01 Level 1 Bach Student Worksheets AW

Level 1 Student Workbook
“Bach’s Fight for Freedom”

Index:
1. Workbook Cover Page 8. Color the Instrument
2. The Story of the Video 9. The Orchestra
3. Bach Biography 10. The Modern and Baroque Orchestra
4. Respond to the Film 11. Instrument Families
5. Discussion Questions 12. Keyboard Instruments
6. Listening and Respond to Music 13. Johann Sebastian Bach Full Page Coloring
Note to the teacher or homeschooling parent: This video is most appropriate for upper
elementary and should be previewed before using with students.
1
© 2023 Themes & Variations. For use of www.musicplayonline.com subscribers only
2. Bach’s Fight for Freedom ~ The Story
Ten-year-old Frederick Muller is a boy who lives with his mother Gerta and father
Josef in an early 18th century Prussian dukedom. Gerta is a maid in the household
and Josef is the duke’s valet. Frederick wants to be a stonemason instead of
a house servant. On Frederick’s birthday, he is given a new set of clothes and
presented to the duke. His father asks the duke to give Frederick a job in the
household.
A young Johann Sebastian Bach, the chapel organist, storms in and argues with
the duke about his working conditions and the kind of music that should be played
in the chapel. Bach says, “new and happier music should be played,” but the duke
prefers “the old hymns.” The concertmaster makes Frederick Bach’s assistant. At
first, Bach is annoyed by Frederick but starts to see Frederick as a friend and they
get to know each other.
Bach takes Frederick to the Red Palace, the home of the duke’s nephew, Prince
August, for a performance, a place that the duke has forbidden his employees to
visit. Josef is afraid that their family will lose their jobs and reports Bach to his
employers. Bach takes Frederick to meet his family, and Frederick likes their lively
happy household, comparing it to his own quiet one.
Bach is very upset that he was not chosen for the role of the concertmaster. The
duke was angry that Bach went to the Red Palace, and angry that Bach accepted
a position with Prince Leopold in Cothen before asking for permission to leave.
Bach is arrested and forbidden to take the new job. Frederick is put to work
washing dishes and hauling firewood. Josef storms up to Bach’s room and rips up
his music. But Bach is able to play without his music, saying that Josef has only
destroyed paper but the music is still inside him. Josef begs Bach to not drive
Frederick away from him, but Bach tells him that he (Josef) is the only one who
can drive Frederick away. Realizing his mistake, Josef leaves.
The next day, Prince August and his fiancé try to free Bach but the duke won’t do
it. Frederick and Josef enter at that very moment, convincing the others to free
him, saying Bach’s music makes him feel free, and a man’s soul cannot be held
prisoner. The duke, admitting defeat, lets Bach go free.
2
3. Johann Sebastian Bach
1685-1750
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most
famous composers of the Baroque era. He
was born in Germany in 1685, more than
300 years ago! He grew up in a family of
musicians.
When Bach lived, musicians worked for rich

men - dukes or princes. They lived with them
in a big castle and wrote music to entertain them and wrote music for
church.
Bach’s first job was singing in a choir. Then he played violin in an orchestra.
After that he became a church organist. In 1717 Bach became music director
for the court of Prince Leopold. He liked being able to write music for
orchestras and different instruments. When
he worked for Prince Leopold, he also wrote
books to teach his wife and children the clavier.
“Minuet in G” comes from these books.
Bach was the best organist of his time. He

was invited to cities all over Europe to perform
and to try out new organs. Once Bach walked
200 miles to hear another famous musician,
Buxtehude. When he returned, he was two
months late for work!
Bach’s music is often hard to play. Sometimes

he wrote very fast parts with many notes for
the players and singers. Some of his music is
slow and very expressive. Bach wrote more than 1000 pieces of music!
3
4. Respond to the Film
Name:____________________ Class: ___________________
1. Draw a picture showing some of the jobs you saw in the film.
2. Draw a picture that shows the Duke’s household.
4
5. Discussion Questions
Name: ___________________________ Class: ____ Date: _________________
1. Describe how the Duke lives. _____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. How did Frederic take a bath at the beginning of the film. Was
there running water in Frederic’s home? ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. What was Frederic’s job in the Duke’s household? _______________

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4. What does Frederic’s father means when he says, “A servant has

no will, but the will of his master?” _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. What kind of music does the Duke want Bach to play? ______________
______________________________________________________________________
6. What instrument does Bach play? How do you play it? __________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Where does Frederic and Bach sneak off to with the Duke’s sheet
music?
______________________________________________________________________
8. How did Frederic put his family at risk of losing their jobs by visiting
the Red Palace? ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5
6. Listen and Respond to Music
Name: ________________________ Class: _______ Date: ____________
How do you feel? I heard _____________________

____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Draw what the music made you think of
I liked _____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
6
7. Then and Now
Name: ________________________ Class: _______ Date: ____________
Write or draw how things were different when Bach lived and now.
When Bach lived Now
Houses
Transportation
How we listen to music
Clothes and Hair
7
8. Color the Instrument
Name: ________________________ Class: _______ Date: ____________
1. Bach was famous for playing this instrument (circle and color it)
a. organ or b. saxophone
2. Circle and color the instruments you saw in the video.
recorder
violin electric guitar
drum set cello

8
9. The Orchestra
Name: ________________________ Class: _______ Date: ____________
An orchestra is group of musicians playing different instruments, that are led by a conductor and play
together. The orchestra usually combines woodwind, string, brass and percussion sections to play
classical music.
timpani french
horn
Modern Period perc
ussio
n trum
pet
tro
no mb
pia on
e
harp clarin
et
tu
ba
ba
sso
flute on
olo ob
picc oe
douass
second
viola
b
violin
ble
violin cello
The Baroque Period lasted from 1600 - 1750. The instruments and orchestra in the Baroque Period
were different from what we see today. oboe double
trumpet bass
flute
Baroque Period
cello
violin
violin viola
harpsichord
To do: Write the name of the instrument on the line. Circle if the instrument is in the Baroque or
Modern Period. Some instruments may be in both.
1. 2. 3. 4.
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

Modern / Baroque Modern / Baroque Modern / Baroque Modern / Baroque
5. 6. 7. 8.
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

Modern / Baroque Modern / Baroque Modern / Baroque Modern / Baroque
9
10. The Modern and Baroque Orchestra
Name: ________________________ Class: _______ Date: ____________
french trum
Modern Period ssion timpani horn pet
percu
tro
no mb
pia on
e
harp clarine
t
tu
ba
ba
sso
flute on
olo ob
picc oe
dobass
second
violin viola
ub
le
violin cello
double
oboe trumpet bass
Baroque Period flute
cello
violin
viola
The instruments of the orchestra were different in the Baroque period from what we see today.
Use the seating charts to classify the instruments into the Baroque and Modern Orchestra.
Some instruments will be in both.
harp piano harpsichord timpani french horn
trumpet trumpet trombone tuba double bass
violin piccolo flute bassoon oboe
viola cello
Baroque Both Modern

_____________ _____________ _____________
_____________ _____________ _____________
_____________ _____________ _____________
______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________
10
11. Instrument Families
Name: ________________________ Class: _______ Date: ____________
The Orchestra
french trum
ssion timpani horn pet
percu
tro
o mb
pian on
e
harp clarin
et
tu
ba
ba
sso
flute on
i c colo ob
p oe
dobass
second
violin viola
ub
le
violin cello
Classify the instruments into families.
harp piano harpsichord timpani french horn

trumpet trumpet trombone tuba double bass
violin piccolo flute bassoon oboe
viola cello clarinet
Woodwinds Brass Percussion Strings

_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
11
12. Keyboard Instruments
Bach was very good at playing the organ. If you are really good at playing an instrument you are called a virtuoso.
The notes on this keyboard show the C major scale, which has a pleasant sound when played. The notes begin at middle
C, D, E, F, G, A, B and tnen repeat. The black keys are sharps and flats, which raise or lower the notes one half step.
C D E F G A B C
To do: Color the sharp and flat notes black. Color the notes of the keyboard using the suggested colors below.
12
C - light blue D - green E - orange
F - red G - yellow A - purple
B - dark blue

C D E F G A B C
13. Johann Sebastian Bach
1685-1750
13

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Level 1 Student Workbook

“Bach’s Fight for Freedom”

When Bach lived, musicians worked for rich

Bach was the best organist of his time. He

Bach’s music is often hard to play. Sometimes

Name:__ Class: _

2. Draw a picture that shows the Duke’s household.

1. Describe how the Duke lives. _____________________________________

3. What was Frederic’s job in the Duke’s household? _______________

4. What does Frederic’s father means when he says, “A servant has

How do you feel? I heard _____________________

Draw what the music made you think of

How we listen to music

Clothes and Hair

2. Circle and color the instruments you saw in the video.

violin electric guitar

drum set cello

Baroque Both Modern

Classify the instruments into families.

harp piano harpsichord timpani french horn

Woodwinds Brass Percussion Strings

© 2023 Themes & Variations. For use of www.musicplayonline.com subscribers only

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