All Letters of Music
B – BAROQUE AND BACH
Today, step on to the letter B. It takes us inside musical history, to the end of the 16th century, into the unparalleled baroque epoch, which would last until the first half of the 18th century. Researching the epoch, we can discover that it is during this period that opera emerged, that music for various instruments as well characteristic vocal instrumental forms was in development – oratorios, cantatas, passions and masses. If we were to delve into the workshops of prominent luthiers from the Italian city of Cremona – Amati and Guarneri, and later Stradivarius, we would see violins of exceptional worth and beauty. World famous violin players have been known to perform on some of the instruments which have been preserved until this very day.
And when you say to musicians – baroque, the immediate thought for almost all of them is Johan Sebastian Bach, one of the most significant representatives of this style. And so be it, for us as well, from this day forward! The oeuvre of this composer, who was the court’s organist, harpsichordist, and played violin and viola excellently, is exceptionally vast and inside it we can find almost all of the characteristic baroque forms. Among the most notable ones are the “Brandenburg Concertos”, the collection “Well-Tempered Clavier”, written for keyboard instruments, the “Coffee cantata”, “Mass in b-minor” and “Christmas Oratorio”.
Today we will encounter the world of Bach’s music listening to an excerpt from his “Christmas Oratorio”, whose beauty to this day has not been tarnished by time over the period from its creation in year 1734. While listening, take notice of the motoric rhythm of baroque music, the polyphony which Bach had brought to perfection in his works, recognize the homophony, and more than anything listen to the style of his music. You are listening to the opening choir number as performed by the Choir and Symphony Orchestra of RTS. Maestro Bojan Sudjic is conducting.
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