Bach/Schutz/Handel Ephesians 5:15-20 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Johann Sebastian Bach, the most illustrious member of a family of successful musicians, was born in Eisenach in Thuringia March 21, 1685. His father and brother were musicians, and from as early age he learned about the violin and organ and later served as a choirboy. By the age of 18 he already had a considerable reputation as a composer, organist, and violinist. He served a while as organist in the New Church in Arnstadt, 1703-1707, and St. Blasius in Muhlhaulsen, where he married his cousin, Martha Barbara Bach. In 1708 he accepted an important post as court organist to the Duke of Weimar, where he became acknowledged as an outstanding organist and where he wrote is chief works on the organ. In 1714 he was promoted to concertmaster. In 1717 he became Director of Music for Prince Leopold. He wife died in 1720, and the following year he married Anna Magdalena Wulcken. From 1723 until his death he was at Leipzig where he was cantor at the famous St. Thomas school and music director of both St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches, as well as the Pauliner-Kirche at the University. It was in these churches that his compositions were first performed. Bach was a deeply religious, introspective man, who was consciously serving God in his composing and playing of music. He wrote nearly 200 cantatas, including sets which provide a cantata for each Sunday and holy day of the Lutheran church year. But he is best known for his great works such as the B Minor Mass and the St. Matthew Passion, which was first performed in St. Thomas Church on Good Friday, 1729. Bach had 20 children by his two wives; 9 of the children surviving him. Four of his sons also possessed outstanding musical ability. Bach died July 28, 1750, one of the greatest figures in all Western music and an ornament of the Church of the Reformation. Archbishop Nathan Soderblom called him the “Fifth Evangelist”. Bach’s body was buried without ceremony in St. John’s churchyard and only on the 100th anniversary of his death was a tablet to his memory placed in the church. Finally, on the 200th anniversary in 1950, Bach’s remains were moved to a resting place within St. Thomas’ Church in Leipzig. Heinrich Schutz, the greatest German composer before Bach, was born in Saxony, October 8, 1585, 100 years before Bach. As a boy he sing in the chapel choir of Landgrave Moritz, who provided him with a wide general education. In 1608 Schutz entered Marburg University to study law, but in the following year Landgrave Moritz sent him to Venice to study music with Giovanni Gabrielli, who had a powerful influence on the young student. After the death of Gabrielli in 1612, Schutz returned to Germany and went to Leipzig to resume his study of the law. Shortly afterward he became the second organist at the court of Kassel. In 1614 he entered the service of the Elector of Saxony at Dresden and there introduced the Italian style that he had learned in Venice. Schutz returned to Venice in 1628 and perhaps studied with Monteverdi, then the chief musical figure of the city. By 1630 Schutz was back in Dresden, but 3 years later he left the court which was afflicted with the plague and suffering from the disorders of the Thirty Years’ War. From 1633 to 1635 Schutz was music director at the royal court of Copenhagen. He spent time in Brunswick and Luenberg and then returned to the elector’s court in 1645 when the Dresden chapel was reestablished, and except for visits to the Danish court, he remained in the Elector’s service until his death at Dresden Nov 6, 1672. He was a man of noble character and a real father to his chapel. His special achievement was the introduction into German music of the new style of the Italian modelists. The music of Schutz remains individual and German in feeling. Most of all, his choral settings of biblical texts show unsurpassed mastery. George Frederick Handel was born in Halle, Feb 23, 1685, the son of a surgeon and a pastor’s daughter. His father died when Handel was 11. He was educated at Halle, originally for law. He became the organist at the Reformed cathedral there 1702-1703. He then left the university and went to Hamburg to work on operas from 1703-1706. For the next 4 years he was in Italy. He then went to England and in 1726 became a British subject. He enjoyed court appointments and worked for private patrons, but chiefly he was engaged in the production of Italian operas and English Oratorios. In 1729, while on a visit to the continent, Bach tried to arrange a meeting with the man whose work he admired, but the two never met. The opera began to decline in popularity and Handel turned to the oratorio, a large scale work developed around a religious theme, written not to be staged but sung by soloists and a chorus. In 1741-1742 at Neal’s Musick Hall in Dublin his most popular work, “Messiah” was performed. In his last years, like Bach, Handel had eye trouble. He died April 4, 1759 and was buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey on April 20, mourned by a congregation of 3,000. His strong sense of charity and concern for others won for him affection of the English people. He involved himself in public affairs by his generous gifts and sent bequests to the relatives in Germany. Handel’s church music is relatively unimportant. He was primarily a dramatic composer, and even his oratorios were written for the theatre, not the church. Nonetheless they have been memorable proclamations and interpretations of the Scripture. These three composers have done much to enrich the worship life of the church. Music is an intricate part of our Lutheran Worship. It always has. We should enjoy the music we use every week. We should strive to boldly sing the hymns and liturgical music. We should continue to expand our musical selections. The hymns and liturgical music we use teach us the faith. It is at the very heart of who we are. We need music in our life. Music is a gift from God. We have Spiritual gifts. Some of us are like Bach, Schutz, and Handel; artists and musicians. Here We Stand – Music is at the heart of our worship. So, Sing boldly!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 20:35:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015