Ayah Masri
Dr. Robert Grohman
MUGN 100-01
April 23, 2018
Past to Playlist: Johann Sebastian Bach and Fairouz
Music is a universal language, which is based on tradition and history. It has continuously developed over the years like an infinite function. The main purpose of listening to music includes an expectation and familiarity of a certain song. Any disparate musical style has its own melody, rhythm, timbre, harmony, and many other aspects. Different regions and eras use different musical instruments. However, some musical instruments may sound like each other in many aspects. This paper will describe a comparison between the music “Orchestral Suite No.3” by Johann Sebastian Bach and a song by the singer Fairouz. I think that both songs tend to create fast tempo, and deep texture. However, both songs tell a different story by inflicting different sets of emotions.
Johann Sebastian Bach is a musician and a composer of the Baroque era, which is the time from 1600-1750. This era was a turning point for musicians. He was interested in German styles and his adaptation of rhythms and textures are French. Bach also was born in Eisenach and his family was familiar of creating and playing music. His dad used to teach him how to play some musical instruments such as the violin and the harpsichord. Most of his family were known to be church organists and singers. Therefore, I have realized that Orchestral Suite No.3 is religious because it is played for funerals; the music itself sounds like a march, because of the steady down beats throughout the entire piece. This music is thought to be religious because most of his work was influenced and ultimately written for liturgical services or by the command of liturgical people. Fairouz, who is the most emotional singer in the Arab world, was born in Beirut and her talent as a singer became acknowledged in 1950s. Her melodies were written by Ziad Rahbani and the song was composed by Joseph Harb. Her music plays a big role in the poetic genius. Most of her songs express the romantic love and nostalgia. Her songs usually represent the twentieth century period. According to Fairouz, she is known as “‘Ambassador to the Stars’” (Wikipedia). Her songs spread world-wide due to her beautiful voice and they are touching people’s feelings; she simply thrilled Arabs by her voice.
Baroque music, as seen in Orchestral Suite No.3 by Bach, is complex; each musical instrument has its own melody, which means that each sound is independent of the other, and the religious overtones suggest Christianity. Therefore, it is instrumental, which means it is not easily singable. I also think that Orchestral Suite No.3 is homophonic, because there are not that many voices happening at all once. The voices happen during different times of the pieces and it usually follows a similar melodic line. However, the song by the singer Fairouz express the roman...
