Month: October 2022

Number 97, Down From Heaven

Here it is, folks. The final chorale in the book “101 Chorales Harmonized by Johann Sebastian Bach.” Most of the melodies were written by other composers, but Bach put all of the notes underneath the melody to make these songs.

Here is chorale number 97 – Be Not Dismayed Thou Little Flock.

“Grazing in the Grass is a Gas“

Here is a song in progress titled “Village Festival.”

From the songbook titled “Original Piano Duets by American Composers,” here is a section of a piece written by Frederick A. Williams titled Jubilee March. However, I didn’t use pianos. I think the strings work rather well. But that’s just me.

The cover of the book (which was published in 1970) says “One Piano, Four Hands, Two Dollars.” Back in 1970 you could still buy things for two dollars.

There are hundreds of drum loops available at soundtrap.com. Does that mean I need to use them all? Yes, it does!

The sheet music said it was to be played Maestoso. Maestoso is an Italian musical term and is used to direct performers to play a certain passage of music in a stately, dignified and majestic fashion or, it is used to describe music as such. I think I followed that direction perfectly.

And finally, here is the bass line from Bach’s Chorale #91. I can’t get enough of this one.

Number 93

Here is another one of those Bach Chorales everyone has been talking about.

I am currently taking an online songwriting class. The latest assignment was to write a song in AABA format, using all of the chords in any one key, without modulating to another key.

As you can see (or hear), when a song just stays in the same key it gets monotonous very quickly.

One song that is interesting, despite not modulating, is Ravelle’s Bolero. It stays in the key of C for almost the entire song. Do you remember the Dudley Moore/Bo Derrick film that made this song famous?

Only Five Songs Left

Here are two more Bach Chorales for you. These are numbers 91 and 92 from the songbook 101 Chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach.
I hope they bring you some peace. We could use a whole lot of that right about now.

Number 91 – The Old Year Now Hath Passed Away:

Number 92 – Sink Not Yet My Soul to Slumber:

And here is the bass line from chorale number 91. Play that Funky Music. (You know the rest).

All of the finished chorales can be found here:

Two Items of Note on the Agenda

Here are two more Bach Chorales – Numbers 86 and 87.

Number 86 is in 4/4 time and starts in the key of C Major, which has no flats or sharps.

Number 87 is in 3/4 time and starts in the key of B-Flat, which has two flats. (I won’t say it.)

Chorale Number 86:

Chorale Number 87:

Another Hit

Here is Chorale Number 85 from the book 101 Chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach. That means there are just a few songs left. And I have a feeling every one of them is going to have a harpsichord.

Harpsichord
Harpsichord and Guitars
Harpsichord and More Guitars

While you are listening to these songs, see if you can see the hidden images in these “Magic Eye” pictures:

The solutions to these can be found here:

Number 84

Continuing along in the songbook 101 Chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach, here is number 84. It was really quite a task getting all of these musicians in the same room at the same time.

Harpsichord
Harpsichord and Guitar

Here is number 56, a “rockin’ chorale.” I have had this one stuck in my head for days now!

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