~Motet.~ The character and scope of the German motet are thus described by Spitta, vol. i. p. 54. “It is in several parts; it admits of no obbligato instruments, and its subjects are set to a text of the Bible, or to a verse of a hymn. The period of its fullest bloom was about 1600, when music was essentially polyphonic, vocal, and sacred.” Under the influence of harmony it gradually changed its form, introducing solo voices and instruments, especially the organ.
~Oboe~ da Caccia. Hunting oboe, bent like a knee, and differing but slightly from the modern Cor Anglais, or English horn. It occurs very frequently in Bach’s scores. It is described in Grove’s Dictionary as a bassoon raised a fourth, carrying the bass tone of the latter upwards rather than lowering the treble tone of the oboe a fifth. It is also called by Bach, Taille de basson, or tenor of the bassoon.
~Oberpositiv.~ A choir organ of which the wind-chest is placed above the others.
~Orgel-büchlein~, “Little organ-book.” The first collection was made, according to Bach himself, at Cöthen between 1717 and 1723. The second collection, consisting of six chorales, was published and sold by Bach and his sons at Leipsic, Halle, and Berlin. The third collection was continued till his death and was not published. The last portion was dictated during his blindness to his son-in-law Altnikol. The two unpublished parts were written on two staves only. The pedal compass in the chorales extends to high F and F♯. These notes were found on the organ of the Lutheran Church at Cöthen only. This organ is described by Hartmann in 1803 as “an uncommonly powerful and excellent instrument.” It had 8 stops on the pedals, 10 on the great, 10 on the choir. It is now reduced in size and ruined in order to obtain more room in the church.
~Partita.~ A name given to sets of variations for organ or cembalo, and appropriated from the town pipers.
~Pachelbel~, Johann, 1653-1706, born at Nüremberg, was assistant organist at the Church of St Stephen in Vienna, whence he moved to Eisenach as Court organist in 1677. From Eisenach he went to Erfurt and to Gehren. In 1690 he became Court organist at Stuttgart; and after a stay of three years at Gotha he became organist of a church at Nüremberg till his death. He taught W. Friedemann Bach, and Bernhard, son of Ægidius. According to Gerber, he improved church music, used the overture form on the clavier, and continued the good work which Froberger had begun in respect of clavier composition. Bach used his chorales as models during the Arnstadt period.