Toccata and Fugue in D minor facts for kids
The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 is a very famous piece of music. It was written for the organ by a brilliant composer named Johann Sebastian Bach. He probably wrote it around 1708. Many people know this music because it sounds exciting and a bit mysterious. It has been used in many silent movies and scary movies. It became super famous when Walt Disney featured it in his animated movie Fantasia. Even though it's so well-known, the original paper Bach wrote it on is now lost. We know the music today because Bach's students made copies of it.
Contents
What is this famous music?
This piece is called a "Toccata and Fugue." These are two different types of music joined together.
What is a Toccata?
A toccata is a type of music that sounds like someone is touching or "toch-ing" the keys. It often has fast, showy parts. It lets the musician show off their skill. The Toccata in D minor starts with a powerful, dramatic sound.
What is a Fugue?
A fugue is a more complex type of music. It uses a main tune, called a "subject." This tune is played by different parts or "voices" at different times. It's like a musical chase, where the tune keeps appearing in new ways. The fugue in this piece is also very exciting and full of energy.
What does BWV 565 mean?
The "BWV 565" part is like a catalog number. It helps music experts identify Bach's works. BWV stands for "Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis," which means "Bach Works Catalog" in German. It's a way to keep all of Bach's many pieces organized.
Who was Johann Sebastian Bach?
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer. He lived from 1685 to 1750. He is one of the most important composers in history. Bach wrote music for many different instruments. He wrote for the organ, harpsichord, and orchestra. He also wrote many pieces for choirs.
Bach's musical style
Bach lived during the Baroque period of music. This style often has rich, complex melodies. It also uses many layers of sound. Bach was a master of counterpoint. This means he could weave many different melodies together at once. His music is known for being very detailed and expressive.
Why is this piece so famous?
The Toccata and Fugue in D minor is one of Bach's most recognizable works. It has a very strong and memorable opening. This makes it popular in many different places.
Featured in movies and TV
This piece has been used many times in popular culture. It often helps to create a feeling of fright or mystery. This might be because it is written in a minor key. Minor keys often sound more serious or sad.
- It was famously used in Walt Disney's 1940 animated movie Fantasia. In the movie, it was played by an orchestra. This helped many people discover Bach's music.
- You might hear it in old silent movies. It was often played during scary or dramatic scenes.
- It has appeared in many scary movies and TV shows. It helps build suspense and excitement.
Images for kids
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Beginning of BWV 565 in Johannes Ringk's manuscript, which is, as far as known, the only extant 18th-century copy of the work
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Title page of Ringk's manuscript
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Digital facsimiles of the Ringk manuscript became widely available in the 21st century
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Program of Mendelssohn's 1840 organ concert: BWV 565 is listed as last piece by Bach, before the "Freie Phantasie" which was an improvisation by Mendelssohn.
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Edison Bell Velvet Face (VF) recording No. 676 (part 1): Marie Novello's performance of Tausig's arrangement of BWV 565. The VF series with a bright green label ran from 1925 to 1927.
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Trailer for Fantasia
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Transposed to A minor and adapted for the violin, the opening offers an opportunity to drop down through all four strings of the instrument.
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Quadruple stops, not uncommon for 18th century solo violin music, could have been used in passages such as this, taken from the ending.
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See also
In Spanish: Tocata y fuga en re menor, BWV 565 para niños
