Use of theTrumpet in Bachs Mass in B Minor essays

Use of theTrumpet in Bachs Mass in B Minor essays Throughout history, in every field, there have been several families who stand out for their achievements. In music, few families can compete with the success or the productivity that the Bachs can proudly claim. The Bach family represents the most f midable example of a musical dynasty.1 The musical output of this family is remarkable. There were musician Bachs in the sixteenth century: the last of the line died in 1846. In between, there was no generation without a musician. They were all re ted: and even using quite strict criteria, seventy-five of them made their living, or part of it, by practicing music.2 Besides the musical nature of the family, another noteworthy fact is that the Bach family remained in a specific area of Germany fo many generations. The family of which Johann Sebastian Bach was a descendant was purely and thoroughly German, and can be traced to its home in Thuringia even before the time of the Reformation.3 This geographic stability was probably one of the fac rs that contributed to the common interest in music that existed from generation to generation. Also, the composers in the family showed a strong sense of patriotism and dedication to the progression of German ideas and beliefs in the development of th r musical styles. For generations they had at once festered and represented those forms of music which appeal most nearly to the transcendental and metaphysical spirit of the German people, and which were destined to be brought by them to the highest rfection - namely, instrumental music and Protestant sacred music, which chiefly grows out of instrumental music.4 The Bachs played an important role in several developments of instrumental music, including the role of the trumpet. In the music of th later Bachs, especially Johann Sebastian, the trumpet evolved into an important melodic character, which employed a similar range to that...