Symphony Listening Program - Bach
- What
- Symphony Listening Program - Bach
- When
- 1/14/2026
Day 1: This week's feature composer is Johann Sebastian Bach (Bawk). The feature compositions are two Minuets and a March from Anna Magdalena's Notebook. Anna Magdalena was Bach's wife. These pieces are dedicated to her. Bach enjoyed composing pieces for his family to play. He knew so much about playing keyboard instruments that he could deliberately make a piece easy enough for his youngest child, or advanced enough for the oldest. These three pieces are for beginning players. Perhaps you have heard or even played these pieces yourself.
Day 2: This week's feature composer is Johann Sebastian Bach. The feature compositions are from Anna Magdalena's Notebook. Bach composed these pieces to help beginning players learn how to move their hands on the keys. Bach composed the first "Minuet" to be played gently and not too fast. He wrote the next "Minuet"to be played gently also, but a little faster. Bach decided to make the "March" more challenging. He created a fast theme with some quick repeated notes and decided it would be played briskly and boldly.
Day 3: This week's feature composer is Johann Sebastian Bach. The feature compositions are from Anna Magdalena's Notebook. Bach knew how to compose so that his younger children would gradually become very good players. In the first "Minuet", Bach composed music that would make the player concentrate mostly on what the right hand was doing. In the next "Minuet", Bach created music so that the player would learn to concentrate on both the right hand and the left hand and play faster. Bach saved the biggest challenge for the "March." He wrote busy music for both hands that was to be played boldly and even faster.
Day 4: This week's feature composer is Johann Sebastian Bach. The feature compositions are from Anna Magdalena's Notebook. Bach wrote these pieces for beginning players. He planned it so that each piece was a little more difficult than the last. In the first "Minuet", Bach makes the right hand work harder than the left. In the second "Minuet", he makes both hands work equally hard and play faster. In the "March," he composed fast, bold, brisk music for both hands. You may know someone who has played these pieces; perhaps they would let you see the music.
Day 5: This week's feature compositions are from Anna Magdalena's Notebook. · Do you remember the name of the composer? (Short pause.) If you are thinking of Johann Sebastian Bach you are correct. Bach composed these pieces to help beginning players learn how to move their hands on the keys. This is probably why piano players today are still learning the pieces Bach wrote for his children.