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Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach is one of the 3 B's of classical music--along with Beethoven and Brahms. But during his lifetime, very little of his music was widely published. He was a professional musician, and most of his music was written for immediate use for a specific purpose. It was over a hundred years after his death that his music became widely known and recognized as Baroque masterpieces.

Sample the following internet sites and complete the activities for each one to learn more about the composer who wrote over 1200 pieces of music in his life.

Johann Sebastian Bach
http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/map.html

  1. Where and when was Bach born?
  2. What instrument did Bach play exceptionally well?
  3. How many brothers and sisters did Bach have? Where was he in the order of children-first, last, the middle?
  4. How old was he when his parents died?
  5. How old was Bach when he secured his first position in the choir of St. Michael's School in Lüneburg?
  6. Bach really loved to hear great organ music. How did he get to the town of Lübeck to hear the organist Dietrich Buxtehude?
  7. During the years that Bach was in the service of the royal courts, what was he obliged to do that ultimately benefited Bach lovers today?
  8. How many children did Bach have with his first wife? How many children did he have with his second wife? How many of his total children lived to be adults? How many of his children also became well-known composers?
  9. In which German town did Bach spend most of his life?
  10. While Bach was employed by the Lutheran church, what was he obliged to do that, again, ultimately benefited Bach lovers today?
  11. What catastrophic thing happened to Bach in 1749? After this event, how did Bach compose his music?
  12. When did Bach die? How old was he when he died?

Johann Sebastian Bach
http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxjsbach.html

  1. What did Bach's father do for a living?
  2. Bach's family name enjoyed a wide reputation for what?
  3. After his parents died, where did Bach live?
  4. What attribute acquired Johann a position in the choir of the wealthy Michaelis monastery at Lüneburg?

The Baroque
http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/g_epoch_baroque.html

  1. What years did the Baroque period in music cover?
  2. What are some of the characteristics of Baroque music?
  3. List early Baroque composers.
  4. List middle Baroque composers.
  5. List late Baroque composers.
  6. Go to World Book Encyclopedia Online and find:
    • 5 facts about Baroque architecture
    • 5 facts about Baroque painting

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Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us