Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musici...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musicians today. Many consider him
the greatest composer of all time.
As a young man, Bach developed a rather unique talent
for writing long passages of pseudo recitative for the
organ, trusting the acoustics of the building to 'fill
out' the harmony the listener experiences, even though
no more than a single note at any one time is being
played. The organ wasn't the only instrument where he
displayed this skill as with his Cello sonatas.
His "Fantasia pro organo" (an unfinished work later
designated BWV 573) is a short organ piece of only 12
complete bars.No other information about this work
remains.