Johann Kuhnau’s Programme Musical Creations;Their Historical Origin And Significance

As a well-known German composer and harpsichordist at the turn between 17 th and 18 th century, Johann Kuhnau had been regarded as “the Top Figure before Bach”. His <Musikalische Vorstellung einiger Biblischer Historien in 6 Sonaten> was the epoch-making works that uniquely possessed the historical significance in the programme music of Baroque Era. This paper is going to focus on this works of the programme music by Kuhnau. By means of analyzing its structure and conformation this paper will interpret its means of musical expression and the channels of audience’s apprehension from all aspects, then expand the retrospection to the history of western programme music and prove that the programme music has existed throughout the historical progress of western music. Also it will explore the reasons why the programme music can have social influence for a long time and then come out a conclusion that the works <Musikalische Vorstellung einiger Biblischer Historien in 6 Sonaten> has been the product of the advanced phase in early programme music creation. The works has catered the aesthetic interests of the music-consuming group and brought an important influence to the development of subsequent Instrumental Music creation. <Musikalische Vorstellung einiger Biblischer Historien in 6Sonaten> has enriched our studies of thep rogramme music in Baroque Era and the conformation of the early instrumental music, including the evolution process of sonata style, the development process of the coexistance and decline between programme music and absolute music. It possesses unfailing historical significance and extraordinary value of art.