7 Introduction 7the musical traditions that preceded him and then melding
those traditions to create music that was all his own, Bach
built his legacy around unique innovation. After his death,
students of classical music excavated, analyzed, incorpo-
rated, and emulated his work. Today Bach’s “voice” is heard
everywhere, from big-city symphony halls to high school
auditoriums. It is even heard in the music of Beethoven,
who is said to have studied Bach’s works closely. Musicians
the world over have been influenced by, and owe a debt of
gratitude to, Bach.
Luciano Pavarotti is considered one of the greatest
operatic tenors ever. Teaming his athletic vocal range with
a lively, energizing personality, Pavarotti earned such
popularity over the seven decades of his life that many
credit him with single-handedly opening the traditionally
upper-class world of opera to the everyday masses. In his
prime, Pavarotti performed before live audiences approach-
ing half a million people. He also won five Grammys, sang
at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics,
and became a fixture, along with Plácido Domingo and
José Carreras, in the aptly named traveling opera group
“The Three Tenors.” That Pavarotti, who died in 2007,
will have a lasting influence on opera is unquestioned. His
millions of fans, many of whom would never have listened
to opera were it not for him, are a testament to his legacy.
So, too, are the new opera singers in line to be his succes-
sors. Audiences worldwide will hear a hint of Pavarotti’s
voice every time the next generation of tenors performs.
Aretha. Her first name alone is instantly recognizable,
conjuring the image and sound of this singular musician.
The undeniably sensational Aretha Franklin, better known
to many as the “Queen of Soul,” was the first woman to be
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987). An
electrifying performer since she premiered as a teenager