The Classics 1

Music has been around since the dawn of time and people who have influenced music are numerous. Some of the very first are from the baroque period of music and the 18th century. There were two great musicians from this time period. They were Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.

Bach was born in Germany in 1685. He came from a musically inclined family. He could sing very well, his father taught him to play the violin, and he learned to play the organ like his brother. When Bach’s parents died in quick succession he went to live with his brother. It was then he learned keyboard instruments form his brother who was an organist. At the age of 18 he was hired as an organist. When he was 20 he went to visit another church and hear its organist. He was so impressed he stayed 4 months and when he returned he began to write his own organ preludes. Bach moved from church to church until he obtained a job as court organist to Duke Wilhelm Ernst. After obtaining this job his output of music increased greatly. He became very popular with the royalty that he was offered another job with Prince Leopold. It was during this time of his life he created instrumental works and was in great demand. When he later moved again he created a lot of choral music.

Bach’s music did not directly influence his predecessors in music. By the 19th century his music was rediscovered and was found to be a great resource to train young musicians and became the core or classic music. His music is still studied today because of the harmonization Bach used. He understood in music in a way that no other musician ever did. He died at the age of 65. He was totally blind the last year of his life. His sons followed in his musical footsteps. Bach was married twice and fathered 20 children.

Handel was also born in Germany in 1685. Handel was a master of 18th century opera. He composed his first opera at the age of 19. He traveled to the center of German opera and from then went on a sojourn to Italy to further study his new obsession of opera. After Italy we went to England and continued to produce more operas and oratorios. He became “one of the most important practitioners of late Baroque opera seria.” His opera Messiah became well known and put him into the main stream. Every small town had a performance of his oratorios. Messiah “remains one of the most widely performed pieces in the entire classical repertoire.” Unfortunately, it does not lead performers to investigate Handel’s other works.

Both Handel and Bach influenced the flow of music during the 18th century. Even if their genius wasn’t properly appreciated until later years they still influence music today. Most beginning instrumental books have a selection or two by Bach and Handel. They are some of the greats of classical music. Their music has survived over 300 years and will continue to survive and inspire young composers as new music in created.



For further information and readings visit:

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102084300

http://www.8notes.com/school/history/Handel.asp

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ba-Be/Bach-Johann-Sebastian.html

Pictures from:


http://www.justonic.com/images/bach.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/musiced/1/0/o/8/handel.jpg