Why J.S.Bach is genius?

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Even if you don't listen to classical music, you've probably heard his name. But why is Bach called the "Father of Music"? Why is his music still performed around the world more than 300 years later?

In this article, we'll explain Bach's genius using his masterpiece "Cello Suite No. 1" as an example, in a way that anyone can understand without musical knowledge.

🎧 Listen First

Seeing is believing—or in this case, hearing. Start by listening to Bach's music:

X:1
T:  Bach BWV 1007 Prelude Style
C:　Muse (PinotWalk) - based on J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
%%MIDI program 42
Q:1/4=50
M:4/4
L:1/16
K:G
"G"G,DGB DGBD G,DGB DGBD |"Am7"E,CEG ACEG E,CEG ACEG |
"D7"D,^FAc dFAc D,^FAc dFAc |"G"G,DGB dgbd G,DGB dgbd |

Doesn't it sound rich and three-dimensional, even though it's just a single cello?

This is Bach's genius.

🤔 The "Common Sense" Before Bach

To understand Bach's greatness, you need to know the "common sense" of music before Bach.

The Problem: A Cello Can Only Play One Note at a Time

Instruments like the cello or flute can only produce one sound at a time. This is a physical limitation.

Because of this, music before Bach had only three options:

Option A: Play Only the Melody (Horizontal Flow)

X:1
T:Pre-Bach Method A - Melody Only
C:Example
%%MIDI program 42
Q:1/4=66
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
G2 A2 B2 c2 | d4 B4 | c2 B2 A2 G2 | G8 |

It's a beautiful melody, but doesn't it feel somewhat lacking? Without harmony (the resonance of chords), it sounds "thin."

Option B: Play Chords Simultaneously (Vertical Resonance) — The Organ

If you have an instrument like an organ that can produce multiple sounds simultaneously, rich harmony becomes possible:

X:1
T:Pre-Bach Method B - Harmony-Centered (Organ)
C:Example
%%MIDI program 19
Q:1/4=66
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:G
[G,B,D] [G,B,D] [A,CE] [A,CE] | [D,^FA] [D,^FA] [G,B,D] [G,B,D] |
[E,GB] [E,GB] [C,EG] [C,EG] | [D,^FA] [D,^FA] [G,B,D]4 |]

Rich sound! But this is only possible because it's an organ. Cellos and flutes physically cannot produce multiple sounds simultaneously.

Option C: Bring an Accompanist

Another method is to have another instrument accompany you.

X:1
T:Pre-Bach Method C - With Accompaniment
C:Example
%%MIDI program 42
Q:1/4=66
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
V:1 name="Cello (Melody)"
G2 A2 B2 c2 | d4 B4 | c2 B2 A2 G2 | G8 |]
V:2 name="Harpsichord (Accompaniment)" clef=bass
%%MIDI program 6
[G,B,D]8 | [D,A,D]8 | [C,E,G]4 [D,^F,A]4 | [G,B,D]8 |]

This creates a rich sound, but an accompanist is always required. A cellist couldn't perform alone.

Summary: The Limitations Before Bach

"Being able to perform alone while having rich resonance" — this was thought to be impossible.

💡 Bach's Invention: The Magic of "Arpeggio"

Bach made this impossible possible with a technique called "arpeggio" (broken chord).

What is an Arpeggio?

Instead of playing the notes of a chord simultaneously, you play them in sequence.

For example, playing a "C-E-G" chord as "C→E→G→C→E→G..." like a wave.

This achieves:

• The ear perceives it as a chord — rich resonance
• But actually only one note is played at a time — possible on single-note instruments

In other words, it achieves both "being able to perform alone" and "having rich resonance"!

🎵 Listen to It: Cello Suite No. 1

Let's listen to the opening of Bach's masterpiece "Cello Suite No. 1."

You'll notice that even with just a single cello, it has an almost orchestral resonance:

X:1
T:Bach's Creative Integration - BWV 1007 Analysis
C:Muse (PinotWalk) - based on J.S. Bach
%%MIDI program 42
Q:1/4=50
M:4/4
L:1/16
K:G
%% === Measure 1: G major ===
%% Analysis of G,DGA BGAB:
%% Bass note: G, (lowest note defines the chord root)
%% Harmony: G-B-D (G major chord)
%% Melody: G→A→B (ascending motion)
"G"G,DGB DGBD G,DGB DGBD |
%% === Measure 2: Am7 ===
%% Same pattern with harmonic change
%% Bass note: G, → E, (bass line progression)
%% Harmony: A-C-E-G (Am7 chord)
"Am7"E,CEG ACEG E,CEG ACEG |
%% === Measure 3: D7 ===
%% Transition to dominant
"D7"D,^FAc dFAc D,FAc dFAc |
%% === Measure 4: G (Resolution) ===
"G"G,DGB dgbd G,DGB dgbd |]

🎯 The "Impossible" That Bach Solved

Let's organize this again. Before Bach, people believed:

"Being able to perform alone" and "rich resonance" cannot coexist

Bach transformed this "impossible" into "possible" with arpeggios.

In other words, he achieved three roles simultaneously with one technique.

🌟 Why Is This "Genius"?

You might think, "Anyone could come up with arpeggios, right?"

But Bach's greatness is not that he used arpeggios.

Bach's true genius lies in:

1. Solving a problem thought to be impossible

   • At the time, the very idea of "creating rich music with solo cello" didn't exist
   • Everyone assumed "accompaniment is necessary"

2. Finding a simple solution

   • Not complex techniques, but a simple method of "playing notes in sequence"
   • Yet he deeply understood why it was effective

3. Creating artistic masterpieces with this technique

   • Not just a technical demonstration, but compositions that have been performed for 300 years

🎼 Summary: What Bach Teaches Us

Bach's Cello Suites teach us something important:

What seems "impossible" can be solved by changing your perspective

Bach overcame the constraint of "can't play simultaneously" with the idea of "just play in sequence."

This is why Bach is still called the "Father of Music" more than 300 years later.

🎧 Listen Again

Finally, listen to Bach's music one more time.

This time, pay attention to how a single cello performs three roles simultaneously:

X:1
T:Bach BWV 1007 Prelude (Cello Suite No. 1)
C: Muse (PinotWalk) - based on J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
%%MIDI program 42
Q:1/4=50
M:4/4
L:1/16
K:G
"G"G,DGB DGBD G,DGB DGBD |"Am7"E,CEG ACEG E,CEG ACEG |
"D7"D,^FAc dFAc D,^FAc dFAc |"G"G,DGB dgbd G,DGB dgbd |

• The lowest notes (G, E, D, G) → Bass line
• The middle notes (D-G-B, C-E-G...) → Harmony (chords)
• The overall note movement → Melody

Playing alone, yet sounding like a full band.

This is Bach's genius.