{"id":1795,"date":"2021-03-31T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/?p=1795"},"modified":"2021-05-06T22:18:32","modified_gmt":"2021-05-07T04:18:32","slug":"bach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/2021\/03\/31\/bach\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrate Bach&#8217;s Birthday!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Johann Sebastian Bach was born March 31, 1685. As one of the most prolific and renowned composers of all time, I figured today we&#8217;d celebrate his legacy. I had the privilege of performing a couple of movements of his Sonata No. 3 in C Major. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bach Sonata No. 3 in C Major - Allegro Assai\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v_IQcuRry7w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sadly, I never performed the infamously challenging Chaconne, but I can&#8217;t wait for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artoffreedom.me\/meet-jennifer\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jennifer Roig Francoli&#8217;s<\/a> upcoming recording of the beautiful work! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Meet Bach in my upcoming novel!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJohann Sebastian Bach, the greatest composer of the Baroque era, spent his entire life dedicated to the musical craft.\u201d Mr. Vatchev\u2019s thick accent reminded Victoria of the Russian masters\u2014Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. \u201cAlthough subject to the whims of his patrons, the German composer\u2019s love for his art never subsided.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bach Sonata No. 3 in C Major - Largo\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SanHd5sSPlU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What dedication. Victoria\u2019s eyes fixed on the picture of Bach displayed on the screen at the front of the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jerry nudged her. \u201cWhen do you think he\u2019ll make the announcement?\u201d \u201cNo idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mr. Vatchev tapped his baton on the board. Victoria jolted to attention. This second picture of Bach featured him surrounded by at least a dozen children. What a nightmare to have so many kids! She could barely stand living with seven people running around her house. Especially since Adrienne moved back home this year. Ugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe versatile composer maintained his prolific compositions in spite of his many duties as church organist, the demands of patrons, and a busy home life.\u201d The teacher paused to catch his breath. Hmm. Apparently Bach didn\u2019t enjoy the peaceful, distraction-free life she\u2019d envisioned. No, he served his large family and his church, just like she did. Perhaps constant interruptions had frustrated him, too. Or was he more patient?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">***<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"241\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bach-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bach-241x300.jpg 241w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bach-19x24.jpg 19w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bach-29x36.jpg 29w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bach-39x48.jpg 39w, https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bach.jpg 724w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPlay it again.\u201d Professor Chang\u2019s staccato voice interrupted Victoria mid-song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The knot in her right shoulder tightened, so she cocked her neck to the left. Her private lesson ran over the allotted hour, but the Bach \u201cChaconne\u201d required extra time. When would she have the chance to ask her teacher about the concerto competition? Streaks of sweat soaked her palms as she held them in position, then drew her bow for the opening bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStop.\u201d Professor Chang leaned backward against the office chair. \u201cYour quadruple stops are still out of tune. How many times do I have to tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was because playing four notes at the same time on the instrument was virtually impossible, not to mention with her sticky fingers. The previous four movements of Bach\u2019s Partita No. 2, while difficult, had been attainable. But this one was a different story. Victoria struggled to wrap her brain, and fingers, around the piece. No wonder it held its place as a pinnacle of the violin repertoire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Professor Chang rose from her desk and removed her own violin from its case. \u201cWhen you play Bach, it must sound effortless. Your listeners want to focus on the melody, not the chordal accompaniment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then why didn\u2019t Bach write a piano accompaniment, instead of forcing the violinist to play four notes simultaneously? She wasn\u2019t a church organist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLet me show you.\u201d Professor Chang tossed her raven black hair behind her shoulders and settled her instrument under her chin. At her powerful opening, Victoria stepped backward. The highest notes of the chords soared over the lower ones like a flag over a battlefield. So they <em>were<\/em> possible to play. Maybe Victoria just lacked the technical prowess. The students at Johann Conservatory probably mastered quadruple stops with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Ciaccona\" width=\"525\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Hr0bsBGKHbE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Johann Sebastian Bach was born March 31, 1685. As one of the most prolific and renowned composers of all time, I figured today we&rsquo;d celebrate his legacy. I had the privilege of performing a couple of movements of his Sonata No. 3 in C Major. Sadly, I never performed the infamously challenging Chaconne, but I &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/2021\/03\/31\/bach\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Celebrate Bach&#8217;s Birthday!&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[128,27],"class_list":["post-1795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-history","tag-bach","tag-composers"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"it","enabled_languages":["en","es","fr","de","it","br"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"fr":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"de":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"it":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"br":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1795"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3404,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795\/revisions\/3404"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rescotcreative.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}