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Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

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Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#41

Post by Tokkemon »

bathMarm0t wrote: post #34
tetraodonpuffer wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when it comes to Bach I am surprised more people don't mention pieces like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsxP-YjDWlQ (arioso from the cantata 156, here for oboe) which I think stands up just fine against pretty much any other classical piece baroque or not. Personally I have a very big soft spot for his organ works, as I play (badly) some organ myself, and among those I don't see the trio sonatas recommended n…

If you're going to give them the triosonatas, you gotta give them the good one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOTtDYTc5JY&list=PLCDB42413B... Put on a good set of headphones and go sit in the corner. Also obligatory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah392lnFHxM&list=RDAh392lnFH... The thing I appericiate most about bach is: you can play it fast. you can play it slow. you can play it with an ensemble of random instru…

Nice to see the Zenph recording get some love. It's such a fascinating process they had to do. It's way better than the original Gould recordings with all his singing along.

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#42

Post by reactordev »

PotatoPancakes wrote: post #37
reactordev wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cut my teeth on Bach on Cello when I was 7. By the time I was in high school I could play all the instruments. I still don’t consider Bach to be the genius everyone says he was. He was a nepo baby with a big purse. His brothers, his family, all musicians of note for prominent figures of society. However, his leaning on his long history of music within the family helped polish his work as structured which helped sel…

If you don't like it, that's fine, I won't argue over taste. But your other descriptions of Bach's life deserve to be fact-checked. > He was a nepo baby with a big purse. His brothers, his family, all musicians of note for prominent figures of society. However, his leaning on his long history of music within the family helped polish his work as structured which helped sell it. This interpretation is not particularly…

He was known as an organist until the 18th century when someone decided to lump him in with the greats. His works were polished. Yes, he dedicated his life to music - but that’s also where his tenure started. Baroque style borrowing from others and making “commercial” music of his day. He was a nepo baby by our standards. His older brother that raised him wasn’t a Duke, but wasn’t poor either. He went to the best schools. They all borrowed from each other in this age.

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#43

Post by sbrother »

PotatoPancakes wrote: post #28
hodgehog11 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have any particular pieces in mind when you wrote this? Bach is impressive, no doubt, but to each their own perhaps. I acknowledge that I have not received the appropriate training to fully appreciate the complexity in his works, so I wish I could hear what you do. To my ear, (and this isn't a novel opinion in the slightest), I think the Baroque era was more limited in expression due to the inherent limitation…

Bach's most approachable music might be his cello suites. But also, I think there are two camps of fans of "classical music" (by which I mean music in the styles: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionist, etc). There are those who listen to the music, and those who play it. For the most part, those who only listen to music often prefer Romantic and Impressionist styles. From the moody and dramatic to the gentle an…

I think that's true about Bach's instrumental music, but his big sacred works like his Passions and the Mass in B minor are as "romantic" as the Baroque period gets. Like OP, I think of these works as basically the pinnacle of human artistic achievement. They somehow have all the nuance and complexity you're referring to -- while also telling a deeply emotional story, and just being heart-wrenchingly beautiful even if you don't know the story.

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#45

Post by xav_authentique »

lordleft wrote: post #7

Bach is the greatest composer and perhaps the greatest artist in human history. Full stop. He is able to condense so much complexity into his works, and he speaks to the heart as equally as he speaks to the intellect. He is proof that the mind and the heart do not have to be at cross purposes, but can be wholly engaged together when stimulated by sublime works of art.

Interesting to read that the complexity in his music is praised and seen as speaking to the intellect, whereas that is not the case when it comes to complexity in software.

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#46

Post by stevage »

reactordev wrote: post #20
lordleft wrote: post #7

Bach is the greatest composer and perhaps the greatest artist in human history. Full stop. He is able to condense so much complexity into his works, and he speaks to the heart as equally as he speaks to the intellect. He is proof that the mind and the heart do not have to be at cross purposes, but can be wholly engaged together when stimulated by sublime works of art.

That’s debatable. Mozart was good too. But my real OG is Camille Saint-Saens. You want dark and moody? Light and fluffy? Dazzles and sparkles? He’s your man.

I don't care for Mozart but Saint Saens yes. The second movement of the organ symphony is utterly sublime.

By a ridiculous stroke of luck I got to perform that piece as soloist once. Unforgettable.

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#47

Post by stevage »

kulahan wrote: post #38
reactordev wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s debatable. Mozart was good too. But my real OG is Camille Saint-Saens. You want dark and moody? Light and fluffy? Dazzles and sparkles? He’s your man.

I think from a technical perspective, this is basically still true about Bach. It's not to say he has the most enjoyable music to listen to, but rather his music is built in a way that shows he was basically metagaming his music harder than anyone else ever has.

Why do you say metagaming? Did he really advance the art so far? I think he was just incredibly good at producing music within his specific parameters.

(Said as a huge fan of his work. I spent a year playing essentially nothing but one of his fugues.)

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#48

Post by stevage »

reactordev wrote: post #29
dabluecaboose wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Danse macabre is a true masterpiece. Incredible composer.

Carnival of the Animals is better… Aquarium was my sons childhood theme song

Organ symphony and piano concerto for me.

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#49

Post by sambapa »

xav_authentique wrote: post #45
lordleft wrote: post #7

Bach is the greatest composer and perhaps the greatest artist in human history. Full stop. He is able to condense so much complexity into his works, and he speaks to the heart as equally as he speaks to the intellect. He is proof that the mind and the heart do not have to be at cross purposes, but can be wholly engaged together when stimulated by sublime works of art.

Interesting to read that the complexity in his music is praised and seen as speaking to the intellect, whereas that is not the case when it comes to complexity in software.

Why pay a dominatrix for a flogging when you can just stub your toe

Re: Two recently found works of J.S. Bach presented in Leipzig [video]

#50

Post by Ericson2314 »

stevage wrote: post #47
kulahan wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think from a technical perspective, this is basically still true about Bach. It's not to say he has the most enjoyable music to listen to, but rather his music is built in a way that shows he was basically metagaming his music harder than anyone else ever has.

Why do you say metagaming? Did he really advance the art so far? I think he was just incredibly good at producing music within his specific parameters. (Said as a huge fan of his work. I spent a year playing essentially nothing but one of his fugues.)

Yeah he did hugely advance it.

This didn't really get noticed in his own day, as they were busy dumbing things down into the classical period, but he was hugely influencial through rediscovery.

Except for Italian humanists rediscovering Greek and Roman writings, I'm having a hard time thinking of an earlier instance of a chiefly posthumous legacy.

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