Download Hstory of Bach`s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor

Ann Elmer
March 8, 2012
History of Composition
Johann Sebastian Bach Concerto for Violin No. 1 in A minor, BWV 1041
Music was instilled in Johann Sebastian Bach’s life even prior to his birth. Several
predecessors of J.S. Bach were famous musicians. J.S. Bach’s father was a professional violinist
in Eisenach, Germany, the birthplace of Johann Sebastian. J.S. Bach had the opportunity to learn
the violin from his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach prior to his father’s death when Johann
Sebastian was merely 10 years old.
As a composer, J.S. Bach’s profession was mostly that of sacred music for the church.
When he was a young boy, he sang in the choir. After learning the organ, he was employed as
the church organist. J.S. Bach composed nearly one hundred fifty chorale preludes or hymns and
he believed all music should serve the “Glory of God.”1
Although working for the (Lutheran) church consumed most of J.S. Bach’s profession,
there was a brief period of time from 1717-1723, when he was employed by a Calvinist, who
opposed the Lutheran religious beliefs. Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen was a young prince,
only twenty five years old. The prince toured Europe for three years and became a music
enthusiast after hearing the latest styles. He hired J.S. Bach as the Capellmeister in his court,
which is the highest rank that a musician could achieve during the baroque period. An orchestra
of eighteen members were selected and hired by Prince Leopold for their high musical standards.
In Cothen from 1717-1723, Bach’s focus was on secular music. He was free to
experiment and explore with the talented ensemble. During this time J.S. Bach was able to
create a richer and more complex music. The orchestra along with the prince would travel
through Europe together. It was during this period that J.S. Bach composed his Violin Concerto
No. 1 in A minor.
A solo concerto is defined as a musical composition for one or more soloists
accompanied by an orchestra with typically three contrasting movements.2 This concerto was
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The Enjoyment of Music
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concerto
written in the Baroque period and has several distinguishing features of a Baroque concerto.
First, there are three movements which are: I. Allegro moderato, II. Andante and III. Allegro
assai. The first movement is fast with the second movement slower and a return to fast again in
the third movement. This contrast is typical of a Baroque concerto.
Baroque concertos notoriously contain two distinct and different groups of sound.3
Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 1, features the violin but is accompanied by the harpsichord, cello
and double bass. This accompaniment is called the basso continuo which was established during
the baroque period. It is also written in a minor key which was introduced in the Baroque era.
This particular piece is also written in ritornello form defined as a “short, recurring instrumental
passage.”4
J.S. Bach was not well known for his violin concertos probably because there are only
four known violin concertos that have survived. Although musicologists assume there were
others, only two solo concertos and two concertos for two violins are known.5
Italian composer, Antonio Vivaldi on the other hand is well known for the composition of
about 500 concertos including 230 for solo violin.6 Vivaldi was just 10 years older than Bach
and also learned to play violin from his own father. Although Bach and Vivaldi never met in
person, Vivaldi influenced Bach’s music. Bach was known to eagerly learn and indulge in the
variety of different styles of French, Italian and German composers. He even took liberty to
rearrange several concertos by Vivaldi written for solo piano and orchestra. Vivaldi’s influence
and styles can be heard in Bach’s concertos specifically the ritornello structure and the fast-slowfast movements common in the baroque era.
Although J.S. Bach’s fame came about from his organ works and fugues, he was also a
virtuoso violinist. His first professional appointment was as a violinist in Weimar in 1703. As
said of J.S. Bach by his son Carl Philipp Emanuel, “From his youth up to fairly old age he
played the violin purely and with a penetrating tone and thus kept the orchestra in top form,
much better than he could have from the harpsichord. He completely understood the possibilities
of all stringed instruments.”7 Bach’s importance and influence continued even after his death
with his contributions spilling into the Classical era. Successive musicians continue to study and
perform Bach’s masterful works even today.
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The Enjoyment of Music
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http://www.sfsymphony.org/music/ProgramNotes.aspx?id=40774
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The Enjoyment of music
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http://www.sfsymphony.org/music/ProgramNotes.aspx?id=40774
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Bibliography
1. "Bach the Italian Influence Marshall." The Gothic Catalog. Web. 08 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.gothic-catalog.com/Bach_the_Italian_Influence_Marshall_p/lrcd
1023.htm>.
2. "BAROQUE MUSIC DEFINED." BAROQUE MUSIC PAGE: Biogs, Pictures, Music
Samples. Web. 08 Mar. 2012. <http://www.baroquemusic.org/bardefn.html>.
3. "Classical Net - J.S. Bach Works List - Concertos and Orchestral Suites." Classical Net.
Web. 08 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.classical.net/music/composer/works/jsbach/lists/bwv80.php>.
4. "Classical, Symphonic, Orchestral Series." Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. Web. 08 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/public-domain/composers/vivaldi.html>.
5. "Concerto." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 08 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concerto>.
6. Forney, Kristine, and Joseph Machlis. The Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to
Perceptive Listening. New York: W.W. Norton, 2007. 134-35. Print.
7. "Johann Sebastian Bach: A Detailed Informative Biography." BAROQUE MUSIC PAGE:
Biogs, Pictures, Music Samples. Web. 08 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxjsbach.html>.
8. Jones, Trevelyn E.Toth, LuannCharnizon, MarleneGrabarek, DarylLarkins, JeanneSteinberg,
Renee. "Johann Sebastian Bach & The Art Of Baroque Music (Book)." School Library
Journal 50.8 (2004): 136-137. Vocational and Career Collection. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.