Today marks the 335th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach, without a doubt one of the tallest standing giants on whose shoulders stands a significant portion of our musical canon. What better time than his birthday is there to take a look at his life and his works? I will leave a short biography below, share some resources, and share some of my favorite pieces of his. I welcome everyone reading to join me below. Biographical Outline Bach had a fairly mobile life, and spent short periods in many places. For the sake of brevity, I will gloss over the shorter periods, and focus more on the more significant ones. 1685-1703
Born in Eisnach, Saxe-Eisenach on March 31, 1685.*
The Bach family was very musical: his father, many uncles, many cousins, and his siblings were all professional musicians in some sense.
His mother died in 1694, and his father died shortly thereafter; Sebastian Bach moved in with his older brother, Johann Christoph Bach, who lived in Ohrdruf (1695).
Enrolled in the St. Michael's School in Lüneburg in 1700. *The calendar at the time would have read March 21, 1750; this is due to difference in the Julian and the Gregorian calendar systems
1703-1723
After graduating (1703), Bach obtained a position as a musician of Duke Johann Ernst II's court in Weimar; became the organist at the "New Church" (now the "Bach Church") in Arnstadt later that same year. (this post is the setting of two famous stories of Bach: the incident with the "nanny-goat bassoonist", as well as his two week leave to travel in which he walked 280 miles [450 kilometers] both ways on foot to visit Buxtehude [he was absent for 4 months during his "2 week" leave].)
Spent 2 years in Mühlhausen as organist at the Basius Church (1706-1708); he met and married Maria Barbara Bach four months after his arrival
Returned to Weimar to become the organist at the Ducal Court (1708-1717): became Director of Music (1714), which entailed a monthly composition of a cantata; spent a considerable amount of time transcribing Italian works during this period; wrote the English Suites during this period; wrote the preliminary works that would become the Well Tempered Clavier during this period.
Dismissed from his Weimar post in 1717, and even jailed for a day over his stubbornness over the dismissal.
Hired as Kapellmeister for Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen in Köthen (1717-1723): Leopold did not require much music for services, so much of Bach's time was spent on secular compositions during this period; Bach's attempted visit of Handel (a 22 mile [35km] walk away) happend during this time (1717)-Handel wasn't in town; his first wife died (1720); he met and married Anna Magdalena Wilcke in 1721; completed the Brandenburg Concertos by 1721; completed the first book of the Well Tempered Clavier in 1722.
1723-1750; The Leipzig Years
Appointed Thomaskantor of the Thomasschule at the St. thomas Church in Leipzig (1723): wrote the majority of his known cantatas within his first 3 years here; completed the French suites within the first 3 years as well.
Became director of the Collegium Musicum (1729-1737): many of his secular compositions during this period were intended for this organization, to be performed at the famous Café Zimmermann in Leipzig.
Published his four Clavier-Übung during his time in Leipzig (discussed in the "Compositional Output" section).
Composed the bulk of his Mass in B Minor in the mid-1740s
Completed the second book of the Well Tempered Clavier in 1742
His famous visit to Frederick II of Prussia in Potsdam occurred in 1747
Began a large part of his "The Art of Fugue" in 1742, which he would prepare for publication and work on until his death.
Bach, becoming blind, had eye surgery performed by the fraud John Taylor in early 1750; JS Bach would die several months later from infection on July 28, 1750.
Compositional Output How can I even begin talking about Bach's compositional output... This is a rare instance where I feel like simply dropping a link to a Wikipedia page is the best thing to do. This is a page about Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis [BWV] "Bach Works Catalogue". This catalogue is the standard way of organizing Bach's many works, and this page contains information on all 13 categories within the catalogue, and endless rabbit holes to fall into. His four Clavier-Übung I mentioned earlier are as follows:
His output is stunning not only due to its volume and variety, but also because each piece that we have is so packed full of music. There are few works by JS Bach that we have that are simply trivial, throw-away pieces; they are all so well-composed, so full of craftsmanship, that nearly each piece invites one to devote themselves to the study of it. Resources
gerubach is a YouTube channel that, as far as I can tell, is incredibly run by a single person. The ultimate goal of the channel is to have a video with scrolling sheet music for every single composition by Bach. This channel is truly a great resource.
Netherlands Bach Society is another channel with a similar goal. However, this group focuses on creating new, extremely high quality (both in audio/video and in performance) recordings of every Bach piece. Their performances are all historically informed. They have some of the absolute best performances of Bach's cantatas and Passions I have ever heard. Along with nearly every performance, they upload a sister-video that is an interview with some of the performers; these videos are always very informative and interesting.
Voices of Music does not focus soley on Bach, but rather all of the baroque repertoire. They are another historically informed ensemble. They have a great deal of Bach recordings, and their videos are of very high quality.
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar has only a small amount of content relating to Bach, but it is of such high quality that it deserves a mention. The videos feature scores, high-quality audio, informed analyses, and great discussion in the descriptions.
For those few unaware, IMSLP is an incredible source for sheet music. The site has nearly anything you could want that is in the public domain.
Personal Favorites It will take a lot of discipline to keep this section short. I will also skew away from the more well-known pieces; I personally adore much of the WTC, but so do most others, and they are already aware of the pieces. The same goes for many other works. (I do have future plans for a post solely dedicated to the WTC, that goes into more depth, incidentally).
BWV 532 - This Prelude and Fugue for organ has some of the most incredible dissonances I've felt. I really urge you to listen to this with good studio headphones or loud speakers; feel the power of the instrument-the adagio section of the prelude will hit you like a ton of bricks.
BWV 572 - Another great organ piece, this time a Fantasia. The Grave segment is great. If you don't want spoilers, stop reading: the final cadence of the Grave section is quite the surprise, a deceptive C#dim7 chord.
BWV 578 - This organ fugue has a very catchy subject, and deserves its fame. This piece (and this video) is great for teaching; it's a great way to introduce beginner students to the concept of counterpoint, as they can "see" the voices, and the subject is so memorable and distinctive.
BWV 1023 - This violin sonata is great. The Adagio is so beautiful.
BWV 1016 - Another stunning violin sonata. The second Adagio is really something else. If you listen to the harpsichord parts, you'll realize this is actually a disguised trio sonata.
BWV 1018 - This is a sonata for violin and keyboard. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the Adagio is 100% worth checking out. Bach really had great skill with getting these kinds of feelings out of a violin.
BWV 1043 - This is the Largo movement from his D Minor double violin concerto. The way the violins speak to each other is incredible. It's very easy to be absorbed by this music. Here is a full performance; I simply like the previous performance of the second movement better.
BWV 245 - Bach's St. John's Passion really must be experienced by everyone, and this is an incredible performance of it. Few things in music grab one as much as the opening, "Herr unser Herrscher", of this masterpiece.
BWV 227 - This is one of my favorite motets by the composer. The first verse is very memorable, of course, but Bach also goes on to showcase some incredible 5-part polyphonic writing later on.
BWV 8 - This cantata is one of my favorites. I don't know what it is, but something about this one really sticks with me. The description of this video has some good information.
BWV 997 - This is an incredible suite played on, and composed for the lute-harpsichord. Unknown to many, this was one of Bach's favorite instruments (read the description of this video: the information is accurate). Bach loved the sound of the lute, but wasn't fond of its limitations in what it could play compared to keyboard instruments: the lute-harpsichord was the best of both worlds to him.
BWV 831 Mvt.I, Mvt.II, Mvt.III, Mvt.IV, Mvt.V, Mvt.VI, Mvt.VII, Mvt.VIII, Mvt.IX, Mvt.X, Mvt. XI - This is his French Overture in B Minor. Glenn Gould's performance of this work is a strong contender for my favorite keyboard work of all time. The counterpoint is amazing; it's truly some of the most perfect polyphony I have ever heard. The voices really feel... "real". This is a true discussion between these disembodied voices. If you have any kind of an inclination towards counterpoint yourself, give this a listen with some focus: with headphones, or driving around a quiet neighborhood, or lying in bed with a speaker playing, or anything like that.
"The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul." -J.S. Bach
"There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself." -J.S. Bach
"Music owes as much to Bach as religion to its founder." -Robert Schumann
"Bach is like an astronomer who, with the help of ciphers, finds the most wonderful stars." -Frédéric Chopin
"Now there is music from which a man can learn something!" (after hearing Bach's motets performed in Leipzig) -W.A. Mozart
"Study Bach. There you will find everything." -Johannes Brahms
"Nicht Bach, sondern Meer sollte er heißen." -Ludwig van Beethoven
"In Bach, the vital cells of music are united as the world is in God." -Gustav Mahler
"The music of my father has higher intentions; it's not supposed to fill the ear, but to move!" -C.P.E. Bach
Afterthoughts There is nothing I can say about this composer here that hasn't already been said a thousand times, in a thousand ways, by a thousand musicians more talented than I. There is also no need to convince anyone reading this post of J.S. Bach's compositional prowess. My simple hope is that I can spark some more exploration into this great man, as well as hopefully spark some discussion in the comment section. Happy Birthday, Sebastian, and happy listening for everyone else~
Background I discovered Bach thanks to piracy. Back in 2013, as a young teenager, I downloaded a "Top 50 classical music [MP3]" and I discovered the Aria from the Goldberg Variations (played on harpsichord). I was amazed, so decided to download the full "album". I was disappointed (lol), but I got curious on the naming: "BWV 988", what does that mean? I decided to give Bach another chance and I thought "Well, I should listen to BWV 1, the first work (WRONG!)... Damn! The first "track" is so long, and there is so much "stuff" going on! ehm... no, thanks. Oh, look! "Aria (Soprano)", that's a curious name, let's hear it!...Wow..." 7 years later I'm love with Bach more than ever! There is not a single composition I don't enjoy listening to, in the right situation. I've been listening more to Bach in my entire life than any other artist, combined (I'm in my 20s...). During the last 2 years I decided to expand my horizons and, using Bach as a starting point, I discovered other composers, starting with famous ones, ending with smaller, unknown ones. I am so grateful that I've had the chance to cry of joy listening to these composers. It bugs me thinking that if I was born in the wrong period of history, or I did the wrong choices, I wouldn't know a single thing about this! I am so grateful! Piracy As I said, I discovered Bach thanks to piracy. I would not have bought a single Bach CD, especially at that age, without any money. I am not saying that to justify my actions, but that's how I discovered him and I'm so grateful piracy is a thing. Now I can afford to buy CDs, and even if I still pirate, I decided to support the artists I listen to, especially the smaller ones. I feel like I do my part in supporting the artists. Audio (briefly) A digital audio recording is nothing else than a sequence of data (bits), a sequence of 0 and 1 in the simplest form. Let's say when an artist records a piece of music, the data is as follows (I use letters in this example) AAAAABBBCCCCCCCBBAA This digital recording exists in the form of a file: MUSIC.wav Well, the music file is pretty big, I need a big place to store it! What should I do?
some smart guys created a way to make the data smaller, without any quality loss (lossless compression): 5A3B7B2A - we can see the text is shorter but the information is the same. Let's call it MUSIC.flac
well, this MUSIC.flac is still pretty big. I still need a significant amount of space to store that... what if I try to cut off some data to save up (lossy compression) space? 4A2B5B1A. Let's call this MUSIC.mp3. This is how youtube, spotify and others store their music.
Most people wouldn't notice any difference, the rest need a good equipment to hear the difference. But even if you don't notice it first, it doesn't mean it's not there...
Deezer and deemix
Deezer Deezer is "a French online music streaming service" similar to spotify, that let you listen to music or even buy it, in the lossless form too (.flac). The .flac files are bigger, but there is no data loss between the recording and your ears. deemix (https://notabug.org/RemixDev/deemix-pyweb) deemix is an open-source (meaning its code is accessible and free to everyone, also to Deezer Engineers) tool that lets you download music from deezer for free. No bait, no shadows, it's free and open-source, available to everyone. It's just there.
A brief guide to deemix
I won't lie. You should have some familiarity with a terminal, but it's rather easy. It works on Windows, macOS and Linux. I will list here the commands on how to set it up on linux (ubuntu). Register to deezer, free account, login, press F12 on chrome, select "application", open up "cookies", select "http://www.deezer.com", on the right look for "arl", copy and save that long string. This part is covered by the official guide and the video. Now that we have our ARL we can install deemix You can find a brief guide here, I will list the terminal commands (Ubuntu)
sudo su (enter your user password) apt install python3 apt install python3-pip apt install git git clone https://notabug.org/RemixDev/deemix-pyweb.git cd deemix-pyweb git submodule update --init --recursive python3 -m pip install -U -r requirements.txt --user exit python3 server.py
open up the browser and visit "localhost:9666" if you do it from the same machine or visit the local IP of the machine (eg 192.168.1.15:9666) from the browser: go into settings, paste the arl you copied before, and that's pretty much it. The default download directory is "/root/deemix Music" if you run it as root, or "/home/usedeemix Music" if you run it normally. In the settings you can also select the quality you want your music to be downloaded with. Flac is my pick and I suggest you to try it out at least, otherwise you can as well select MP3. Here you can find useful tools that simplify the installation process on windows and macOS. Support the artists.
Discussion: Why do so many Pianists Hate the Harpsichord?
So I see a lot of elitist piano bois trying desperately to call out the use of harpsichord in the works of Bach, Händel, Scarlatti, etc both when reviewing recordings professionally or simply people commenting on sites such as YouTube and Amazon. To me it seems to be little more than people wanting to justify the reason they don’t like the instrument. The actual reason is of course because they lack the nuts to enjoy the gritty glory of the harpsichord due to general sheltering from musical culture outside of the western romantic period. So, my opinion is that the piano is obviously the superior instrument overall but neither actually make the other obsolete. To me, the process of writing for Harpsichord and Piano is extremely different. Each have benefits which can be used to create very different textures of music. Piano has is dynamics and the ability to create smooth texture whilst the harpsichord has clarity from it’s sharp quality yet also a variety of layers which can be added and removed to manipulate the texture (typically French ones had the most options). Now I personally believe that there is always space for Baroque to be recorded on piano but I probably don’t want to listen to it. Why? Because it simply doesn’t sound right for the music. The music was written for the harpsichord and thus the piano sounds oddly forced and cheap. Now, a good player such as Gould could obviously pull of the Goldberg Variations very beautifully on this instrument however, Pincock and Hantaï will always be my favourite for any sort of Baroque music. For reference, have a listen to Hantaï’s work on the Scarlatti Sonatas! It’s so good!!!! Let’s look at this from another angle. Can you imagine Moonlight Sonata or Nocturne on a Flemish Harpsichord? If someone were to do it they’d likely be reeeeeeeed at for destroying their sexy piano music. However, it’s somehow fine to screw with what Johann Sebastian Bach had in mind for his works? A very nice and pretty well known piece for Harpsichord would be Händel’s Passacaglia in G minor. I’m sure many of you have seen the movie clip involving Händel and Scarlatti having a dank Harpsichord battle with this piece. Well, if you listen to the piece, it is written very specifically so that the theme can be built upon over time to create a sense of dynamic increase and I suppose due to the actual increase of notes being played at once, it technically would grow louder. The piano wouldn’t need to have music written for it in this style and thus it would almost make the piece feel naked with the lack of natural restriction from the harpsichord. So let me know what you think about this. Once again, I think both instruments are beautiful and that as composing for them is extremely different, it should not be assumed that they are interchangeable and certainly not assumed that one is obsolete simply due to dynamic limitation and age. As for me, I’m a 20 year old beginner British composer currently focused on Orchestral Baroque music though I intend to play around in all of the period styles before developing my own voice in contemporary music a little later in life.
Hello, Violy cellists and violists! Bach’s Cello Suites will run through your ‘violy’ February and make the month more fascinating. During the whole month, the Violy sheet music album of The Six Unaccompanied Cello Suites for Cello and for Viola are FREE to all Violy users. In this article, we will go through these Baroque masterpieces from Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest composers of all time. https://preview.redd.it/qk5o4832nsh41.png?width=2136&format=png&auto=webp&s=f6a09ad509d023401550afa820f5c4327a791439
Cello Album Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. The Bach family had already counted several composers when Johann Sebastian was born as the last child of a city musician in Eisenach. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations. He enriched German styles through his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organization, and his adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. https://preview.redd.it/dcrcv2z2nsh41.jpg?width=880&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=945bf28347309677893b680887922238bda0d93a Bach’s compositions include hundreds of cantatas, Latin church music, passions, oratorios, and motets. He often adopted Lutheran hymns, not only in his larger vocal works, but also in his four-part chorales and sacred songs. He wrote extensively for organ and other keyboard instruments. He also composed concertos for violin and harpsichord, and suites for orchestra. Many of his works employ the genres of canon and fugue. Throughout the 18th century, Bach was primarily valued as organist, while his keyboard music, such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, was appreciated for its didactic qualities. The 19th century saw the publication of some major Bach biographies, and by the end of that century, all of his known music had been printed. https://preview.redd.it/0pirzja4nsh41.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5eb4923b48b03ff8e6374c7f6f660937a650645e
Bach’s Cello Composition
Bach’s six unaccompanied cello suites are some of the most frequently performed and recognizable solo compositions ever written for cello. Bach most likely composed them during the period 1717–23, when he served as Kapellmeister in Köthen. The title given on the cover of Anna Magdalena Bach’s manuscript was Suites à Violoncello Solo senza Basso (Suites for cello solo without bass). As usual in a Baroque musical suite, after the prelude which begins each suite, all the other movements are based around Baroque dance types. The suites are structured in six movements each: prelude, allemande, courante, sarabande, two menuets or two bourrées or two gavottes, and a final gigue. The Bach cello suites are considered to be among the most profound of all classical music works. Wilfrid Mellers described them in 1980 as “Monophonic music wherein a man has created a dance of God.” Due to the works’ technical demands, étude-like nature, and difficulty in interpretation, the cello suites were little known and rarely publicly performed until they were revived and recorded by Pablo Casals in the early 20th century. Since then, they have been performed and recorded by many renowned cellists and have been transcribed for numerous other instruments. The six cello suites are considered to be some of Bach’s greatest musical achievements.
Violy FREE Album Contents:
There are totally 42 pieces of music in the FREE album of The Six Unaccompanied Cello Suites — Bach (and the same pieces for Viola) on Violy, including:
Suite I-Prelude | BPM = 80
https://reddit.com/link/f6420w/video/xuzu71qwnsh41/player The Prelude of Suite №1 in G major, mainly consisting of arpeggiated chords, is probably the most well-known movement from the entire set of suites and is regularly heard on television and in films.
Suite I-Allemande | BPM = 80
Suite I-Courante | BPM = 80
Suite I-Sarabande | BPM = 80
Suite I-Menuet I | BPM = 80
Suite I-Menuet II | BPM = 80
Suite I-Gigue | BPM = 80
Suite II-Prelude | BPM = 80
Suite II-Allemande | BPM = 80
Suite II-Courante | BPM = 80
Suite II-Sarabande | BPM = 80
Suite II-Menuet I | BPM = 80
Suite II-Menuet II | BPM = 80
14.Suite II-Gigue | BPM = 80 The Prelude of Suite №2 in D minor consists of two parts. The first part has a strong recurring theme that is immediately introduced in the beginning. The second part is a scale-based cadenza movement that leads to the final powerful chords. The subsequent allemande contains short cadenzas that stray away from this very strict dance form. The first menuet contains demanding chord shiftings and string crossings.
Suite III-Prelude | BPM = 80
Suite III-Allemande | BPM = 80
Suite III-Courante | BPM = 80
Suite III-Sarabande | BPM = 80
Suite III-Bourrée I | BPM = 80
Suite III-Bourrée II | BPM = 80
Suite III-Gigue | BPM = 80
The Prelude of Suite №3 in C major consists of an A–B–A–C form, with A being a scale-based movement that eventually dissolves into an energetic arpeggio part; and B, a section of demanding chords. It then returns to the scale theme and ends with a powerful and surprising chord movement. The allemande is the only movement in the six suites that has an up-beat consisting of three semiquavers instead of just one, which is the standard form. The second bourrée, though in C minor, has a two-flat (or G minor) key signature. This notation, common in Pre-Classical music, is sometimes known as a partial key signature. The first and second bourrée of the third suite are sometimes used as solo materials for other bass instruments, such as tuba, euphonium, trombone and bassoon.
Suite IV-Prelude | BPM = 80
Suite IV-Allemande | BPM = 80
Suite IV-Courante | BPM = 80
Suite IV-Sarabande | BPM = 80
Suite IV-Bourrée I | BPM = 80
Suite IV-Bourrée II | BPM = 80
Suite IV-Gigue | BPM = 80
Suite №4 in E♭ major is one of the most technically demanding of the six suites, as E♭ is an uncomfortable key on the cello and requires many extended left hand positions. The key is also difficult on cello due to the lack of resonant open strings. The prelude primarily consists of a difficult flowing quaver movement that leaves room for a cadenza before returning to its original theme. The very peaceful sarabande is quite obscure about the stressed second beat, which is the basic characteristic of the 3/4 dance. In this particular sarabande, almost every first beat contains a chord, whereas the second beat most often does not.
Suite V-Prelude | BPM = 80
Suite V-Allemande | BPM = 80
Suite V-Courante | BPM = 80
Suite V-Sarabande | BPM = 80
Suite V-Gavotte I | BPM = 80
Suite V-Gavotte II | BPM = 80
Suite V-Gigue | BPM = 80
Suite №5 in C minor was originally written in scordatura with the A string tuned down to G, but nowadays a version for standard tuning is included in almost every edition of the suites along with the original version. Some chords must be simplified when playing with standard tuning, but some melodic lines become easier as well. The prelude is written in an A–B form. It is a French overture. It begins with a slow, emotional movement that explores the deep range of the cello. After that comes a fast and very demanding single-line fugue that leads to the powerful end. This suite is most famous for its intimate sarabande, which is the second of only four movements in all six suites that do not contain any chords. Mstislav Rostropovich describes it as the essence of Bach’s genius. The fifth suite is also exceptional as its courante and gigue are in the French style, rather than the Italian form of the other five suites.
Suite VI-Prelude | BPM = 80
Suite VI-Allemande | BPM = 80
Suite VI-Courante | BPM = 80
Suite VI-Sarabande | BPM = 80
Suite VI-Gavotte I | BPM = 80
Suite VI-Gavotte II | BPM = 80
Suite VI-Gigue | BPM = 80
It is widely believed that Suite №6 in D major was composed specifically for a five-stringed violoncello piccolo, a smaller cello, roughly 7⁄8 normal cello size with a fifth upper string tuned to E. However, some people say there is no substantial evidence to support this claim. Cellists playing this suite on a modern four-string cello encounter difficulties as they are forced to use very high positions to reach many of the notes. This suite is written in much more free form than the others, containing more cadenza-like movements and virtuosic passages. It is also the only one of the six suites that is partly notated in the alto and soprano clefs (modern editions use tenor and treble clefs), which are not needed for the others since they never go above the note G4 (G above middle C). Stay tuned, Violy musicians, let’s enjoy more Violy FREE Sheet Music albums later~ More Articles for violin teachers and violin beginners here~
I was 4th of 9 children and grew up in Texas and Louisiana in a devout LDS family (all 6 boys missions, all 9 children graduated from BYU, 9 temple marriages, etc.). I served a dedicated mission in Scotland, graduated from BYU in microbiology and did grad school in Texas focusing on the bioinformatics of mass spectrometry based proteomics. Did a postdoc at CU Boulder and was an assistant professor at BYU for about 4.5 years (really enjoyed my time there) but left to become a programmer. [No, I wasn't fired or let go--I was easily on track for tenure/CFS, but felt like my funding level was insufficient for the science I was trying to do and for the way in which I felt I could best help the department.] We have 6 children. My oldest is about to start up at USU. My youngest is starting 1st grade.
Interests
I love walking, running, and hiking barefoot. I've summitted several of the mountains and peaks around Utah County (like Nebo and Timp) barefoot. My wife and I do one or two 6 mile walks around Provo most every weekend. I love good classical music (I don't love boring classical music!) especially orchestral works, choral works, the organ, and harpsichord. Bach is my favorite composer. My user name is based on one of the first pieces that my brothers and I were really excited about when really exploring Bach's organ work for the first time (BWV 549). We were excited by the realization that there was more out there than just Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 565). I prefer Bach perfectly timed (so as not to preference any voices), so I sometimes make midi recordings like this. My wife and I enjoy going to concerts together--in the past couple of years we've been to see Depeche Mode, OMD, Pixies/Weezer, the National Parks, Smashing Pumpkins, and just last weekend Erasure. Since my faith transition a few years back, I've been re-exploring "secular" music again (currently enjoying Allesandro Cortini's instrumental stuff, Lantern By Sea, Artesia, and the album EE4C by Easily Embarrassed). My favorite novel is Pride and Prejudice, but I also really like Sanderson, like most of you. I'm reading Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series at night to my kids right now. I love researching and writing on various topics (especially LDS stuff), so I end up reading far more non-fiction than fiction.
Current
Since my faith transition I've been trying to figure out how to help make LDS faith transitions more "successful": to preserve mental health and relationships (marriage, family and friends) that maybe shouldn't be lost to a faith transition. Just the other week, after a lot of discussions and preparation for the past year or so, I helped kick off the first informal Mormon-FormerMormon-Dialogue with the BYU religion department (also with A-B-C-D-4-3-2-1, FlirtToConvert, and JonOgden).
note: there is way more than enough to dox me with this post; my only preference is that my username not readily co-appear with my real name in google searches, but I'm perfectly fine that people figure out who I am IRL. edit: minor edit around concerts
Violin Album of JS Bach (New Albums on Violy | The BEST Violin App)
Violin Album of JS Bach (New Albums on Violy | The BEST Violin App)
Hello, Violy violinists. We will introduce you to the recently added “Albums” of violin repertoires on Violy — The BEST Violin App. Without further ado, let’s start from Johnn Sebastian Bach who was also as known as the father of music. Johann Sebastian Bach
Album (Violin) Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685–28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque era. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Art of Fugue, the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations, and for vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival, he has been generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Western art musical canon. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNITYKeCI1E&feature=emb_logo
Bach’s Violin Composition
Bach’s most advanced compositions of violin have been considered to be the highest peak of every violinist’s achievement. The unaccompanied Partitas and Sonatas as well as his violin pieces with accompaniment require a high level of violin mastery and a seasoned musicality. Players who have not reached these heights are also eager to become more adept at his music and deepen their understanding of Baroque playing skills. [2] https://preview.redd.it/5h3ms9fvmly31.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=e5bc88ea5d33d8d6eb5021e3e633965ce03ad00c
Violy Album Contents:
There are totally 18 pieces of music in the self-titled Album of Johann Sebastian Bach on Violy, including:
Air on the G String | Lento e molto espressivo = 52
“Air on the G String” is August Wilhelmj’s arrangement of the 2nd movement in J S Bach’s Orchestral Suite №3 in D major, BWV 1068.
The arrangement is different from the original in that the part of the 1st violins is transposed down so that it can be played entirely on a violin’s lowest string, the G string. It is played by a single violin (instead of by the first violins as a group). [3]
Allegro | Allegro = 120
Bourrée | Allegro moderato = 80
Come Let Us to the Bagpipes Sound from “The Peasant Cantata” | Allegro = 120
In 1742, Bach, late in his career, took a long look back at the music of his day and made such a thorough-going parody of it that we’re still not sure if he was making a social commentary or a musical joke.
The Peasant Cantata, BWV 212, also has the title of Mer Hahn en neue Oberkeet, which in local Saxon, for We have a new Governor.[4]
Gavotte | Allegro vivace = 136
Invention No.13 in A Minor BWV 784 | Allegro = 120
Invention No. 2 in C Minor BWV 772 | Allegro Moderato ed Espressivo = 116
Largo | Cantabile ed Espressivo = 46
9.Minute 2 | Andantino = 104
One of the three most popular minuets in the violin repertoire by Bach.
A minuet is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, possibly from the French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular group dances called branle à mener or amener.
The Minuet in G major is a keyboard piece included in the 1725 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach. For a while, it was attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV Anh. 114), but it is now universally attributed to Christian Petzold. It is a 32-measure piece primarily in the key of G major.
Musette | Andante = 76
Sarabande (violin trio) | Allegro = 120
Suite in B minor: II. Rondeau BWV 1067 | Allegro = 120
Violin Concerto in A Minor, I BWV 1041 | Allegro moderato = 108
Violin Concerto in A Minor, II BWV 1041 | Andante = 76
Violin Concerto in A Minor, III BWV 1041 | Allegro assai = 130
The Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041, was written by Johann Sebastian Bach. While it has been “generally thought to be composed at Köthen in 1717–23”. Christoph Wolff has argued that the work may have been written in Leipzig during Bach’s time as director of the Collegium Musicum; John Butt also believes that Bach wrote it “probably soon after taking over the Leipzig Collegium Musicum in 1729”. In any event, the only autograph source to survive are parts Bach copied out (along with other copyists) in Leipzig circa 1730 from a now lost score or draft. [5]
Violin Concerto in E Major, I BWV 1042 | Allegro = 120
Violin Concerto in E Major, II BWV 1042 | Adagio = 100
Violin Concerto in E Major, III BWV 1042 | Allegro assai = 52
The Violin Concerto in E major, BWV 1042, by Johann Sebastian Bach is a concerto based on the three-movement Venetian concerto model, albeit with a few unusual features as each movement has “un-Italian characteristics”.
While there are two 18th-century scores, neither is autographed; however, Bach re-used the concerto as the model for his Harpsichord Concerto in D major, BWV 1054, found in his 1737–39 autographed manuscript of these works. The concerto is thought to have been written when Bach was working for the court of Köthen or when Bach was in Leipzig. 6)
Interpreting Bach's Goldberg Variations: Performance, Repeats, Tempo, etc.
I'm in the process of creating a MIDI interpretation of J.S. Bach's Aria with Divers Variations, otherwise known as the Goldberg Variations, and I would like to ask this subreddit how they think this work should be interpreted. Here are some questions for consideration:
Which recording of the GV is the best for listening? (Harpsichord preferred, but piano is also acceptable.)
Which recording is best for studying?
Should all the repeats (ABAB), some of the repeats (AAB, ABB), or no repeats (AB) be observed?
Tempo: how fast is too fast? How slow is too slow? Are there certain variations that, with too much or too little speed take away from the GV as a whole? 1
This last question is for harpsichordists: How important is registration for the GV? Does it need to blow the listener's mind, or not take away from the work itself?
I probably left a few questions out, but those are the ones I wanted to discuss.
I made a post a while back talking about interpreting this monumental work, but I want to delve a little deeper and gather this subreddit's thoughts on the GV. The following is a list of 3 topics of interest I've gathered for discussion:
Werner Breig theorized that the original version of the GV consisted of the Aria, the first 24 variations, and the Aria da capo. Considering that the 24th variation is an octave canon, it would complete the pattern of every third variation ending with a canon at increasing intervals. We don't know for sure why Bach added another six variations, or whether this claim is actually true, but it gives much to think about.
The veracity of the Keyserlingk story. According to J.N. Forkel, the work was commissioned by one Count Hermann Carl von Keyserlingk. Keyserlingk, an insomniac employed in his home a young but talented boy named Johann Gottlieb (Theophilus) Goldberg (for whom the epithet of this work is named) to play the harpsichord at night to help him drift off to sleep. Keyserlingk loved the work so much, that he rewarded Bach with a golden goblet and 100 Louis d'or. The story is more-or-less accepted to be dubious, but that raises the question of the work's true origins.
The variations are undoubtedly Bach, but what about the Aria? As far as we are concerned, the Aria was composed nearly two decades (at least) before the variations, appearing in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach in 1725. Several works in that collection, including the Minuet in G and the aria Bist du bei mir are the works of other composers. It's possible according to some that the Aria is another composer's work. One musicologist even theorized that Anna Magdalena herself composed the Aria, but his claim has been almost universally rejected by Bach scholars.
Piece of the Week #17 - Johann Sebastian Bach - Goldberg Variations
This week's featured piece is Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, as nominated by Whoosierandnonnein Performances:
Here's a Spotify playlist with 30 different versions of the work, with performers including: Trevor Pinnock, Pierre Hantaï, Christophe Rousset, Gustav Leonhardt, András Schiff, Glenn Gould (both the 1955 and 1981 versions), Murray Perahia, Daniel Barenboim, Wilhelm Kempff, Tatiana Nikolayeva and many more. As you might be able to tell from this list, I have included performances on both harpsichord and piano. In addition to this, I have also included a number of performances arranged for other instruments, including: organ, viols, woodwinds, chamber orchestra, guitar, harp, accordion, two pianos and string trio. Obviously there are many other recordings of this work, but 30 seemed like an appropriate number.
Discussion points: Piece of the Week is intended to be a forum for discussion, but for whatever reason, comments about the featured piece have been few and far between over the last few weeks. To remedy this, I thought it might be a good idea to have a few discussion points to start us off. Here are a few suggestions:
Why is this piece so famous? What's so great about it?
Is there a "right" instrument on which to play this piece? Why/why not?
Which recordings are your favourites and why?
Am I the only person who really, really hates Glenn Gould?
If you do like Glenn Gould, which of his two recordings do you prefer, and why?
Which are your favourite variations from the set, and why?
Does anyone still believe the story about Count Kaiserling's insomnia?
Did Bach borrow the bassline for the aria from a work by Handel?
How much influence do you think this work have on later sets of variations?
What possible reason could Bach have had to produce a work of this type, and on such a large scale?
Mozart - 10 Variations in G on a theme by Gluck KV455
Mendelssohn - Variations sérieuses
Rzewski - The People United Will Never Be Defeated!
Shostakovich - 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87
Want to nominate a future Piece of the Week? I'm changing the nomination system this week. If you want to nominate a piece, please leave a comment with the composer's name and the title of the piece in this nomination thread. I will then choose the next Piece of the Week from amongst these nominations. You may only nominate one piece per week, and it must be a complete piece, rather than a single movement. A list of previous Pieces of the Week can be found here. Enjoy listening and discussing!
What interpretation makes you like the piece that you didn't like before?
Strangely, though I loved Bach's Harpsichord concertos, I was not a big fan of his solo keyboard works like Goldberg Variations, Partitas, and Well-Tempered Klavier. Then I found Schiff's recordings on ECM, which totally changed my views on them- they are one of my favorite CDs now. He really can make the Bach sing, with excellent recorded sound on ECM label. Also for Debussy's Preludes, Aimard's recording grabbed me unlike Michelangeli and Zimerman's and made me look into his work more.
What are some of your favorite stories and/or history regarding pieces in piano repertoire?
As a pianist/history buff, I find inspiration when I'm learning a piece and I know the history of the piece or maybe the story behind it. I have also found that when I play a piece publicly and I share the story before, it really captures the listeners attention. I think it helps draw people in and gives them a connection to the music in a way. A quick example I guess is Bach's Goldberg Variation (which I'm learning the Aria right now) written for a musician named Goldberg who was employed for a Russian Count (royalty) The Count was ill and suffering from weeks and months of insomnia and they traveled to see Bach and commissioned him to compose these Variations to be played throughout the night during the Russians sleepless nights. Now when I play the piece I imagine what it must have been like hearing it reverberating off the stone walls of the castle, up and down the corridors. The sight of Goldberg sitting alone at the Harpsichord under candlelight. Etc. What are some good stories behind some of your favorite piano repertoire? Please share.
Children's Song No. 1 (Corea) - Kálmán Balogh, Rózsa Farkas \dulcimers
Arabesques: No. 2 in G Major (Debussy) - Agnes Szakaly & Rozsa Farkas \cimbalom dulcimers
Arabesques No. 1 (Debussy) - Isao Tomita \purists grave roll but this is not Switched on Bach...
Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2: I. Lever du jour (Ravel - arr. G. Idenstam for organ) - Gunnar Idenstam \organ
** won out over https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdDQ4M5Ilzc for wider audiences I didn't include some Bach on non-standard instrumentation, Goldberg Variations Chris Thile (mandolin) or Caitrin Finch (harp), or cello suites Edgar Meyer (contrabass). Would love to hear any suggestions, thanks!
Recording of "Goldberg Variations" played on harpsichord?
Hi: I love Bach's works, and The Goldberg Variations is probably my most favorite work of his. I was doing some reading on it and I understand it was written for harpsichord - but all the recordings I've been able to find of it are on piano. Is anyone aware of a good recording (CD or digital download preferred) where the artist uses a harpsichord? Thanks!
Bach Goldberg Variations – The Best Recordings – Part 2 – Harpsichord Versions Tal Agam - August 31, 2018 August 8, 2019 This is Part 2 of our ‘ Best Of ‘ series about Bach’s Goldberg Variations , which will recommend the best few versions on the Harpsichord. The Chess Game, based on J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations, Part 1 (Variations 1-15) Consists of selections from Bach's Goldberg Variations BWV 988, performed on harpsichord, alternating with variations composed by John Lewis for harpsichord and piano, each based on the preceding original: Queens Pawn Opening Aria On Harpisichord Aria On Piano King's College presents Bach's iconic Goldberg Variations as arranged and performed by the harpist Parker Ramsay. The latest album from King's College follows critically acclaimed recordings by other alumni, including the cellist Guy Johnston and the organist Richard Gowers. organ and harpsichord. He was the first American to hold the post Published in 1741, Bach's incredible piece for harpsichord consists of 30 different variations on the same theme. What are the Goldberg Variations? The work itself consists of 30 variations, starting with a single 'Aria'. What are the Goldberg Variations? Around 1741, Bach published a long and complicated keyboard piece, calling it Aria with diverse variations for a harpsichord with two manuals (keyboards). Bach’s Goldberg Variations By Anne E. Johnson According to an anecdote in an 1802 biography of J.S. Bach, the maestro had a harpsichord student named Johann Gottfried Goldberg who worked for a certain Count Kaiserling, an insomniac. Bach Goldberg Variations – The Best Recordings – Part 2 – Harpsichord Versions Part 3 – The Piano Playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations on the piano exhibits enormous challenges; It seems that the additional possibilities this instrument has over the Harpsichord can even be considered an obstacle, rather than an advantage. Download and Print top quality Goldberg Variations (COMPLETE) sheet music for piano solo (or harpsichord) by Johann Sebastian Bach with Mp3 and MIDI files. High-Quality and Interactive, Transpose it in any key, change the tempo, easy play & practice. This version of the Goldberg Variations was created by Parker in part to make a statement about the harp: “I wanted to show the world that the harp is an instrument of beauty, sincerity and transcendence, standing alongside the keyboards and string instruments as a worthy vehicle for the music of J S Bach.” Bach: Goldberg Variations George Malcolm (harpsichord) Flaunting a flair for registration that sounds like Stokowski loosed on the harpsichord, George Malcolm’s groundbreaking Goldbergs belatedly make it to CD: clear-sighted, sometimes unyielding.
Goldberg Variations Complete (J.S. Bach BWV 988), with ...
Christiane Jaccottet (1937-1999), harpsichord, no repeats1990 Karl Richter plays J.S.Bach Goldberg Variations BWV 988. Better prepare for impact if you're not familiar with this recording...!0:00 Introduction to this re... The legend surrounding the 'Goldberg Variations', performed here by Jean Rondeau for All of Bach, is such a nice one. Count Hermann Karl von Keyserlinck was ... Download the Goldberg Variations (mp3, wav): https://kimikoishizaka.bandcamp.com/album/j-s-bach-open-goldberg-variations-bwv-988-pianoSilence of the Lambs, H... The great harpsichordist Pierre Hantaï plays Goldberg Variations in G major BWV 988 (published as Clavier-Übung IV, 1741) on an original harpsichord in Villa... NB: Please set your playback to the highest resolution (1080p) for the best sound!J S Bach:Goldberg Variations complete (with indexing). Robert Hill, harpsic... J.S.Bach - Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, Anna Kislitsyna (harpsichord).The concert/recording was made at Temple University - Boyer College and Dance.More inf...
