Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049
Imagine crafting the most magnificent résumé of your life—a testament to your skill, creativity, and genius—only to have it met with complete and utter silence. This, in essence, is the story of Johann Sebastian Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos. In 1721, hoping to secure a position as Kapellmeister, Bach sent a beautifully hand-copied manuscript of six concertos to Christian Ludwig, the Margrave of Brandenburg. It was a musical job application of the highest order. And what was the Margrave’s response? Nothing. Not a thank you note, not
...
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049
Imagine crafting the most magnificent résumé of your life—a testament to your skill, creativity, and genius—only to have it met with complete and utter silence. This, in essence, is the story of Johann Sebastian Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos. In 1721, hoping to secure a position as Kapellmeister, Bach sent a beautifully hand-copied manuscript of six concertos to Christian Ludwig, the Margrave of Brandenburg. It was a musical job application of the highest order. And what was the Margrave’s response? Nothing. Not a thank you note, not a job offer, not even a letter of rejection. The score was simply shelved in the Margrave’s library, likely never performed, and was later sold for the equivalent of about twenty dollars after his death.
The manuscript’s journey was nearly cut short permanently during World War II. While being transported for safekeeping, the train carrying the score came under aerial bombardment. A quick-thinking librarian fled the train and hid in a nearby forest, protecting Bach’s priceless work under his coat. It’s a miracle of history that this music, born from a failed job application and nearly lost to war, survived to become one of the most beloved collections of the Baroque era.
The Fourth Concerto, which you will hear tonight, is a spectacular example of Bach’s vibrant and inventive genius. From the very first note, it brims with infectious joy and a sense of playful competition. Bach scored it for an unusual combination of soloists: a solo violin, a string orchestra, and, most curiously, two “fiauti d’echo,” or “echo flutes.” Scholars still debate what Bach meant by this, but it’s widely believed he was referring to recorders, whose softer, sweeter tone would create a lovely echo-like effect.
Throughout the concerto, Bach seems to be having a bit of fun with the audience, constantly making us wonder who the real soloist is. In the opening Allegro, the two flutes take the initial lead with a cheerful, bouncing theme. Just as we settle in, the solo violin bursts onto the scene, stealing the spotlight with a whirlwind of dazzling, virtuosic passages that leave the flutes in its wake. But the flutes soon answer back, and this good-natured duel continues, a delightful conversation where each instrument tries to outdo the other.
The second movement, a gentle Andante, provides a moment of expressive calm. Here, the “echo” quality of the flutes is most apparent as they trade elegant, poignant phrases, with the violin offering a surprisingly delicate, supportive accompaniment.
But the truce is short-lived. The finale, a brilliant and energetic Presto, erupts in a fugal cascade of notes. It is a masterclass in counterpoint, weaving the voices of the soloists and orchestra into a complex, exhilarating tapestry of sound. The violin is once again given a moment of pure, unadulterated flash, employing a difficult technique called bariolage, where the player rapidly alternates notes across the strings, creating a shimmering, hypnotic effect.
From a dusty, forgotten manuscript to a treasured masterpiece that has even traveled to the stars—a recording of the first movement was included on the Voyager Golden Record—the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 is a testament to the enduring power of genius. It’s a piece that, despite its unceremonious beginnings, reminds us that the most profound art can arise from the most ordinary of human circumstances.
