Bach as One of the Most Renowned Composers - Essay Example

The paper "Bach as One of the Most Renowned Composers" is a good example of an essay on music. Along with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johannes Sebastian Bach is one of history’s most renowned composers, and his reputation has undeniably lasted the test of time. While Bach was recognized as an organist during his day, it was until later that he gained such recognition as a composer. While there is a multitude of reasons for his lasting popularity, there are a number of specific reasons that I believe have endeared him to audiences many years after his death. Without knowing the deeper structural connotations of his influence on composers such as Beethoven, or Liszt it’s difficult to offer a technical description of his continued influence, but one can rightly assume that in great part Bach’s continued relevance is a result of his widespread acceptance and influence on the composers that have come after him. In listening to a number of the selections from the class site, I was struck by the ethereal quality of his work. For instance, Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in addition to being elaborately structured with the use of unique instrumentation, is written in a way that instantly gives the listener an uplifting feeling that few pieces of music are able to equal. Another element of Bach’s work, greatly demonstrated in his Cantata 140: Awake, a Voice Calls to Us are what appears to be spiritual or religious elements. In many degrees, one detects in the choral arrangements and overall melody, a great similarity to the type of music that is currently a staple in churches throughout Western society. In these regards, many of the thematic elements as evidenced in the musical structure of Bach’s work are still intertwined with this cornerstone element of society. It is no surprise then that Bach’s work has endured in contemporary culture; not only is his music brilliant and uplifting, but it also parallels the values of a large segment of society.