Lecture 16. Baroque Music: The Vocal Music of Johann Sebastian Bach

Listening to Music (MUSI 112)
In this lecture, Professor Wright discusses the Baroque period through a detailed look at the life and music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He first takes the students through the basics of Bach's life, showing slides of the towns and buildings in which Bach and his family lived. Professor Wright then discusses Bach's music, and techniques of Baroque music in general, within the context of the composer's life. The lecture concludes with a discussion of the Advent cantata Bach wrote based on the chorale "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme."
00:00 - Chapter 1. A Brief Biography of J. S. Bach
16:48 - Chapter 2. Bach's Music and Characteristics of Baroque Style
28:08 - Chapter 3. Bach's "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme": Discussion and Analysis
46:15 - Chapter 4. Bach's Legacy in Musical History
Complete course materials are available at the Yale Online website: online.yale.edu
This course was recorded in Fall 2008.