Johann Sebastian Bach Research Paper

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Eric Wilson
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Download DOCX Running Head: The Significance of Johann Sebastian Bach 1The Significance of Johann Sebastian BachEric WilsonMusic History and Literature I (MUS 320)Ms. Spitler December 8, 2011 The Significance of Johann Sebastian Bach 2 The Significance of Johann Sebastian BachThroughout history, there have been many outstanding people whose names have becomehousehold names. These people, who are known for a myriad of various exploits, are peoplewhose names any educated person would readily recognize. For example, if one were to ask a person off of the street to name the smartest person he or she could
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His earliest teacher was his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, a professional musicianin the town of Eisenach, who gave him violin lessons. After the death of his father in 1695,
Bach’s music education was taken over by his older brother Johann Christoph Bach, an organist at St. Michael’s Church in Ohrdruf
(“Bach, Johann Sebastian,” 1998) and pupil of Pachelbel
(Grout, 1980), who gave him klavier and organ lessons. In 1700, when Bach was nearly fifteen,he was awarded a scholarship to St. Michael’s school in Luneburg for his fine vocal skills andfinancial need to sing in its choir.
After young Bach’s voice changed, he was transferred to theorchestra at St. Michael’s to play the violin.
While he was at Luneburg, Bach also met the composer and St. John’s Church organist Georg Bohm
, who influenced his earliest organcompositions. In
1702, Bach graduated from St. Michael’s School
, and, the next year, he went toWeimar to become a violinist and substitute organist in the chamber orchestra of Duke JohannErnst.
This move proved to be valuable to young Bach’s keyboard skills, because, as substitute organist, he was able to practice long hours on the church organ.
(“Bach, Johann
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95). Another composer who Bach carefullystudied was Antonio Vivaldi, arranging and occasionally strengthening the counterpoint of hisconcertos. In addition to studying the music of Frescobaldi and Vivaldi, Bach also wrote fugueson subjects by other Italian composers such as Corelli and Legrenzi. By studying the Italiancomposers, Bach learned to write more concise themes, clarify and strengthen the harmonicscheme, and develop subjects more efficiently. By combining the skills he learned by studyingthe Italian composers with his own prolific imagination and his mastery of