologist Philipp Wolfrum points out,
“least reminiscent of its violin origins”
The Concerto in D minor stands out for its breadth of scale and depth of drama. The first movement is based on an energetic, harsh melody, presented by the powerful unison of the orchestra and soloist. Its poignant motif is being actively developed. A new gloomy theme of a “toccata” nature appears twice in the dominant and main keys, like a side part of a sonata form.
Gloomy, concentrated expression distinguishes the second movement, Adagio in G minor, based on the technique of continuous bass.
The third movement, Allegro, as in most Bach concertos, is a kind of figurative reprise of the first movement. The widely developed, mobile and elastic main theme, the “toccata” motifs of the soloist in the episodes evoke direct associations with the thematic theme of the first Allegro, emphasizing the dramatic character common to the entire work.
Concerto No. 2 for clavier and orchestra (E major) BWV 1053
Consists of three parts:
Allegro (c) ~ 9 min.
Siciliano (12/8) ~ 5 min.
Allegro (3/8) ~ 7 min.
The concerto is probably rearranged from the lost oboe concerto BWV 1053R.
The origin of the Concerto for Clavier and Orchestra No. 2 in E major, BWV 1053 is still unclear. The texture of his solo part contains many features that are close to the specifics of Bach’s keyboard and organ writing, so the existence of an earlier violin version is questioned. At the same time, all parts of the concerto are also found in Bach's cantatas.
The second movement, Siciliana in C sharp minor, takes us into the realm of elegiac sadness. Using the Italian Sicilian dance genre with its characteristic “swaying” rhythm, Bach creates an intermezzo.
The structure, dramaturgy and figurative structure of the finale, Allegro, exactly repeat the first part, creating a kind of “arch”. But, as usual in the final movements, the dance element is more clearly revealed here - the rhythmic pulsation of the music is reminiscent of the agile French paspier dance.
Concerto No. 3 for clavier and orchestra (D major) BWV 1054
Consists of three parts:
Allegro (¢) ~ 8 min.
Adagio e sempre piano (3/4) ~ 6 min.
Allegro (3/8) ~ 3 min.
The concerto is an arrangement of the violin concerto BWV 1042
Concerto for Clavier and Orchestra No. 3 in D major, BWV 1054 - adaptation of the Violin Concerto No. 2 in E major, BWV 1043, according to A. Schweitzer,
“full of invincible cheerfulness, which in the first and last movements pours out in triumphant song.”
The main theme of the first movement, opening with a catchy, inviting intonation, combines festivity and energy, brightly set off by the dramatic middle section, ending with a pathetic recitative.
The second movement, Adagio e piano sempre in B minor, belongs to the most stunning pages of Bach's concertos.
The finale of the concert is Allegro - a moving minuet in the form of a simple rondo.
Concerto No. 5 for clavier and orchestra (F minor) BWV 1056
Consists of three parts:
Allegro (2/4) ~ 3 min.
Largo (c) ~ 2 min.
Presto (3/4) ~ 4 min.
The Clavier Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056 is also a transcription of a lost violin concerto. This remarkable work is distinguished by a combination of dramatic tension, which captures the listener’s attention from the very first bars, and the utmost laconicism of expression.
The first part is permeated by a harsh tread main topic with characteristic echoes - “echoes” between the soloist and the orchestra - a magnificent example of Bach’s thematicism.
Second movement - Largo in A flat major - " digression" The creation of the overall color is facilitated by the subtlety and transparency of the instrumentation: a beautiful sublime melody, colored with figurations, is entrusted from beginning to end to the soloist, accompanied by light accompanying string chords.
The third part, Presto, returns again to dramatic images. But in the finale dance features are also noticeable: a fast motor movement in a three-beat measure is somewhat reminiscent of paspier (an ancient French dance similar to a minuet)
Text from Wikipedia.
A new genre of concert for keyboard music, the creator of which is rightly considered to be J.S. Bach, arose on the basis of transcriptions for the clavier of Italian violin concertos (primarily Vivaldi). It is interesting that almost all of Bach's keyboard concertos (7) were originally created as violin concertos, and only then arranged for the clavier by him. The main result of the composer’s quest in this area was the “Italian Concerto,” created in 1735.
This name, given by Bach himself, indicates the origin of the concert genre, which originated in Italy. The work was written for clavier with two manuals, without orchestral accompaniment. The concert principle is manifested in the great development of keyboard voices.
Composition draws on tradition - it is a three-part cycle with fast, effective outer parts and a lyrical, slow middle part.
The musical style and main mood of the “Italian Concerto” is determined by its opening theme - energetic and cheerful. It is presented in a clear and simple form, consisting of two 4-bar sentences. Their tonal relationship (F-dur and C-dur) is reminiscent of the comparison of theme and response in a fugue exposition.
The influence of polyphonic thinking is also revealed in the further development of the topic. After the presentation of the initial 8-bar (the “core” of the theme), the characteristic intonations “dissolve” in the general forms of movement. Music acquires the fluidity characteristic of polyphonic forms: there are no separate parts delimited from each other. The transitions from motive to motive are smooth; material that has already been heard practically does not return (unlike the thematics of the Viennese classics).
At the same time, the general composition of the first movement outlines the features of the future sonata form. It has three sections. First contains an exposition display of thematic material. Second represents its development. Third contains a reprise repetition of the main theme.
The exhibition section includes, in addition to the main one, another theme - softer and more transparent, presented in a more modest texture. It is built similarly to the first, on the comparison of the “core” and the development, and the new intonations that appear in the process of this development turn out to be extremely close to the intonations of the first theme. Unlike the secondary theme in classical sonata form, this second theme is set out in the main key of F-dur, and only in the process of development does it modulate into the dominant key - C-dur.
Part 1
The development section in the first part of the concert is distinguished by its scale and intensity of development. The writing techniques that Bach uses here are characteristic of both homophonic-harmonic and polyphonic forms. This is the isolation of motives, their sequencing, imitations, and variation of individual turns of the melody. Used both themes, each taking on the intonations of the other. The periodically repeated thematic core of the main theme (it is carried out three times) is compared with intonationally more neutral episodes of melodic development, which is typical for instrumental concert forms of the Baroque era. The result is some resemblance to a rondo.
In the reprise, the first theme runs in its entirety, but the second is absent (probably because it was its major version that completed the development).
part 2
In Part II of the concert, efficiency is replaced by contemplation. This is a lyric Andante in parallel minor. The Andante theme, sounding in the upper “flute” register against a background of rhythmically even accompaniment, is endowed with improvisational features. Numerous syncopations, smoothing out strong beats, rhythmic freedom, give the music fluidity.
The Andante form is two-part, similar to the structure of many of Bach's arias, preludes and dances in suite cycles. The first part ends with modulation into parallel major, while in the second part d-minor almost reigns supreme. The intonations of the theme, melodious, calm and soft at the beginning, become more intense and declamatory in the second part.
Final
The music of the finale evokes associations with the film national holiday. It embodies not individual feelings, but the general mood of festive fun. The main theme of the ending bears obvious similarities to initial theme Part I - the same sweeping leap at the beginning, the same lively dance rhythms, light major colors. However, the tempo here is not just brisk, but rapid, and there are much more “flying” scale-like passages.
The general contours of the form and the tonal plan in the extreme parts of the “Italian Concerto” are similar. The finale also has a second, “side” theme, which runs throughout the exposition in the main key. As in Part I, the periodic return of the main theme introduces ronda-like features into the composition.
