Term Paper on "Bachs' Symphonies Comparing"

Term Paper 6 pages (1934 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Bachs' Symphonies

Comparing Bachs

Discuss the origins of the early classical symphony with particular reference to J.C. Bach's Opus 18 number 4 and C.P.E. Bach's Symphony in D.

The earliest classical music may have been found during the Baroque, as it flowed into the 1750s, overlapping the Baroque (1600-1760) during the early 1700s and becoming Romantic (1815-1910) in the early 1800s. There were working then many well-known composers that remain familiar today: Johan Sebastian Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Bocherini, Clementi, and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788), the second son of Johan Sebastian Bach.

When Europe started moving toward styles that echoed the classic Greek in architecture, philosophy, literature and the arts in general, this style was referred to as "classicism." Inspired by the freedom of the literature, composers began to feature melody over the strict, yet clear polyphony of the Baroque period. Melody was important, yet was supported with harmony, called "homophony" (Benjamin 5).

The symphony proper during the early classical period of the 17th and 18th century was "a lengthy form of musical composition for orchestra normally consisting of several large sections, or movements, at least one of which usually employs sonata form." In 18th-century symphonies, melodies which were chord-generated or which arose from arpeggiated triads, abound. There are a number of families of stereotyped themes which can be distinguished during this time. These themes furnished the raw material for composers to develop further. In those times, originality meant not so much the original theme as the realization of the theme's implications. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Chords became the featured structure of music, and the playing of chords in all their possibilities and richness was developed and utilized in all its infinite possibilities in the symphonies of C.P.E. Bach. "To Johann Sebastian Bach music owes as great a debt as does a religion to its founder," said Robert Schumann. And Bach himself acknowledged that he was "obliged to work hard. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed just as well." Gounad said of him "Bach is a colossus of Rhodes, beneath whom all musicians pass and will continue to pass. Mozart is the most beautiful, Rossini the most brilliant, but Bach is the most comprehensive: he has said all there is to say." (Rosen 30).Who can doubt that J.S. Bach was the most profound, the most brilliant and a genius who all other musicians wish to emulate.

J.S. Bach's Symphony, called Opus 18, number 4, is a good example of the basic structure used during this era. The rhythmic and harmonic structure of the theme (or leader) implies a tonic triad, so that the follower's first measure implies tonic harmony and enters against it. A bit further along, the rhythm become 2:1 counterpoint and the contours of the two measures appear contrary in motion. Repetition, of course, is the main technique in composition which Bach used. In measure three of the leader, it is constructed to form the 2:1 counterpoint with contrary motion against measure 2, and so on throughout this passage. Every theme can accompany itself imitatively. Bach calculated each theme to serve as the counterpoint of itself at any interval of imitation, creating harmonic rhythmic intervals as the structure. At any point throughout the work, the themes, though imitative, could also stand alone as being well-shaped, satisfying and coherent (Benjamin 55).

In measures 9 through 11, he uses the diatonic notes of C major to imitate the interval, but the upper voice is placed in whole and half steps and is quite different from the lower voice. The subtle changes he makes in interval quality, though not in the actual number of the intervals, are typical of the continuing imitativeness of this music and allows the music to stay within the key. Staying within the G. And D major, Bach continues up until the end, when a nonimitative bass voice provides harmonic motion, clarification and motive filling-in.

The work is thus incredibly structured and mathematically proper, yet fills the senses with a delightful sense of majesty, lightness and richness. When the work is dissected like this, one is only more appreciative of the genius of J.S. Bach and Early classical symphonies were called "sinfonias" and could be divided into three sections or movements, a fast movement, a slow movement and another fast movement. They were distinct from operas, which held a variety of themes and melodies. The symphony was a form which held repetition of theme and variations of that theme in most or each of the movements. According to some critics, the classic symphony could be divided into three periods, of (1) the main theme, with variations, but tonic-dominant, (2) the main theme with variations in a slower form, modulating it and (3) the main theme with variations, all in tonic.

These symphonies sometimes led to independent works on the parts of the composers, who created sonatas or smaller pieces from them.

Affected by the Enlightenment, the early classical symphonies were quite diversified in composition. As each symphony was created for performance for public and social occasions, there were many composers and many symphonies created during this time, financed by their bourgeois and aristocratic clientele. Orchestras were developed as a result, to play these many new pieces. Non-symphonic pieces were also being produced on an individual basis: sonatas being a popular composition for an individual musician.

Because the symphony was just developing its form and formulation, there were thousands of compositions which ranged from true symphonic form to those which could not be called symphonies, but were a variation and experimentation with a variety of formulas which might be pleasing to the clients and listeners of the day, but which do not sound as structured or as dependent on repetition and melody as the true symphonic form. Much musical terminology resulted during this era of experimentation and the pre-classical and early classical period developed many different forms of music which were expanded upon by later composers, who improved upon and developed them for orchestral production.

It is said that C.P.E. Bach was an even better composer than his famous father, yet today J.S. Bach's strict and brisk dynamics are more famous than his son's. We enjoy the simplicity and depth of his intricate working of the notes. His reworking of a melody was a common feature of his works. During the Classical period, however, C.P.E. Bach felt freer than his father and many of his movements in the Symphony in D. are light yet easily heard in all their multiple variety. More kinds of musical instruments were used in the symphonies. As the period progressed, dramatic melodies, crashing chords and clear compositions were popular. Salieri, influenced by Gluck, composed more instrumental melodious and changing moods within the piece. Bach came later, composing what was called pre-classical or early classical style music. No longer tightly structured and played in parlors, the new music was played in public venues and was full of contrast and played for effect.

During the period in the middle of the 17th century the opera and vocal music were all the rage, with independent vocalists and independent musicians becoming the performing artists of the day. Opera or vocal music performing "art songs" became very popular. The Classical movement began as a movement away from the Baroque, which appears stiff and unyielding in comparison. C.P.E. Bach and Joseph Haydn became known for their piano compositions and are known as the "fathers of the symphony" with their highly dramatic "sturm und drang."

C.P.E. Bach was clearly superior to the other composers of the day in his understanding of form. In his Sympathy No. 1 in D. he showed that he knew the Baroque form very well, having been taught by his father, the master of it, yet was young and able to take it and make it new, using the old form with new trappings. Taking a foundation of strings and woodwinds, with particularly rhythmical movements, the symphony became established at mid-century. C.P.E. Bach was one of those who demonstrated his command of the old within the composition of new forms. The Symphony in D. uses polyphony with skill to bring the world into the classical era.

The new "sinfonia" reached well beyond the simply sonata form into a rich rhythmic, harmonious blend of instruments, forms, tempo changes and breathtaking pauses and crescendos. The resulting emotional dance that the music leads the listener into uses dramatic surprises and expectations to tease the senses. By the end of this era the symphony had become established as the form in which it remains today (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Using C.P.E.Bach's Symphony No. 1 in D major as an example, one can see it is in 3 parts, Allegro di Molta, the Largo and the Presto. The allegro is grand, if rapid, with strings sounding majestic as they bound up and down the scales. The Largo is much more majestic, sounding as if it were a Count riding on his white horse with satin and ribbons and the Presto is slower… READ MORE

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