What works did Bach write for the organ? List of main works and

Johann Sebastian Bach
Years of life: 1685-1750

Bach was a genius of such magnitude that even today he seems an unsurpassed, exceptional phenomenon. His creativity is truly inexhaustible: after the “discovery” of Bach’s music in XIX century interest in it is steadily increasing, Bach's works are winning an audience even among listeners who usually do not show interest in “serious” art.

Bach's work, on the one hand, was a kind of summing up. In his music, the composer relied on everything that had been achieved and discovered in musical art before him. Bach knew German perfectly organ music, choral polyphony, features of German and Italian violin style. He not only became acquainted, but also copied the works of contemporary French harpsichordists (primarily Couperin), Italian violinists (Corelli, Vivaldi), largest representatives Italian opera. Possessing an amazing sensitivity to everything new, Bach developed and generalized his accumulated creative experience.

At the same time, he was a brilliant innovator who opened up the development of the world musical culture new perspectives. His powerful influence was reflected in the work of the great composers of the 19th century century (Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Glinka, Taneyev), and in the works outstanding masters XX century (Shostakovich, Honegger).

Creative heritage Bach is almost immense, it includes more than 1000 works of various genres, and among them there are those whose scale is exceptional for their time (MP). Bach's works can be divided into three main genre groups:

• vocal and instrumental music;
• organ music,
• music for other instruments (clavier, violin, flute, etc.) and instrumental ensembles(including orchestral).

The works of each group are mainly related to certain period creative biography Bach. The most significant organ works were created in Weimar, keyboard and orchestral works mainly belong to the Köthen period, vocal and instrumental works were mostly written in Leipzig.

The main genres in which Bach worked are traditional: masses and passions, cantatas and oratorios, choral arrangements, preludes and fugues, dance suites and concertos. Having inherited these genres from his predecessors, Bach gave them a scope that they had never known before. He updated them with new means of expression, enriched them with features borrowed from other genres musical creativity. A striking example can serve . Created for the clavier, it incorporates the expressive properties of large organ improvisations as well as dramatic recitation of theatrical origins.

Bach's work, for all its universality and inclusiveness, “passed by” one of the leading genres of its time - opera. At the same time, there is little that distinguishes some of Bach's secular cantatas from the comedic interlude, which was already being reborn at that time in Italy in opera-buffa. The composer often called them, like the first Italian operas, “dramas on music.” It can be said that such works of Bach as “Coffee” and “Peasant” cantatas, solved as witty genre scenes from Everyday life, anticipated the German Singspiel.

Circle of images and ideological content

The figurative content of Bach's music is limitless in its breadth. The majestic and the simple are equally accessible to him. Bach's art contains deep sorrow, simple-minded humor, acute drama and philosophical reflection. Like Handel, Bach reflected the essential aspects of his era - the first half of the XVIII centuries, but others - not effective heroics, but religious and philosophical problems put forward by the Reformation. In his music he reflects on the most important eternal questions human life- about the purpose of a person, about his moral duty, about life and death. These reflections are most often associated with religious themes, because Bach served in the church almost all his life, wrote a huge part of the music for the church, and was himself a deeply religious person who knew the Holy Scriptures very well. He complied church holidays, fasted, confessed, and took communion a few days before his death. The Bible in two languages ​​- German and Latin - was his reference book.

Bach's Jesus Christ - main character and ideal. In this image the composer saw the personification of the best human qualities: strength of spirit, fidelity to the chosen path, purity of thoughts. The most sacred thing in the history of Christ for Bach is Calvary and the cross, the sacrificial feat of Jesus for the salvation of humanity. This theme, being the most important in Bach's work, receives ethical, moral interpretation.

Musical symbolism

The complex world of Bach's works is revealed through musical symbolism that developed in line with Baroque aesthetics. Bach's contemporaries perceived his music, including instrumental, “pure” music, as understandable speech due to the presence in it of stable melodic turns expressing certain concepts, emotions, and ideas. By analogy with classical oratory, these sound formulas are called musical and rhetorical figures. Some rhetorical figures wore figurative character(for example, anabasis - ascent, catabasis - descent, circulatio - rotation, fuga - running, tirata - arrow); others imitated the intonations of human speech (exclamatio - exclamation - ascending sixth); still others conveyed affect (suspiratio - sigh, passus duriusculus - chromatic move used to express grief, suffering).

Thanks to stable semantics, musical figures turned into “signs”, emblems of certain feelings and concepts. For example, descending melodies (catadasis) were used to symbolize sadness, dying, and entombment; ascending scales expressed the symbolism of resurrection, etc.

Symbolic motifs are present in all of Bach’s works, and these are not only musical and rhetorical figures. IN symbolic meaning melodies often appear Protestant chorales, their segments.

Bach was associated with the Protestant chorale throughout his life - both by religion and by occupation as a church musician. He constantly worked with the chorale in a variety of genres - organ choral preludes, cantatas, passions. It is quite natural that P.Kh. has become integral integral part musical language Bach.

The chorales were sung by the entire Protestant community; they were part of spiritual world human being as a natural, necessary element of worldview. Chorale melodies and the religious content associated with them were known to everyone, so people of Bach’s time easily formed associations with the meaning of the chorale, with a specific event Holy Scripture. Permeating all of Bach’s work, the melodies of P.H. fill his music, including instrumental music, with a spiritual program that clarifies the content.

Symbols are also stable sound combinations that have constant meanings. One of Bach's most important symbols is cross symbol, consisting of four notes in different directions. If you graphically connect the first with the third, and the second with the fourth, a cross pattern is formed. (It is curious that the surname BACH, when transcribed into music, forms the same pattern. Probably, the composer perceived this as a kind of finger of fate).

Finally, there are numerous connections between Bach’s cantata-oratorio (i.e. textual) works and his instrumental music. Based on all the listed connections and analysis of various rhetorical figures, a system musical symbols Bach. A huge contribution to its development was made by A. Schweitzer, F. Busoni, B. Yavorsky, M. Yudina.

"Second birth"

Bach's brilliant work was not truly appreciated by his contemporaries. While enjoying fame as an organist, during his lifetime he did not attract due attention as a composer. Not a single serious work has been written about his work, only an insignificant part of the works has been published. After Bach's death, his manuscripts gathered dust in the archives, many were irretrievably lost, and the composer's name was forgotten.

Genuine interest in Bach arose only in the 19th century. It was started by F. Mendelssohn, who accidentally found the notes of the “St. Matthew Passion” in the library. Under his direction this work was performed in Leipzig. Most listeners, literally shocked by the music, have never heard the name of the author. This was Bach's second birth.

On the centenary of his death (1850), a Bach Society, which set the goal of publishing all the surviving manuscripts of the composer in the form full meeting works (46 volumes).

Several of Bach's sons became prominent musicians: Philipp Emmanuel, Wilhelm Friedemann (Dresden), Johann Christoph (Bückenburg), Johann Christian (the youngest, "London" Bach).

Biography of Bach

It remains to report on Anna Magdalena. She knew the bitterness of early old age. At first, the magistrate undoubtedly provided some assistance to Bach’s widow; receipts for her receipt of sums of money have been preserved. There is no reliable information about the relationship with the stepmother and mother of Bach’s sons after his death. Anna Magdalena, fifty-nine years old, died on Wednesday February 27, 1760 in Leipzig, on Heinenstrasse, apparently in a shelter for the poor.

For many years, the cantor's loving and caring wife so often hurriedly prepared the notes for her Sebastian's next Sunday cantata! In a handwriting similar to that of her husband, having completed the last line, she wrote in large letters on the page the words that meant “the end” in Italian.

May this sign complete our story of life and short essay works of the great Bach:

Vocal and instrumental works: about 300 sacred cantatas (199 preserved); 24 secular cantatas (including “Hunting”, “Coffee”, “Peasant”); motets, chorales; Christmas Oratorio; “John Passion”, “Matthew Passion”, “Magnificat”, Mass in B minor (“High Mass”), 4 short masses.

Arias and songs - from the second Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach.

For orchestra and orchestra with solo instruments:

6 Brandenburg Concertos; 4 suites (“overtures”); 7 concertos for harpsichord (clavier) and orchestra; 3 concertos for two harpsichords and orchestra; 2 concertos for three harpsichords and orchestra; 1 concert for four harpsichords and orchestra; 3 concertos for violin and orchestra; concert for flute, violin and harpsichord.

Works for violin, cello, flute with clavier (harpsichord) and solo: 6 sonatas for violin and harpsichord; 6 sonatas for flute and harpsichord; 3 sonatas for viola da gamba (cello) and harpsichord; trio sonatas; 6 sonatas and partitas for solo violin; 6 suites (sonatas) for solo cello.

For clavier (harpsichord): 6 “English” suites; 6 “French” suites; 6 parts; Chromatic fantasy and fugue; Italian concert; Well-Tempered Clavier (2 volumes, 48 ​​preludes and fugues); Goldberg Variations; Inventions for two and three voices; fantasies, fugues, toccatas, overtures, capriccios, etc.

For organ: 18 preludes and fugues; 5 toccatas and fugues; 3 fantasies and fugues; fugues; 6 concerts; Passacaglia; pastoral; fantasies, sonatas, canzones, trios; 46 chorale preludes (from Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's Organ Book); "Schubler chorales"; 18 chorales (“Leipzig”); several cycles of chorale variations.

Musical offering. The art of fugue.

1685, March 21 (Gregorian calendar March 31) Johann Sebastian Bach, the son of the city musician Johann Ambrose Bach, was born in the Thuringian city of Eisenach.

1693-1695 - Studying at school.

1694 - Death of mother, Elisabeth, née Lemmerhirt. Father's remarriage.

1695 - Death of father; moving to his elder brother Johann Christoph in Ohrdruf.

1696 - early 1700- Studying at the Ordruf Lyceum; singing and music lessons.

1700, March 15- Moving to Lüneburg, enrollment as a scholarship student (chanter) at the school of St. Michael.

1703, April- Moving to Weimar, service in the chapel of the Red Castle. August- Moving to Arnstadt; Bach is an organist and singing teacher.

1705-1706, October - February- Trip to Lubeck, studying the organ art of Dietrich Buxtehude. Conflict with the consistory of Arnstadt.

1707, June 15- Confirmation as organist in Mühlhausen. 17 October- Marriage to Maria Barbara Bach.

1708, spring- Publication of the first work, “Elective Cantata”. July- Moving to Weimar to serve as court organist of the Ducal Chapel.

1710, November 22- Birth of the first son, Wilhelm Friedemann (the future “Gallic Bach”).

1714, March 8- Birth of the second son, Carl Philipp Emmanuel (the future “Hamburg Bach”). Trip to Kassel.

1717, July- Bach accepts the offer of Prince Leopold of Köthen to become conductor of the court chapel.

September- A trip to Dresden, his success as a virtuoso.

October- Return to Weimar; resignation letter, by order of the Duke, arrest from November 6 to December 2. Transfer to Keteya. Trip to Leipzig.

1720, May- A trip with Prince Leopold to Carlsbad. Early July- Death of wife Maria Barbara.

1723, February 7- Performance of cantata No. 22 in Leipzig as a test for the position of cantor of the Thomaskirche. 26 March- First performance of the St. John Passion. May- Taking office as cantor of St. Thomas and the school teacher.

1729, February- Performing the “Hunting Cantata” in Weissenfels, receiving the title of court Kapellmeister of Saxe-Weissenfels. April 15- First performance of the St. Matthew Passion in the Thomaskirche. Disagreements with the Thomasshule council and then with the magistrate over school practices. Bach leads the Telemann student circle, Collegium musicum.

1730, October 28- A letter to a former school friend G. Erdmann describing the unbearable circumstances of life in Leipzig.

1732 - Performance of “Coffee Cantata”. 21st of June- Birth of the son Johann Christoph Friedrich (the future “Bückeburg Bach”).

1734, end of December- Performance of the “Christmas Oratorio”.

1735, June- Bach with his son Gottfried Bernhard in Mühlhausen. The son passes the test for the position of organist. September 5 was born last son Johann Christian (future "London Bach").

1736 - Beginning of a two-year “struggle for the prefect” with the rector Tomashule I. Ernesti. November 19 A decree was signed in Dresden conferring the title of royal court composer on Bach. Friendship with the Russian ambassador G. Keyserling. December 1- A two-hour concert in Dresden on the Silbermann organ.

1738, April 28- “Night music” in Leipzig. Bach completes the composition of the High Mass.

1740 - Bach ceases to direct the “Music Collegium”.

1741 - In the summer, Bach visited his son Emmanuel in Berlin. Trip to Dresden.

1742 - Publication of the last, fourth volume of “Exercises for the Clavier”. August 30- Performance of “Peasant Cantata”.

1745 - Testing of a new organ in Dresden.

1746 - Son Wilhelm Friedemann becomes director of urban music in Halle. Bach's trip to Zshortau and Naumberg.

1749, January 20- Engagement of daughter Elisabeth to Bach's student Altnikol. The beginning of the essay "The Art of Fugue". In summer- Illness, blindness. Johann Friedirch enters the Bückeburg Chapel.

1750, January- Unsuccessful eye surgeries, complete blindness. Composing counterpoints of “The Art of Fugue” and fugue on theme B-A-S-N. Completion of processing of chorales.

Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 is a work for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, one of his most popular works.

The work "Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565" is included in all editions of the authoritative BWV catalog and in the (most complete) new edition of Bach's works (Neue Bach-Ausgabe, known as NBA).

The work was supposedly written by Bach during his stay in Arnstadt between 1703 and 1707. In January 1703, after completing his studies, he received the position of court musician to the Weimar Duke Johann Ernst. It is not known exactly what his duties included, but most likely this position was not related to performing activities. During his seven months of service in Weimar, his fame as a performer spread. Bach was invited to the position of organ caretaker at the Church of St. Boniface in Arnstadt, located 180 km from Weimar. The Bach family had long-standing ties to this oldest German city.

In August, Bach took over as organist of the church. He had to work three days a week, and the salary was relatively high. In addition, the tool was supported in good condition and was configured according to new system, expanding the capabilities of the composer and performer. During this period Bach created many organ works.

The peculiarity of this small polyphonic cycle is the continuity of development musical material(no break between toccata and fugue). The form consists of three parts: toccata, fugue and coda. The latter, echoing the toccata, forms a thematic arch.

Title page of BWV 565 in a handwritten copy by Johannes Ringk. Due to the fact that Bach's autograph was lost, this copy, as of 2012, is the only source close to the time of creation.

Toccata (in Italian toccata - touch, blow, from toccare - touch, touch) - virtuoso musical piece For keyboard instruments(clavier, organ).

Beginning of the toccata

Fugue (Italian fuga - running, flight, fast flow) is the most developed form of polyphonic music, which has absorbed all the richness of polyphonic means. The content range of a fugue is practically unlimited, but the intellectual element predominates or is always felt in it. Fugue is distinguished by emotional fullness and at the same time restraint of expression.

This work begins with an alarming but courageous strong-willed cry. It sounds three times, descending from one octave to another, and leads to a thunderous chordal boom in the lower register. Thus, at the beginning of the toccata, a gloomily shaded, grandiose sound space is outlined.

Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 played by organist Hans-André Stamm on the Trost-Organ of the Stadtkirche in Waltershausen, Germany.

Then powerful “swirling” virtuosic passages are heard. The contrast between fast and slow movement is reminiscent of cautious respites between fights with the violent elements. And after the freely, improvisationally constructed toccata, a fugue sounds, in which the volitional principle seems to curb elemental forces. And the last bars of the entire work are perceived as a stern and majestic victory of the unyielding human will.

The German composer Johann Sebastian Bach created more than 1000 musical works. He lived in the Baroque era and in his work summarized everything that was characteristic of the music of his time. Bach wrote in all genres available in the 18th century, with the exception of opera. Today the works of this master of polyphony and virtuoso organist are listened to in the most different situations- they are so diverse. In his music one can find simple-minded humor and deep sorrow, philosophical reflections and extreme drama.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685, he was the eighth and most youngest child in family. The great composer's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was also a musician: the Bach family has been known for its musicality since the beginning of the 16th century. At that time, music creators enjoyed special honor in Saxony and Thuringia, they were supported by the authorities, aristocrats and representatives of the church.

By the age of 10, Bach lost both his parents, and his older brother, who worked as an organist, took over his upbringing. Johann Sebastian studied at the gymnasium, and at the same time received from his brother the skills of playing the organ and clavier. At the age of 15, Bach entered vocal school and began to write his first works. After leaving school, he briefly served as a court musician for the Duke of Weimar, and then became an organist in a church in the city of Arnstadt. It was then that the composer wrote a large number of organ works.

Soon, Bach began to have problems with the authorities: he expressed dissatisfaction with the level of training of the singers in the choir, and then went to another city for several months in order to get acquainted with the playing of the authoritative Danish-German organist Dietrich Buxtehude. Bach went to Mühlhausen, where he was invited to the same position - organist in the church. In 1707, the composer married his cousin, who bore him seven children, three of them died in infancy, and two later became famous composers.

Bach worked in Mühlhausen for only a year and moved to Weimar, where he became court organist and concert organizer. By this time he already enjoyed great recognition and received a high salary. It was in Weimar that the composer's talent reached its peak - for about 10 years he continuously composed works for clavier, organ and orchestra.

By 1717, Bach had achieved all possible heights in Weimar and began to look for another place of work. At first his old employer did not want to let him go, and even put him under arrest for a month. However, Bach soon left him and headed to the city of Köthen. If earlier his music was largely composed for religious services, here, due to the special requirements of the employer, the composer began to write mainly secular works.

In 1720, Bach's wife suddenly died, but a year and a half later he married the young singer again.

In 1723, Johann Sebastian Bach became cantor of the choir at the Church of St. Thomas in Leipzig, and then was appointed “musical director” of all churches working in the city. Bach continued to write music until his death - even after losing his sight, he dictated it to his son-in-law. Died great composer in 1750, now his remains rest in the very Church of St. Thomas in Leipzig, where he worked for 27 years.

They are divided into instrumental and vocal. The first include: for organ - sonatas, preludes, fugues, fantasies and toccatas, chorale preludes; for piano – 15 inventions, 15 symphonies, French and English suites, “Klavierübung” in four movements (partitas, etc.), a number of toccatas and other works, as well as “The Well-Tempered Clavier” (48 preludes and fugues in all keys); “Musical Offering” (a collection of fugues on themes of Frederick the Great) and the cycle “The Art of Fugue”. In addition, Bach has sonatas and partitas for violin (among them the famous Chaconne), for flute, cello (gamba) with piano accompaniment, concertos for piano and orchestra, as well as for two or more pianos, etc., concerts and suites for strings and wind instruments, as well as a suite for the five-string viola pomposa invented by Bach ( medium instrument between viola and cello).

Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach. Artist E. G. Haussmann, 1748

All these works are characterized by high degree skillful polyphony, not found in a similar form either before or after Bach. With amazing skill and perfection, Bach solves the most complex problems of contrapuntal technique, both in large and small forms. But it would be a mistake to deny his melodic ingenuity and expressiveness at the same time. Counterpoint was not something memorized and difficult to apply for Bach, but was his natural language and form of expression, the comprehension and understanding of which must first be acquired in order for the manifestations of deep and versatile spiritual life expressed in this form to be fully understood and so that the gigantic the mood of his organ works, as well as the melodic charm and richness of changing moods in the fugues and suites for piano, were fully appreciated. Therefore, in most of the works related here, especially in individual numbers from the “Well-Tempered Clavier,” we have, along with completeness of form, character plays extremely varied content. It is this connection that determines their special and unique position in musical literature.

Despite all this, Bach's works for a long time after his death they were known and appreciated only by some experts, but the public almost forgot them. Per share Mendelssohn it fell, thanks to the performance in 1829 under his baton of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, to once again arouse general interest in the late composer and win him over vocal works a proper place of honor in musical life – and not just in Germany.

Johann Sebastian Bach. Best works

This includes, first of all, those intended for worship. spiritual cantatas written by Bach (for all Sundays and holidays) in the amount of five complete annual cycles. Only about 226 cantatas have survived to us, quite reliable. The Gospel texts served as their text. The cantatas consist of recitatives, arias, polyphonic choruses and a chorale that concludes the entire work.

Next comes “music of passions” ( Passions), of which Bach wrote five. Of these, unfortunately, only two have reached us: Passion by John and Passion by Matthew; of these, the first was first performed in 1724, the second in 1729. The reliability of the third - the Passion according to Luke - is subject to great doubt. Musically dramatic portrayal of a story of suffering Christ in these works he achieves the highest completeness of form, the greatest musical beauty and power of expression. In a form mixed from epic, dramatic and lyrical elements, the story of the suffering of Christ passes before our eyes plastically and convincingly. The epic element appears in the person of the reciting evangelist, the dramatic element appears in the words of biblical figures, especially Jesus himself, interrupting the speech, as well as in the lively choirs of the people, the lyrical element appears in arias and choruses of a contemplative nature, and the chorale, contrasted with the whole presentation, indicates the direct relationship of the work to the divine service and hints at the community's participation in it.

Bach. St. Matthew Passion

A similar work, but of a lighter mood, is “ Christmas Oratorio"(Weihnachtsoratorium), written in 1734. It has also reached us" Easter Oratorio" Along with these large works associated with Protestant worship, adaptations of ancient Latin church texts are at the same height and just as perfect: Masses and five-voice Magnificat. Among them, the first place is taken by large Mass in B minor(1703). Just as Bach delved with faith into the words of the Bible, here he took up with faith the ancient words of the text of the Mass and depicted them in sounds with such richness and variety of feeling, with such power of expression that even now, clothed in a strict polyphonic fabric, they deeply captivating and deeply moving. The choirs in this work are among the greatest that has ever been created in the field of church music. The demands placed on the choir here are extremely high.

(Biographies of other great musicians - see the block “More on the topic...” below the text of the article.)