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Description: |
One of the greatest composers in Western musical history, J.S. Bach created masterpieces of choral and instrumental music. More than 1,000 of his works survive from every musical form and genre in use in 18th century Germany. During his lifetime, he was appreciated more as an organist than a composer. It was not until nearly a century after his death that a musical public came to appreciate his body of work. Bach composed over 200 cantatas, both secular and sacred. His command of many instruments and their resources is evident from his six cello suites, six violin sonatas and partitas, four lute suites and the accompanied sonatas for flute, violin, viola, and viola de gamba (now played on cello). For chamber orchestra, he composed four extended suites, as well as the six Brandenburg Concertos, and concertos for harpsichord, violin and oboe. Bach’s styles were always evolving and innovative, and always ahead of their time, which is perhaps why he met with some resistance during his lifetime and received his due respect posthumously. |
