The Vision of the Divine in the Music of Johann Sebastian Bach. A Cultural Analysis of the Late Baroque in Europe

Essay , 2015 , 16 Pages , Grade: A

Cultural Studies - Miscellaneous

The statement of this essay is the following: Johann Sebastian Bach’s music is his own religion. It does not matter where it is performed, because it turns every room into a church. His chords build actual cathedrals, and his compositions stream devotion to God and the Divine. Bach is the theologian among classical composers. He examined fundamental questions about life and death, human creation, and the Creator. Without a doubt, it takes a lifetime to be able to interpret and perform Bach’s music, understand it, emotionally experience it, envision the divine and heaven, and to understand life, death, good, and evil as his music presents it.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• The Vision of the Divine in the Music of J.S. Bach - a Cultural Analysis of the Late Baroque in Europe
• Thesis statement
• The Baroque Period in Europe
• Ornamentation in Baroque Music
• Churches and Cathedrals in the Baroque Era
• The Impact of the Baroque Era in Germany
• Music in the Baroque Era
• Bach’s Life
• Bach's Music

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This work aims to explore the vision of the divine in the music of J.S. Bach, analyzing his compositions in the context of the Late Baroque period in Europe. The analysis focuses on how Bach's music reflects the cultural, religious, and artistic trends of the era.

• The influence of Baroque culture and Catholicism on Bach's music
• The connection between music, art, architecture, and religious devotion in the Baroque period
• The depiction of heaven and the divine in Bach's compositions
• The theological and philosophical themes explored in Bach's music
• The lasting impact of Bach's music on Western culture

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Abstract: The abstract introduces the central thesis of the work, highlighting the religious and theological significance of Bach's music.
• The Vision of the Divine in the Music of J.S. Bach - a Cultural Analysis of the Late Baroque in Europe: This section provides an overview of the Baroque period and its influence on Bach's music. It discusses the cultural and religious context of the era and its impact on artistic creations, emphasizing the devotion to God and the depiction of religious scenes.
• Thesis statement: This section restates the central thesis of the work, emphasizing the religious nature of Bach's music and its ability to transform any space into a holy place.
• The Baroque Period in Europe: This section provides further details about the Baroque period in Europe, including its origins, artistic characteristics, and the strong influence of the Catholic Church. It highlights the use of ornamentation and dramatic style in various forms of art, including painting, sculpture, architecture, and music.
• Ornamentation in Baroque Music: This section focuses on the use of ornamentation in Baroque music, particularly in Bach's compositions. It describes how ornamentation was a key element of the style and reflected the era's emphasis on grandeur and detail.
• Churches and Cathedrals in the Baroque Era: This section discusses the architectural features of churches and cathedrals during the Baroque period, highlighting the use of ornate decorations, powerful light effects, and dramatic spaces to create a mystical atmosphere for worshippers. It also mentions the work of famous Baroque architect and sculptor Bernini.
• The Impact of the Baroque Era in Germany: This section explores the influence of the Baroque era on Germany, where Bach was born and raised. It describes the architectural and artistic features of the era, including the construction of churches, cathedrals, and plazas adorned with elaborate decorations.
• Music in the Baroque Era: This section provides an overview of music in the Baroque era, describing the development of new musical forms and techniques, such as sonatas, cantatas, symphonies, and oratories. It also explains the significance of the "ground bass" technique in Baroque music.
• Bach’s Life: This section provides biographical information about Bach's life, including his birthplace, family background, and his early musical training. It also mentions the significant number of cantatas he composed and the survival of only two hundred of them.
• Bach's Music: This section discusses the diverse range of Bach's musical compositions, including large choral-orchestral works like Brandenburg Concertos, Mass in key of B, and St. Matthew and St. John Passions. It also mentions The Goldberg Variations and his vocal compositions, highlighting their celestial qualities and representation of heaven.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This work focuses on the music of J.S. Bach in the context of the Late Baroque period in Europe. It explores the themes of religious devotion, the depiction of heaven and the divine, the influence of Catholicism and Baroque culture on music, and the lasting impact of Bach's music on Western culture.

• College: Northern Arizona University (College of arts and letters)
• Grade: A
• Author: Marina Riggins (Author)
• Publication Year: 2015
• Pages: 16
• Catalog Number: V921803
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346243041
• ISBN (Book): 9783346243058
• Language: English
• Tags: vision, divine, music, johann, sebastian, bach, cultural, analysis, late, baroque, europe