Bach received his first big job at the age of 23. He was a court musician, and wrote many wonderful organ pieces, most of which are still played today. It is unbelievable that these works survived, because during this time written pieces were not meant to be kept once they were played. He was one of the most highly skilled organists that ever lived. He was so fast with his hands and feet, people came from all over to see Bach play. Bach was also a very good improviser, making up new tunes as he played the pieces. He created so much music, that it would be impossible for anyone to write down all of it, so there are many of his cr

Around 1630, a new artistic movement, known as Baroque, was quickly spreading throughout Europe. Bach and Handel are the two most famous composers of the Baroque era. ?The drama in their music, the contrasts between soft and strong, chorus and solo, voices and instruments, are all typical of the Baroque style.? In 1708, Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimer appointed Bach as the court organist and chamber musician. Bach did most of his composing while he was at Weimer. In 1717, Bach was appointed Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen. Here he wrote several sonatas and concertos for the violin and the flute. Around the year 1721, Bach wrote a book of music called the Well-Tempered Clavier, which was composed of 24 exercises. It had a prelude and fugue for every major and minor key. Twenty years later, he produced a second volume that was just like the first [in format].

This piece includes a harpsichord, an ancestor to the piano. It begins with a pedal note, the low note that keeps ringing while others are played ?around it?. In this case, the pedal note is a low C and lasts for 13 seconds. This gives the song stability, making this piece feel momentous. It?s ?as if Bach were throwing open t

Some topics in this essay:
Well-Tempered Clavier, Sebastian Bach, Bach Handel, Ernst Saxe-Weimer, Leopold Anhalt-Cothen, prelude fugue, pedal note low, note low, fugue begins, low notes, pedal note,