Concerto in A Minor
Johann Sebastian Bach (also known as J.S Bach) was born March 21, 1865. For many years, his family held a reputation for being musicians and mainly had jobs as such. At a young age, Bach was taught to play the violin and harpsichord by his father and the organ by his uncle. By the age of eight, Bach had begun singing in the choir and was noted for his "uncommonly fine treble voice." At the age of nine, his mother passed away and shortly after so did his father.
After the death of his parents, J.S Bach moved in with his older brother Johann Christoph. While living with his brother, Bach further enhanced his knowledge of the organ and harpsichord. Johann Christoph encouraged Bach to study compositions and made him copy music of German composers. While studying at school (the Gymnasium of Ohrdruf), Bach excelled and achieved top form at a very young age. His superb soprano voice landed him a spot in the choir of the wealthy Michaelis monastery of Luneburg. He then set out with his friend to travel to the monastery in the spring of 1700.
On October 17, 1707, J.S Bach married his cousin Maria Barbara. Bach had ideas for the church music of Germany and in order to change it he gather the best German music he could find, including his own, and trained the choir and orchestra to play the music. "The first result of these efforts was his cantata 'Gott ist mein König' (BWV 71), given in hitherto unknown splendor in the spacious Marienkirche to celebrate the inauguration of the Town Council in February 1708." Before he could start his next project, religious controversy arose. "Former contacts made in Weimar were now useful; the Duke of Weimar offered him a post among his Court chamber musicians, and on June 25, 1708, Bach sent in his letter of resignation to the authorities at Mühlhausen, stating very diplomatically that not only was he finding it difficult to keep a wife on the small salary agreed to on his arrival, but that he could see no chance of realizing his final aim, namely the establishment of a proper church music 'to the glory of God'. The Council had little option but to allow his departure. However, the situation was concluded quite amicably and Bach was asked that he should continue to supervise the rebuilding of the St Blasiuskirche organ. This he did, and some time in 1709 he came over to inaugurate its first performance."
In Weimar, Bach held jobs as a member of the chamber orchestra and also the Organist for the Court Orchestra. His main function for the Court Orchestra was to play violin, but he also played the harpsichord and occasionally wrote or arranged the music. The organ was not to Bach's likings and thus he ordered that they build a new one. During this time, he was becoming known as one the of the greatest German organist in the country. "Through the help of Duke Ernst August, Bach was introduced to the Court of Anhalt-Cöthen, and as a result he was offered the post of Capellmeister, which he accepted. This infuriated the Duke of Weimar, so that when Bach put in a polite request for his release, he was arrested and put in the local jail. However, after a month, he was released and given reluctant permission to resign his office. During this enforced rest, Bach typically used his time productively, and prepared a cycle of organ chorale preludes for the whole year, published later as the 'Orgelbüchlein'."
J.S Bach arrived at Cothen to accept the job as Capellmeister, the highest ranking musician job during the baroque age. Life in the town was easy, thus Bach spent most of his days focusing on his music, in which he wrote most of his chamber music. It is said that during this time Bach composed Concerto in A minor.
I played this composition my senior year of high school during the time frame of February-May 2013. The original piece of music was composed for violin. I played the composition on the xylophone and it was such a fascinating piece to play. It is very powerful and has room for interpretation. I had an excellent time learning the composition from start to end and my hard work paid off. I used the composition for county and state festival, as well as one of my entrance audition pieces for Florida International University (2013) and also Bowie State University (2014-present).
At the moment of practicing for months and rehearsing, this composition was the most difficult music I had been faced with. It was also a new experience playing with an accompanist and hearing how the composer wrote the piece was just amazing. Listening to a composition and actually playing it with your interpretation are two different emotions and I had the best feeling whenever I would completely play the concerto from beginning to end. On each of the festivals that I attended I was graded an I (Superior rating) and for my auditions I have received scholarship from both schools.
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