Bach and jazz connection

Students of the ATHENEE ROYAL VICTOR HORTA

1Do this two songs have something in common?We can admit that the differences between these two styles are easily distinguished. Our challenge is to spot the similarities between Baroque Music and Jazz and we are going to do it with the help of the music teacher. But this analysis will be part of the second phase that we intend to present in Madrid.

2Putting Baroque in context

3The Baroque Era is the periode between the Renaissance and the Classical Era. Baroque (which means irregular pearl) has extravagant and bizarre qualities of the music: harmonies, textures and forms more free and unpredictable than those of either the Renaissance of Classical Eras. In Baroque music, the beat is far more distinct.

Overview Time period (1600-1750 )4Music had energy and motion, ornamentation and extremes. The expression of feelings (affect) became important and passions were represented through music. The harmonies, textures and forms are free and unpredictable. The baroque music is famous for its doctrine of mood. Rhythmic patterns heard at the beginning of the piece are reiterated many times throughout the piece. Baroque music creates a feeling of continuity and has terraced dynamics. The music is polyphonic which means that two more melodic lines compete for the listeners attention.

Baroque music5Gutenbergs movable type (1453) led to printed music (1501) Ottaviano Petrucci Printed music allowed musical compositions to be performed by many different individuals and ensembles in a variety of places. Printed music allows us to know much more about music after this time.

Historical events that influenced Baroque period6Unity of moods: A baroque piece is famous for its doctrine of mood. What is happy will be happy throughout and what is sad continues to the end. There is one exception to this rule: Drastic changes of emotions in the text may inspire corresponding changes in music.Rhythm: Rhythmic patterns heard at the beginning of the piece is reiterated many times throughout the piece. This relentless drive compelled the music to push forward. This forward motion is hardly ever interrupted. The beat are also far more distinct in baroque music.Melody: Baroque music creates a feeling of continuity. An opening melody will be heard over and over again in the course of the piece. Even if the character of the piece is constant, the passage is varied. Many baroque melodies are complex and elaborate. They are not easy to sing or play. Baroque melodies give an impression of dynamic expansion rather than balance and symmetry. It gives a whole feeling of a jumble yet a theme is distinctly heard.Characteristics of Baroque Style Music 7Terraced Dynamics: the dynamics of the piece stay constant for some period of time before it shifts to another level. When the dynamics shift, it is sudden like physically stepping of a step.Texture: Late baroque music are often and predominantly polyphonic in texture: two more melodic lines compete for the listeners attention. Usually the soprano and the bass line are more important and imitation between various lines is very common. A melodic line that happen in one voice will happen in other voices as well. However, this was not strict during Bachs and Handels time, short snatches of homophonic pieces may also occur.Basso continuo and figure bass: In any baroque piece, it is common to see figures basses, little numbers at the bottom of the stave, it indicates the chords that the basso continuo player must play. The basso continuo consists of the cello and the harpsichord.

Characteristics of Baroque Style Music 8Musical Instruments

Clavichord

Organ

Harpsichord

Violin

Bass Viol

Flute

Bassoon

Oboe

Timpani9Johann Sebastien Bach (1685 1750)

10-Most prominent composer of Baroque Period -Born in Eisenach, Germany; family with many musicians -Composed music at three locations during career (a few famous works composed at each)Weimar--music for church services Cthen--The Well-Tempered Clavier and 6 Brandenburg Concertos Leipzig--Mass in b minor, the cantata, Wachet Auf (A Mighty Fortress is Our God), St. Matthew Passion, 2 and 3- part Inventions for harpsichord11First wife, Maria Barbara, dies Marries Anna Magdalena, for which he wrote book of keyboard music, still used today

12Johann Sebastian Bach Other Important Works

St. Matthew Passion--for vocalists and orchestra The Well-Tempered Clavier--Books 1 and 2--two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 of the major and minor keys Toccata and Fugue in D minor--for keyboard Chorale Prelude (Wachet Auf)--an organ version of one movement of his Cantata #140 (a chorale prelude was played prior to singing the hymn on which it was based)

13Bach and his contribution to music

He was the father of the Baroque musical era. Almost all music today can be traced back to Bachs rhythmic and melodic ideas. Bachs surviving sons were all successful composers in their own right.

14Saxophonists and trumpeters in jazz get to step in and out of the limelight in the same way as soloists in Bachs Brandenburg Concertos. In both jazz and Bachs music we can listen to how these two styles of music are both intimately concerned with the interweaving of melodic lines, how they are driven forwards by a propulsive, life-affirming rhythmic groove, how soloists step outside of the ensemble chatter to take their moment in the sun. There, in essence, are the roots of why jazz musicians have always embraced JS Bach as one of their own.A good way to see these similarities is by listening to these two songs:- Potato Head Blues by Louis Armstrong- Concerto no. 5 BWV 1050 in D Major Allegro (concerto italiano)Bach and Jazz connection (Bachs influence on Jazz)

15Some musicians have aimed to evoke explicitly the sound world of Bach and of his Baroque compadres. For other jazz players, the challenge has been to learn wider lessons from Bach about the nature and function of musical material: to learn the lessons while ditching the stylistic reference point.

Bach's language had much in common with the language of jazz. The similarities between improvised jazz (particularly bebop) and Bach's Baroque music is readily apparent. They both involve improvisation, a particular musical language or dialect, ornamentation and counterpoint. Jazz is also harmonically very similar to Baroque music. And also the use of ostinatos or if you like basso continuo is something they have in common.

Bach and Jazz connection (Bachs influence on Jazz)

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