Pakistan Armed Forces and The Musical Offering: Difference between pages

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'''''The Musical Offering''''' (German title '''''Musikalisches Opfer''''' or '''''Das Musikalische Opfer'''''), [[BWV]] 1079, is a collection of [[canon (music)|canon]]s and [[fugues]] and other pieces of [[music]] by [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], based on a musical theme by [[Frederick II of Prussia]] (Frederick the Great) and dedicated to him.

[[Pakistan]]'s 610,000-member armed forces, the '''[[List of countries by number of active troops|world's 7th largest]]''' in [[2005]], are well trained and disciplined.The Armed Forces are highly respected in the civil society. USA, China and [[North Korea]] are among the leading collaborators. Indigenous development of Missiles are given importance though there are sources that convey the information that they are assisted by China and North Korea in most of the assignments claimed by themselves. However, [[budget]] constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's normally robust training tempo, which if not reversed, will eventually impact the operational readiness of the Armed Forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining their aging fleet of [[United States|American]], [[People's Republic of China|Chinese]], [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[France|French]] equipment. While the industrial base capabilities have expanded significantly, limiting fiscal resources and various sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize the armed forces. Despite this, the Pakistani armed forces demonstrate great strength and armed capabilities which make it one of the strongest in the world.

==The music==

However, the Army of Pakistan was also used to supress terrorist activities and political unrest stirred and sponsered by foriegn powers. In East Pakistan in [[1971]] they had committed many operations to curb violence and law lessness, and are prone to coup d'etats. Also, the country has been ruled by the military for the majority of the time that it has been an independent country. The current ruler of Pakistan, [[Pervez Musharaf]], seized power in a coup. After three years of assuming power he held elctions at grass root level first and later on for national assemble and provencial assemblies. At the moment he is elected President of the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan. Recently the army has been engaged in anti terrorist operations in Wana and [[Balochistan]]. Again foreign hands are suspected of supporting these terrorist activities. The Army of Pakistan's Operation [[2005]],in Wana and other tribal areas have seen success and many Al Qaeda members have been apprehended and their training facillities and shelters destroyed.[[Image: armedforces.jpg|framepx100|thumb|right| Stamp celebrating 50 years of all branches of Pakistan Armed Force]]

===The theme from the king===

The collection has its roots in a meeting between Bach and Frederick II on [[May 7]], [[1747]]. The meeting, taking place in the king's residence in [[Potsdam]], resulted from Bach's son [[Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach|Carl Philipp Emanuel]] being employed there as court musician. Frederick wanted to show a novelty to Bach: the [[pianoforte]] had been invented a few years earlier, and the king owned such experimental instrument, allegedly the first Bach ever saw. Bach, who was well known for his skill at [[improvising]], was given the following theme by Frederick to improvise a fugue upon:

[[Image:Musical offering.png|frame|none|The ''Thema Regium'' ("theme from the king")]]

According to the press of the day, Bach succeeded pretty well in producing an instant fugue, although he must have confided afterwards he felt not very much at ease playing the new type of instrument.

Until [[1990]], the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third largest program after [[Israel]] and [[Egypt]]. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. While sanctions have been in effect since 1990, various amendments have authorized return of spare parts and end items already paid for by Pakistan. There was a period of international sanctions due to Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to [[India]]'s [[May]] [[1998]] tests and the military coup that placed additional sanctions on Pakistan. However since the [[9/11]] incident, Pakistan has become a key ally of USA in the fight against terrorism, especially in ousting [[Taliban]] from neighbouring [[Afghanistan]].

Two months after the meeting, Bach published a set of pieces based on this theme which we now know as ''The Musical Offering''. Bach inscribed the piece "Regis Iussu Cantio Et Reliqua Canonica Arte Resoluta" (the theme given by the king, with additions, resolved in the canonic style), the first letters of which spells out the word ''[[ricercar]]'' (an old name for a fugue).

===Structure, instrumentation===

'''Military branches:'''

In its finished form, ''The Musical Offering'' comprises:

[[Pakistan Army|Army]], [[Pakistan Navy|Navy]], [[Pakistan Air Force|Air Force]], Civil Armed Forces, National Guard

*Two ricercars, written down on as many [[Musical staff|stave]]s as there are voices:

** a ricercar a 6 (a six voice fugue)

** a ricercar a 3 (a three voice fugue)

*Ten [[canon (music)|canon]]s

*A four-movement [[trio sonata]] featuring the [[flute]], an instrument which Frederick played.

Apart from the trio sonata, which is written for flute, [[violin]] and [[basso continuo]], the pieces have few indications of which instruments are meant to play them.

'''Military manpower - military age:'''

16 years of age for voluntary service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18 (2001)

The ricercars and canons have been realised in various ways: The ricercars are frequently performed on keyboard instruments, an ensemble of [[chamber music]]ians with alternating instrument groups, comparable to the instrumentation of the trio sonata, often playing the canons. But also recordings on one or more keyboard instruments (piano, harpsichord) exist, as well as with a more ample orchestra-like instrumentation.

'''Military manpower - availability:'''

<br>''males age 16-49:''

39,028,014 (2005 est.)

As the printed version gives the impression to be organised for (reduction of) page turning when sight-playing the score, the order of the pieces intended by Bach (''if'' there was an intended order), remains uncertain.

'''Military manpower - fit for military service:'''

<br>''males age 16-49:''

16-49: 29,428,747 (2005 est.)

===Musical riddles===

'''Military manpower - reaching military age annually:'''

Some of the canons of the Musical Offering are represented in the original score by not more than a short monodic melody of a few measures, with a more or less enigmatic inscription in [[Latin]] above the melody. These compositions are called the '''''riddle fugues''''' (or sometimes, more appropriately, the ''riddle canons''). The performer(s) is/are supposed to interpret the music as a multi-part piece (a piece with several intertwining melodies), while solving the "riddle". Some of these riddles have been explained to have more than one possible "solution", although nowadays most printed editions of the score give a single, more or less "standard" solution of the riddle, so that interpreters can just play, without having to worry about the Latin, or the riddle.

<br>''males:''

1,969,055 (2005 est.)

One of these ''riddle canons'', "in augmentationem" (i.e. the length of the notes gets longer), is inscribed "Notulis crescentibus crescat Fortuna Regis" (may the fortunes of the king increase like the length of the notes), while a [[Modulation (music)|modulating]] canon which ends a tone higher than it starts is inscribed "Ascendenteque Modulationis ascendat Gloria Regis" (may the king's glory rise like the ascending modulation).

'''Active troops'''

*620,000 ([[List of countries by number of active troops|Ranked 7th]])

==Reception==

'''Military expenditures - dollar figure:'''

Little is known about how Frederick would have received the score dedicated to him, and whether he tried to solve any riddle or played the flute part of the trio sonata. Frederick's musical taste supposedly did not very much cherish ''complicated'' music, and soon after Bach's visit he was on his next war campaign, so it is possible it was not well received.

$3.848 billion (2004)

==20th century adaptations and citations==

'''Military expenditures - percent of GDP:'''

===Arrangements===

4.9% (2004)

The "Ricercar a 6" has been arranged on its own on a number of occasions, the most prominent arranger being [[Anton Webern]], who in [[1935]] made a version for small [[orchestra]], noted for its [[Klangfarbenmelodie]] style (i.e. melody lines are passed on from one instrument to another after every few notes, every note receiving the "tone color" of the instrument it is played on):

[[Image:Webern's Ricercar arrangement opening.PNG|550px|The opening of Webern's arrangement of "Ricercar a 6"]]

Nuclear tests in May [[1998]] confirmed that Pakistan, like [[India]], has [[nuclear weapons]]. In [[April]] 1998 Pakistan test fired a long-range missile easily capable of reaching the capital of India. This means that Pakistan's nuclear warheads can be delivered by airplanes and missiles, and reach most of India. See [[nuclear proliferation]]. Some of the sanctions that were handed to Pakistan have been relinquished and in early [[2004]] US president [[George W. Bush]] gave the government of [[Musharraf]] a $3 billion aid package that will undoubtedly be spent on defence. In March 2005, US government confirmed that it intends to sell unlimited number F16 to Pakistan despite India's resistance to the idea. Pakistan has asked for 86 F 16s.

===As reference===

Since then Pakistan (and India) has tested numerous long range missiles; however, as of 2004 this has currently ceased, most likely due to the current and lengthy peace talks debating both Kashmir and the two countries' trade ties.

''The Musical Offering'' is cited and deliberately interpreted by [[Douglas Hofstadter]] in his famous book ''[[Gödel, Escher, Bach]]''.

==See also==

The Highest Award given by the Military of Pakistan is the [[Nishan-E-Haider]] which has only been awarded to ten men since [[1947]].

* [[Johann Sebastian Bach]]

* [[List of compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach]]

* [[Bach compositions printed during the composer's lifetime]]

* [[Perpetuum mobile]]

* [[Canon_%28music%29]]

* [[Fugue]]

==References andExternal links ==

* [http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/musoffcanons.html Canons of the Musical Offering]

*[[Pakistan]]

* The [[Mutopia Project]] has some of the music of [http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?preview=1&searchingfor=1079&Composer=BachJS&Instrument=&Style=&timelength=1&timeunit=week&lilyversion= The Musical Offering]

*[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/pk.html#Military CIA World Factbook 2005]

*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/index.html Pakistan Military Guide]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/1026/jconco.html JCO Ranks]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/1026/ranks.html Officer's Ranks]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/1026/oper.html Operational Medals]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/1026/nonoperational.html Non-Operational Medals]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/1026/comm.html Commemorative Medals]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/1026/camp.html Campaign/War Medals]

*[http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/k/klix/grader_e.html Rank insignia of the World]

[[Category:ArmiesCompositions by Johann Sebastian Bach]]

[[Category:Militaries|Pakistan]]

[[Category:Pakistan]]

[[Category:Military of Pakistan|*]]

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