Johan Sebastian
Bach is known as one of the greatest composers of any musical era. Born
into a family of musicians, Bach not only wrote music, but also became a
violist and a virtuoso organist. He never left Germany. One of his great
works is the Brandenburg Concerto, named after Margrave of Brandenburg, the
man that hired him. While hold an official position as court musician
(organist) in 1721 in at the princedom of Leopold in Kothen or Anahlt Kothen,
he wrote most of this piece out of restlessness. He assembled 6 works, and
they each make the use of as many combinations of common instruments as he
could think of.
WIKIPEDIA
"The First Concerto in F
major calls for two
French horns, three
oboes,
bassoon, and
violine piccolo as
well as two violins, viola, and
basso continuo for
accompaniment. This varied group of instrumentalists presents a dance-like
concert. An earlier version of this concerto survives as a
sinfonia, BWV 1046a.
The Second Concerto, also
in F major, is in the form of a
concerto grosso
and calls for a somewhat simpler but rather unusual ensemble of piccolo
trumpet,
recorder, oboe, and
solo violin, with two violins, viola, and basso continuo again accompanying.
The Third Concerto in G
major is often cited as the prototype of the modern
string quartet as
Bach here calls for only string instruments. The three violins, three
violas, and three cellos are accompanied by basso continuo. The dazzling
third movement shows up in many movie and commercial soundtracks.
The Fourth Concerto in G major
for violin and two flutes accompanied by two violins, viola, and basso
continuo uses these common instruments in uncommon ways; the solo violin
part actually mimics the continuo accompaniment at times, moving what is
traditionally foundation to the treble register.
The Fifth Concerto in D
major for flute, violin, and
harpsichord with
violin, viola, and basso continuo support makes use of a very popular
chamber music ensemble (flute, violin, and harpsichord). Bach, himself a
keyboard virtuoso, included a stunning harpsichord cadenza in this concerto,
prefiguring the piano concerti of
Mozart and
Beethoven.
The Sixth Concerto in
B-flat major sets two trio groups against each other. One the one side sit
the "modern" violas (two) and cello while on the other side of the stage sit
the "old-fashioned"
violas da gamba and
double bass. These opposed low-register trios present a series of
call-and-response motifs that is totally without precedent in the musical
literature."
EXTRA INFO
