Analysis of Sheet Music, Johann Sebastian Bach

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Analysis of Sheet Music

While many people listen and enjoy music, not all people analyze music for more complex things such as formal analysis or melody. However, by examining music for these things it is possible to gain a greater understanding of the music. This makes it so that people have greater appreciation for the music as well. Some of the best music to analyze is classical music. This is because classical music has many different levels and has lasted test of time over many year. The current essay examine Bach’s work prelude-fugue in D major for background, formal elements, and cultural elements.

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of history’s most important composers. He was a German composer who lived between the 17th and 18th centuries. Even though his music did not gain great acclaim until 19th century, since this time Bach is viewed as one of greatest composer ever. The title of the song is Bach’s prelude-fugue in D major. This song is from the Well-Tempered Clavier which is a collection of keyboard music he recorded toward early part of 19th century. The Well-Tempered Clavier is one of Bach’s most popular works. It contains two volumes. In each of these volumes there is a prelude and fugue in every major and minor key of chromatic scale. The great amount of variety in composition makes the composition very complex but also very enjoyable to listen to. Bach’s prelude-fugue in D major was first release in 1722.

Listening to Bach’s prelude-fugue in D major the first thing that is noticed is that it is very complex. There are many different notes that are played in the opening part of the composition. Having this many notes gives one immediate feeling of how the music is complex. The time signature of the music ...

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...e Well-Tempered Clavier. The formal analysis found that the song was very complex. The song used as 12/8 signature with a high level of beats per minute. The song largely relied on notes going up and down the scale and combined this with stops and starts in rhythm. The song was influenced by the Renaissance and French manier. Ultimately, analyzing song allows one to understand many parts of the song that would not be clear if they just listened to the song.

References

Digitalcommons.cedarville.edu. (2014). "instruction, devotion, and affection: three roles of

bach’s well-tempered clavier" by rachel a. lowrance. [online] Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/musicalofferings/vol4/iss1/2/ [Accessed: 31 Jan 2014].

Kirkpatrick, R. (1984). Interpreting Bach's Well-tempered clavier: a performer's discourse of

method. Yale University Press.

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