Join us as we discuss Johann Sebastian Bach, the composer who signed most of his works, “Soli Deo Gloria,” who preferred to play in church rather than noblemen’s courts, and who wrote heavenly melodies because he was inspired by the Heavenly Father Himself.

<p>Join us as we discuss Johann Sebastian Bach, the composer who signed most of his works, “Soli Deo Gloria,” who preferred to play in church rather than noblemen’s courts, and who wrote heavenly melodies because he was inspired by the Heavenly Father Himself.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

GYC Southeast

Rhonda Grakov

Great in God's Sight Season 2

Johannes Kepler: Thinking God’s Thoughts

Blaise Pascal: Where Faith and Reason Intersect

Sir Robert Boyle: Christian Virtuoso

Sir Isaac Newton: On the Shores of the Ocean of Truth

The Celestial Railroad: Part 1

The Celestial Railroad: Part 2

The Celestial Railroad: Part 3

The Celestial Railroad: Part 4

Johann Sebastian Bach: This Art Still Lives

John Bunyan: Progress in Prison

Hello and welcome to Grading God's Sight, the podcast that explores underrated heroes. This is season two, and we're so glad you've joined us for this episode entitled Johan Sebastian Ba. This Art Still Lives. Please be sure to subscribe and check out the terrific artwork that goes along with today's story on our website, the great podcast.org. Thanks for listening. The house was black and still except for the faint click of a door latch. A little boy, perhaps 11 or 12 years old, slipped out of his room and softly crept into the library. There stood a cabinet full of sheet music locked behind a grill work door. The boy deftly squeezed his small hand through one of the openings in the grill, work his fingers feeling for a certain book of music by famous Clare, masters of the 17th century. Gently rolling the pages, he pulled the coveted music out of the cabinet and tiptoed back to his room, still clutching his prize, armed with an ink, quill quill, and a stash of blank pages. He opened the music book in the moonlight and began copying the little black notes, which meant so much to him. Several hours later, he tucked the manuscript into his hiding place and stealthily replaced the book in the cabinet. Christoph would never know what had been missing Every Moonlet night for six months, Johan Sebastian BA held his clandestine copying sessions until he finally possessed his own handwritten copy of the Clare Music. His big brother and music teacher, Johann Christoff, had pronounced strictly off limits ala for the ambitious young musician. Music cannot be played in audibly, and when Christoph heard the forbidden melodies, he promptly and some might say Heartlessly confiscated the manuscript after 300 years. It is difficult to say which of the brothers was right, but this unfortunate little anecdote is a good illustration of the musical fervor and diligence that characterized Johan Sebastian bk. From his earliest years, the box were a uniquely musical family. Johan Sebastian took pride in this fact and chronicled a family genealogy entitled Origins of the musical BK family. Apparently the musical streak first showed up in his great-great-grandfather fight Ba. He was a miller who learned to keep time and play the sitter, an instrument somewhat like the loot. While grinding at the mill, Johan Sebastian and Johann Christoph's father continued the tradition and Johan Sabastian took the musical training of his own children very seriously. Twice married, he fathered 20 children and all, although only half survived to adulthood, and he once remarked to a friend. They are all born musicians, and I can assure you that I can already form an ensemble. Four of his sons would go on to become musical prodigies and composers themselves. Sadly, the BK parents died when Johann Sabastian was only 10 years old as the youngest of eight children. He was taken in by Johann Christoff, his oldest brother, who introduced him to the keyboard instruments of their era. These would've included the harps accord in Clavichord, but the majestic organ held first place in Johan Sebastian's heart. Johan Christoff was a good teacher, and by the age of 18, his little brother had received his first post as an organist. Johan Sebastian's genius for composition and improvisation were easy to spot and a certain prominent organist. After hearing the young man improvised, exclaimed, I thought this art was dead, but I see it still lives in you. Johan Sebastian Bach composed and performed during the Baroque era, the musical period known for its rich ornamentation, robust counterpoint, and expanding orchestras. Bach would become a towering figure of the age, but only after his death and through immense effort and productivity, music's only purpose should be the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit. BK is quoted as saying, in any case, he lived those words. It has been observed that throughout his entire life, Bach only ever accepted one truly prestigious post where his genius might have had a chance to be acknowledged by the world. For most of his 45 year career, he was content to be a lowly church cantor and musician. Consequently, box greatest fame during his lifetime was as an organist, and he was only appreciated as a brilliant composer during the 19th century. Nowadays, however, even those with only the remotest knowledge of classical music instantly recognize his name as well as some of his works. This is well merited because over the course of his life, Johan Zeba composed well over 1000 pieces of music astoundingly, but true to his calling as a church musician. Bach wrote approximately 75% of this massive music for use in church services. The last 27 years of his life were spent in Live six Germany, where he was the music director of one of the Lutheran churches in town. During his first three years in Lip Sync, he wrote over 200 cantatas, lengthy, elaborate sermons in music, which generally required choir, orchestra, and soloists, and we're specially tailored to compliment the scripture passages used in that week's service. If you do the math that averages to a little over a canata a week, this is mind boggling. Considering the astute observation that today a composer would be applauded for writing a cantata a year. Each of Bach finished Cantatas, along with many other works, were signed with the Latin initials, for to God alone Be the glory, and he frequently began his compositions with the initials JJ j Latin For Jesus, help me. Although we tend to think of box music as ancient and old fashioned, he was a musician whose quest for perfection in the service of God drove him to develop musical ideas that were perceived as bold, innovative, and somewhat radical. In his day, his sacred compositions were accused of being too ornamented and flamboyant for the worship service, attracting too much attention to the music itself rather than uplifting God. Sometimes his cantatas harmonized so well that the audience couldn't follow the melody and sing along, although he truly desired to glorify God. Bach often found himself in conflict with those who frowned upon elaborate church music that was his strong personality contributed to the friction. However, he was also firmly convicted of his calling to be a minister of music during the early 20th century. Johan Sebastian Box personal study Bible, A three volume set with notes and commentary compiled from Luther's writings was discovered. Box Bible is bursting with markings, marginal notes, underscores and meticulous textual corrections based on more standard editions of Luther's translation. Most of his notes have nothing to do with music. However, near the chapter listing David's musicians, he jotted down this chapter is the true foundation of All God pleasing music. By another passage describing the music at Solomon's Temple dedication, he wrote at Irreverent Performance of Music, God is always at hand with his gracious presence. As one scholar put it, Bach was indeed a Christian who lived with his Bible. It is fitting that Bach's most monumental work should vivify illuminate and beautify the sacred text of the Bible. He loved so much. The St. Matthew passion composed in Lipe in 1727 is a massive oratorio that takes its listeners through Christ's passion as recorded in the gospel of Matthew, originally written for two choirs, two orchestras, and solo voices. The work was on a much grander scale than most people in Bach Day were accustomed to. Although the passion is no opera, there is also a moving sense of drama as the singers narrate and comment on the greatest story ever told, the entirety of Matthew Chapters 26 and 27 are sung verbatim from Luther's German translation mostly by a tenor who serves as the evangelist or narrator and a baritone who sings the words of Jesus. There are also solo lines for minor characters such as Judas, Peter, and Pilate. The actual words of scripture are interspersed with CORs by the choirs and arias by soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soloists, the CORs and arias, while not directly from the gospel of Matthew, provide commentary or reactions to the unfolding story of Jesus' last hours, while allowing the audience to ponder and personalize these events. For example, when Jesus is being nailed to the cross, the Alta voice proclaims. See, Jesus has his hands outstretched to grasp us. Come and when Joseph Aramathea asks for Christ's body, the bass soloist sings, make yourself clean my heart. I will. In tomb Jesus myself, much of the heart rendering magnificence of the Saint Matthew passion has to do with the way BK intertwined the symbolism of words and music. For example, during the scene of the Last Supper, the choirs burst forth with the question, Lord, is it I? 11 times once for each of the loyal disciples during Peter's denial, slow throbbing pisca and the lower strings and a lilting bittersweet violin solo accompany the Alta soloist to create the tears in Peter's voice as he expresses his repentance. When Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, the entire ensemble unleashes a storm of musical indignation of almost palpable intensity, and when asked to choose between Barabbas and Jesus the choirs playing the part of the crowd burst forth with the criminal's name in a crashing dissonant chord that is both startling and deeply unnerving. The music abounds with many other thoughtful and creative details. Listening to or watching a recording of the entire St. Matthew passion while following along with the original text and translation can be a wonderfully enriching and moving spiritual experience. Even non-Christians have been moved by the sublime profundity of the St. Matthew Passion, Friedrich Nieh, a prominent vowed atheist who declared that God is dead. Listened to the piece three separate times and expressed a feeling of utmost astonishment saying one who has completely forgotten Christianity truly hears it here as gospel. Ever since its rediscovery in the 19th century by Felix Mendelson, the passion has become a beloved Easter Classic eagerly listened to and performed by believers and unbelievers alike. And this is the miracle of bk, a godly musician so dedicated to pursuing excellence in the service of Jesus Christ that his sacred masterpieces have endured for centuries while pointing thousands if not millions of people to the God he sought to glorify. Thank you for listening to great and God's Sight, a podcast by G Y c Southeast. We hope you have enjoyed this adventure through time and pray. It serves to deepen your relationship with God. While we strive to bring you a unique perspective on each believer, we encourage you to use your God-given curiosity to explore these topics for yourself. Please remember to hit the subscribe button and share this episode with your friends via text or social media. You never know who might be encouraged. Until next time, we wish you God's blessing as you seek to be great in his sight too.

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Great in God's Sight Season 2

Johann Sebastian Bach: This Art Still Lives

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Other Teachings in Series

Johannes Kepler: Thinking God’s Thoughts

Blaise Pascal: Where Faith and Reason Intersect

Sir Robert Boyle: Christian Virtuoso

Sir Isaac Newton: On the Shores of the Ocean of Truth

The Celestial Railroad: Part 1

The Celestial Railroad: Part 2

The Celestial Railroad: Part 3

The Celestial Railroad: Part 4

Johann Sebastian Bach: This Art Still Lives

John Bunyan: Progress in Prison

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