Hooray for Bach on HN! I can't recommend highly enough the performances of http://bachcollegiumjapan.org, a Japanese ensemble that I believe has recorded the full choral works of J.S. Bach, along with many pieces for instruments only. The performances are vital and electrifying, while also extremely thoughtful and counterpoint-driven.
Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
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Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#22Just before seeing this on HN I was listening to Buxtehude's organ works on my way home. Buxtehude was one of the main inspirations for Bach as a composer¹, and I always find it interesting to go back and forth. But there's a reason Bach is the one that has come to be a superstar - there's the huge number of surviving works, of course, and in many ways how "the student surpassed the master", not least in contrapuncta…
I used to have a cat named Buxtehude (mainly because I like the word) and was pleased that most of my friends knew the reference.
I also drove there once. Not much to see, and actually has no connection to the composer.
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#23Bach's entire oeuvre is incredible. I'm curious to know what this particular work has to do with HN though?
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Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#24Just before seeing this on HN I was listening to Buxtehude's organ works on my way home. Buxtehude was one of the main inspirations for Bach as a composer¹, and I always find it interesting to go back and forth. But there's a reason Bach is the one that has come to be a superstar - there's the huge number of surviving works, of course, and in many ways how "the student surpassed the master", not least in contrapuncta…
People who know me say I'm a super music fan. Yup. I liked it well enough to get a violin and dig in, especially to Bach. For violin I have low talent, started too late, and didn't practice enough, but, still I made it through the Preludio of the E Major Partita and the D Major center section of the Chaconne.
From all the possible analyses I've seen of Bach, finally I come down on just one core point: He was one heck of a good musician, that is, in the basic art of the music, that is, "communication, interpretation of human experience, emotion". I listen to Bach for the MUSIC, that is, for the art, the communication.
While later composers used style and means Bach didn't use or didn't have, to me as an avid listener Bach is in places as passionate, romantic, dramatic as anything in Mozart, Beethoven, Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, Tchaikowski, etc. E.g.,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOFflFiLlT8
Bach Busoni Chaconne D Minor BWV 1004 Valentina Lisitsa
Passionate music.
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#25Just before seeing this on HN I was listening to Buxtehude's organ works on my way home. Buxtehude was one of the main inspirations for Bach as a composer¹, and I always find it interesting to go back and forth. But there's a reason Bach is the one that has come to be a superstar - there's the huge number of surviving works, of course, and in many ways how "the student surpassed the master", not least in contrapuncta…
I'm surprised you didn't include the story of Bach walking 250 miles to hear Buxtehude play.
I pretty much left that out as bait for someone to reply, though it seems you've nearly identified it as such :)
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#26Just before seeing this on HN I was listening to Buxtehude's organ works on my way home. Buxtehude was one of the main inspirations for Bach as a composer¹, and I always find it interesting to go back and forth. But there's a reason Bach is the one that has come to be a superstar - there's the huge number of surviving works, of course, and in many ways how "the student surpassed the master", not least in contrapuncta…
Well, if you're a fan of Buxtehude, have you listened to any music by Franz Tunder (Buxtehude's predecessor in Lubek)? My knowledge is mainly of their choral music, not organ music. So, might not have useful recommendations for you.
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#27Just before seeing this on HN I was listening to Buxtehude's organ works on my way home. Buxtehude was one of the main inspirations for Bach as a composer¹, and I always find it interesting to go back and forth. But there's a reason Bach is the one that has come to be a superstar - there's the huge number of surviving works, of course, and in many ways how "the student surpassed the master", not least in contrapuncta…
People who know me say I'm a super music fan. Yup. I liked it well enough to get a violin and dig in, especially to Bach. For violin I have low talent, started too late, and didn't practice enough, but, still I made it through the Preludio of the E Major Partita and the D Major center section of the Chaconne. From all the possible analyses I've seen of Bach, finally I come down on just one core point: He was one heck…
Spend any time with the St. Matthew and St. John Passions and I don't see how anyone could deny Bach's music is passionate (no pun intended...really).
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#28Nice. I still prefer the Partitas for solo violin...
There's very little which measures up to the Chaconne.
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#29I love seeing this on HN! I'm particularly fond of Bach's cello suites but I'm probably biased since I'm a cellist. http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-1010/
Re: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier – BWV 731 [video]
#30Nice. I still prefer the Partitas for solo violin...
Mmmmmm. The E major one. Gavotte en Rondeau has to be my favorite. If I could play the violin, that would be my main goal.