Music
Johann Sebastian Bach
by Leila Litkouhi
Johann Sebastian Bach was known as one of the greatest composers of all time. He played a huge part in the development of classical music and was very important in the Baroque era. Bach wrote his music clear, beautiful, and full of emotion, which inspires composers to this day. His influence continues to shape how musicians study harmony, structure, and expression, which shows how powerful his work is centuries after he was alive.
Bach was born on March 21, 1685, in Eisenach, Germany. In his early years, his father was his first teacher, but in 1692, both his parents died. Bach went to live with his older brother, who taught him to play organ and sing in choir. Along with his brother, his teacher was Georg Böhm, but he was mostly self-taught. Bach was expected to pursue a musical career since he came from a long line of musicians. This important musical history helped him learn music quickly, and even in his early years he had amazing talent and discipline.
Once he became an adult, Bach had many important musical positions all over Germany. First, he worked as an organist, where he became known for incredible improvisation, where you make up music as you play. Later on, he composed music and wrote many of his most famous pieces like the Brandenburg Concertos and the Cello Suites. Bach spent the rest of his life directing church music and composing works like St. Matthew Passion and Mass in B minor. These pieces showed his skill to use technical skill and emotion, something that is very hard for composers to do.
Surprisingly, Bach’s music wasn’t very famous or well-known when he first created it. Now, people admire Bach’s music because of its structure and strong emotion. Bach was a brilliant musician whose dedication and skill had an impact on the world and musicians years after. His life proves that even if someone is not fully acknowledged in their own lifetime, their work can still change history later on.
Sources
Johann Sebastian Bach | Biography, Music, Death, & Facts | Britannica
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Biography, Music + More | CMS - Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Johann Sebastian Bach - World History Encyclopedia
Johann Sebastian Bach - Biography | Deutsche Grammophon
The Instruments of the Brass Family
by Leila Litkouhi
The brass family is a magnificent instrument group. It can range from the triumphant declarations of joy to the soft, deep sounds of sorrow. It has evolved significantly over time– from simply being a piece of shaped metal to becoming the spectacular instruments we have today.
The french horn is arguably one of the best instruments in the world. It is powerful, dynamic and has a mellow, warm, rich tone. A circular shaped brass instrument was first crafted by the French in the 17th century, used during hunting. 100 years later, the design evolved into something closer to what we currently have when two German builders added valves to the horn, allowing it to play different notes. There are many different kinds of french horns, including the single horn, double horn, triple horn, vienna horn, and more. Double and triple horns have a better range and sound better than single horns. French horns are truly amazing instruments.
Trumpets have a brassy and bright sound. The trumpet is the smallest member of the brass family and has been used to sound alarms, direct soldiers in wars, and add festivity to parades in the past. The earliest known curved trumpets were created in the 15th century. Trumpets are in many different types of music, such as jazz, classical, rock, and more.
Trombones have a beautiful, warm sound, almost like the french horn. These instruments developed from slide trumpets around the year 1450, known as sackbuts. Trombones are known for their slides, which is how trombone players change pitch on their instruments. Not all trombones have to have slides, though… trombones with piston valves exist, too, but they’re much less common.
The tuba is the largest lowest member of the band, and is deep and resonant. It was made in 1835, and is a very important instrument in the structure of the band and orchestra. Euphoniums were invented in 1843 and have a warm, velvety sound. Euphoniums are closely related to tubas.
In conclusion, the brass family is an incredible instrument group. The instruments can play a variety of remarkable sounds and styles. If you’re searching for the perfect instrument, consider checking out the brass section! In particular the french horn!
Sources
https://www.allnewton.org/brass-family
https://hub.yamaha.com/winds/brass/the-brass-family-explained/
https://pressbooks.palni.org/brasstechniquesandpedagogy/chapter/a-brief-history-of-brass-instruments/
My own knowledge
Band vs. Orchestra - Which is Better?
by Leila Litkouhi
ou play an instrument, you probably have a preference between these two types of music. Although these are both great forms of music, they both have their own advantages and drawbacks. Understanding what sets band and orchestra apart helps musicians appreciate the features of both.
During the 1500s through the 1800s, wind ensembles played with instruments like the sackbuts (basically trombones) and flutes. They played most on special occasions. 100 years later, brass bands began to pop up with newly created brass instruments. In the 1900s, bands continued to diverse until we finally have bands like we do today. During the Renaissance, people would play in groups of instrumentalists, and composers would write music that any kind of instrument could play. Later on during the 1600s this began to form into something like the modern orchestra we see today. There were different parts for people to play and more string instruments like violas. Orchestras only continued to advance as time went by and composers like Beethoven and Mozart began to compose music. Eventually, the orchestra evolves into what it is today. Clearly, band and orchestra both have an important history.
One of the most important details to consider when choosing between band and orchestra is the difficulty. If participating in a marching band, you may have to carry and play a heavy instrument while moving around. On the other hand, the tunes played in an orchestra are much more complex. Additionally, a concert band is less exposed than an orchestra because more people play the same part.
The last most important thing to consider before choosing between band and orchestra is which is more entertaining or fun. A band has much more freedom in the kinds of music it plays. It can range from formal and full of feeling to light-hearted and bouncy, or from classical music to jazz. Though an orchestra has less choices for the kinds of music to play, it has many more instruments, sometimes making it more beautiful than band music. Both of these ensembles are fun to participate in, but in their own ways.
Band and orchestra both have their own different experiences. When trying to decide between them, it’s important to consider the key factors and consider the strengths and challenges of each option. Both are wonderful methods of playing music and would be wonderful additions to your life.
The Epic Saga of John Williams
by Leila Litkouhi
What do you think is the greatest movie of all time? One of the best parts of a movie is the sound. John Williams composed the music for some of the most iconic movies, including Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Jurassic Park.
This beloved composer has had a talent for music even throughout his childhood, and it has always been a very important aspect of his life. Williams’s father was a percussionist, so he began learning to play instruments at a young age. He started playing piano at six, then learned other instruments like the trumpet and clarinet. Eventually, in his early teens, he began to compose music. He continued to do this even when he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1952, when he was 19.
Later on, Williams progressed in his musical career, creating some of the most famous music from movies today. One of the most popular tunes is the Main Theme from Star Wars. He also has a connection with the Boston Pops Orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra is known as “America’s Orchestra,” and is well known around the country. John Williams was the lead conductor for a while when he was younger, and eventually passed the job to Keith Lockhart in 1995, but continues to help out the orchestra today.
Throughout his life, Williams has earned over 200 awards and 390 nominations, the most important one being the AFI Life Time Achievement Award, in honor of creating such extraordinary music for classic films. He was the first composer to receive this award in history.
In conclusion, Williams started his composition in his early life and is still going strong today, even at age 93. Throughout life, he’s rightfully earned many medals for his works. Even though now he may have slowed his pace writing music, John Williams is still known as one of the world’s greatest musicians in history - arguably as good as Mozart.
John Williams | Biography
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Williams
https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/w/wa-wn/john-williams/
BSO | About the Boston Pops
An Introduction to Music
by Leila Litkouhi
Have you ever thought about the beginning of music, and how it’s significant in history? Music has been around since approximately 40,000 years ago, and has evolved a great deal over time. From the lyres and harps of Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to the pop songs and orchestras today, music plays a big part in society.
Early humans like the Neanderthals were the first humans to play music. These people created bone flutes and drums made from animal skin, most likely for social gatherings or celebrations. Research shows that they were probably trying to imitate the sounds of animals and nature. Later on in Ancient Mesopotamia, 2500 BC, the Sumerians created one of the earliest string instruments called the Lyre. Already, music was developing fast. Evidence shows that the Sumerians used these instruments for entertainment, along with singers. The Standard of Ur displayed a lyre player and a singer in the top right corner of the mural, entertaining the King.
4,000 years later, classical music was born. Classical music was at its peak during the year 1750, around the time when Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach were alive. Centuries later, music began to become more modern. Jazz music popped up in the 1900s, in African American communities, and soon after Country music became popular in 1920. Finally, Rock and Roll and Pop music were created around the year 1950.
Just like how books are divided into genres like fantasy, historical, and non-fiction, music has genres, too. The five main categories of music are Rock and Roll, Jazz, Pop, Country, and Classical music, though there are many more. Most of these genres became popular in the 1900s, except for Classical music. Other popular genres include Rap, Hip Hop, Metal, and Folk music.
Today, music is very popular all around the world. Each region has its own kind of music, and music is an important part of culture. This art has been around for over 40 thousand years and continues to be part of our lives to this day.
https://www.mi.edu/in-the-know/symphony-change-tracing-evolution-music-genres/
https://historycooperative.org/who-invented-music/
https://www.audicus.com/homo-sapiens-musicus-or-why-humans-make-music-2/?srsltid=AfmBOordTyKoP8AGgKdMb_Meki8Qpjwtw81jzlKGpGSZhRrECwiB7e1H
https://fcsymphony.org/a-brief-history-of-classical-music/
Music Genres Timeline
https://www.clrn.org/what-are-the-5-genres-of-music/