Memo-2429

Type:

Bach Caricature

Title:

Bach's morning devotions

Description:

Bach's life was defined by poverty. But in music he poured out wealth. Every form he touched, he improved. He perfected the "well-tempered" scale which by dividing every octave into twelve equal distances allowed any key on the organ to start a scale. His keyboard technique used all five fingers where three had been the norm. The Well-Tempered Clavier and Art of the Fugue trained musicians such as Beethoven. Beethoven remarked: "He should not be called Bach (brook) but Meer (sea)."
Every note Bach wrote was dedicated to Christ. Throughout his manuscripts appear cryptic abbreviations such as "I. N. J." standing for In Nomine Jesu; that is, "In the Name of Jesus." According to him, music's aim and purpose is to glorify God and provide recreation for the mind. "Where this is not observed there will be no real music but only devilish hubbub." He poured emotion into his music which became the mother of Romanticism. His portrayals of Christ's passion made frequent use of dissonance. Combining expressive melodies with a rhythmic bass line, he conveyed, according to William H. Scheide, "the union of the divine and human in the person of Christ."

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Source/Links: Christian History Institute
Contributor: Teddy Kaufman (January 2008)