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This Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach is a very interesting piece. It was published in 1708, and is now considered one of the most famous organ pieces in history. It's constantly referenced in pop culture such as TV shows, movies, soundtracks... It's developed a kind of Halloween-time reputation because of it's sinister quality. It's a very creepy and disturbing melody, with strange complex rhythms and complicated chords. This piece really brings out the Baroque feel because of how dramatic and dark it is. The chords are almost all minor, with lots of dissonance and repeating broken scales.
There isn't a certain melody that goes throughout the piece. It's not linear, but very complex and unpredictable. It's not as polyphonic as most of Bach's works, but definitely has that quality. It begins monophonic and then adds more harmonies layer by layer, building and building until the climax of the piece. It's rich and deep and dramatic, such as any piece of art from the Baroque period. It definitely uses different shades/colors. It has high notes, low notes, contrasting melodies and echoing ones.
The baroque period can be categorized as extravagant, over the top, dramatic, dark, and abstract. This piece is all of these things. Compared to the light music of the Renaissance and the repetitive chants of the Middle Ages, this piece breaks barriers and sets an example of great Baroque art.
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