Bach- Ein feste burg est unser gott
Context
Bach was born in 1985 and died in 1750
He was a German composer, and one of the most famous musicians of the Baroque period
In 1923 he was employed as the Cantor at St Thomas in Leipzig- he wrote music for the Lutheran churches of
that city (that had just undergone reformation)
He wrote about 300 cantatas, 100 of which had been lost since his death
During the Baroque period, political control of the church loosened, meaning that non-religious music was
able to flourish
Baroque music was encouraged by the Catholic church, who decided that arts should aim to communicate
religious themes
In the 16th century, Martin Luther wanted to involve more ordinary people in church ceremonies, which led to
more congregational singing in German, often in the form of a Chorale. These chorales were incorporated into
more complex cantatas, written for a soloist and accompanied by an orchestra
Instrumentation and dynamics
Chorus: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
SATB choir
Orchestra- strings and oboe
2x basso continuo- cello and cembalo; violone and organ
Orchestral parts double to the vocals
Lack of dynamics throughout the piece due to the limited nature of instruments of the time (especially the
keyboard instruments)
Aria and Chorale: ‘Alles, was von Gott geboren’
Duet for soprano and bass
Oboe (which doubles the soprano), unison violin and violas, and continuo
Chorale: ‘Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn’
SATB choir- simpler vocal lines so would be sung by the congregation
2x violins
Oboe (in A) and tenor oboe (in F)
Continuo organ, which doubles the bass
Melody
Chorus: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Lots of melismas throughout- complex vocals
Conjunct and scalic movement
Chromatic movement when saying ‘he is cruelly equipped’- example of word painting
Oboe plays simpler lines than the singers
Aria and Chorale: ‘Alles, was von Gott geboren’
Soprano sings an ornamented version of the chorale melody- like the A1 section of Purcell’s Music for a While
Ornate melismas
Scalic bassline
Chromaticism in soprano- more expressive
No dynamics
Chorale: ‘Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn’
Mostly syllabic
Passing notes create flow and melodic interest
Harmony
Chorus: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Functional and diatonic harmony- typical of Baroque harmony
Tonic pedals- Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no.5 (III)
Suspensions
Aria and Chorale: ‘Alles, was von Gott geboren’
Walking bass in the continuo- on the beat quavers, which are very typical of music in the Baroque period
Perfect cadences throughout the piece which help to reinforce the key
Chorale: ‘Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn’
Lots of suspensions throughout
Context
Bach was born in 1985 and died in 1750
He was a German composer, and one of the most famous musicians of the Baroque period
In 1923 he was employed as the Cantor at St Thomas in Leipzig- he wrote music for the Lutheran churches of
that city (that had just undergone reformation)
He wrote about 300 cantatas, 100 of which had been lost since his death
During the Baroque period, political control of the church loosened, meaning that non-religious music was
able to flourish
Baroque music was encouraged by the Catholic church, who decided that arts should aim to communicate
religious themes
In the 16th century, Martin Luther wanted to involve more ordinary people in church ceremonies, which led to
more congregational singing in German, often in the form of a Chorale. These chorales were incorporated into
more complex cantatas, written for a soloist and accompanied by an orchestra
Instrumentation and dynamics
Chorus: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
SATB choir
Orchestra- strings and oboe
2x basso continuo- cello and cembalo; violone and organ
Orchestral parts double to the vocals
Lack of dynamics throughout the piece due to the limited nature of instruments of the time (especially the
keyboard instruments)
Aria and Chorale: ‘Alles, was von Gott geboren’
Duet for soprano and bass
Oboe (which doubles the soprano), unison violin and violas, and continuo
Chorale: ‘Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn’
SATB choir- simpler vocal lines so would be sung by the congregation
2x violins
Oboe (in A) and tenor oboe (in F)
Continuo organ, which doubles the bass
Melody
Chorus: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Lots of melismas throughout- complex vocals
Conjunct and scalic movement
Chromatic movement when saying ‘he is cruelly equipped’- example of word painting
Oboe plays simpler lines than the singers
Aria and Chorale: ‘Alles, was von Gott geboren’
Soprano sings an ornamented version of the chorale melody- like the A1 section of Purcell’s Music for a While
Ornate melismas
Scalic bassline
Chromaticism in soprano- more expressive
No dynamics
Chorale: ‘Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn’
Mostly syllabic
Passing notes create flow and melodic interest
Harmony
Chorus: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Functional and diatonic harmony- typical of Baroque harmony
Tonic pedals- Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no.5 (III)
Suspensions
Aria and Chorale: ‘Alles, was von Gott geboren’
Walking bass in the continuo- on the beat quavers, which are very typical of music in the Baroque period
Perfect cadences throughout the piece which help to reinforce the key
Chorale: ‘Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn’
Lots of suspensions throughout
