The most sheerly beautiful moments in Bach's music?

Started by Guido, May 22, 2009, 11:29:59 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Print
Go Down Pages 1 2 3 4
User actions

springrite

#20
May 27, 2009, 11:31:22 PM
All those moments in Bach choral works when traditional (or popular) Lutheran chorales (NOT originally composed by Bach) suddenly come in. Bach uses those tricks sparingly but most effectively at the most appropriate moments. Simply magical!
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

Coopmv

#21
May 28, 2009, 04:59:37 PM
Quote from: springrite on May 27, 2009, 11:31:22 PM
All those moments in Bach choral works when traditional (or popular) Lutheran chorales (NOT originally composed by Bach) suddenly come in. Bach uses those tricks sparingly but most effectively at the most appropriate moments. Simply magical!

Look no further than Cantata No. 80 ...    ;D

Coopmv

#22
May 30, 2009, 08:41:08 AM
Aria (Duetto): Mein Freund ist mein by Elly Ameling and Samuel Ramey from Cantata No. 140 from this CD is beautiful ...

Coopmv

#23
May 30, 2009, 11:50:35 AM
No.19 Aria (Soprano): Ich will dir mein Herze schenken in Bach St Matthew is one of these universally beautiful movements that it seems most good conductors with a good soprano can deliver with good effect.

jochanaan

#24
May 30, 2009, 08:10:42 PM
Out of so many--how is it possible to narrow down? ;D  But a few of my current and long-time favorites:

Cantata #6 opening; I love the way he handles the two oboes and oboe da caccia. (I recently played that part on English horn. :D)

Brandenburg #1, 2nd movement opening

Violin Concerto in E, 2nd movement

And perhaps the most beautiful of all: B minor Mass, "Dona Nobis Pacem," trumpet entrance; I half-expect to hear that trumpet passage when I get to Heaven.
Imagination + discipline = creativity

jlaurson

#25
May 31, 2009, 05:24:49 AM
Two that immediately come to mind:

"Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn", St.Matthew Passion
(At least with Guttenberg)

"Tod, Du Schlafes Bruder" from "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen"

Iago

#26
May 31, 2009, 04:04:05 PM Last Edit: May 31, 2009, 05:18:10 PM by Iago
There is lots of music by Bach that can be described by a word starting with the letter "B". But that word isn't "beautiful". That word is "BORING".

Tiresomely BORING. BORING to the point of sleep induction in the listener.
So BORING that it makes me turn off my audio system.
I have never owned a recording of music by any of the Bachs, and never will.
The only Bachian experiences I have had were in the concert hall. And they never failed to put me in a catatonic trance of severe ennui and boredom.

UGH, the Bachian style makes me PUKE!.

Don't bother rebutting. My mind and my taste CANNOT be changed. Not after 60 yrs of listening.
"Good", is NOT good enough, when "better" is expected

jlaurson

#27
May 31, 2009, 07:57:42 PM
Quote from: Iago on May 31, 2009, 04:04:05 PM


Don't bother rebutting. My mind and my taste CANNOT be changed. Not after 60 yrs of listening.

If not your mind, how about your manners?  ;D

FideLeo

#28
May 31, 2009, 08:52:20 PM Last Edit: June 01, 2009, 12:59:13 AM by traverso
Bach's exiquiste setting of An Wasserflüssen Babylon BWV653, when played with the right sympathy and tranquility.  Or the intimate setting of Ich ruf'zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ BWV 639 when with the right pathos.
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

Iago

#29
May 31, 2009, 11:01:25 PM
Quote from: jlaurson on May 31, 2009, 07:57:42 PM
If not your mind, how about your manners?  ;D

Just what about my "manners" bother you?
"Good", is NOT good enough, when "better" is expected

Que

#30
June 01, 2009, 12:54:38 AM
Quote from: Iago on May 31, 2009, 04:04:05 PM
There is lots of music by Bach that can be described by a word starting with the letter "B". But that word isn't "beautiful". That word is "BORING".

Tiresomely BORING. BORING to the point of sleep induction in the listener.
So BORING that it makes me turn off my audio system.
I have never owned a recording of music by any of the Bachs, and never will.
The only Bachian experiences I have had were in the concert hall. And they never failed to put me in a catatonic trance of severe ennui and boredom.

UGH, the Bachian style makes me PUKE!.

Don't bother rebutting. My mind and my taste CANNOT be changed. Not after 60 yrs of listening.

;D  ;D

Thanks for "dropping" by! ;)

Q

jlaurson

#31
June 01, 2009, 02:28:43 AM
Quote from: Iago on May 31, 2009, 11:01:25 PM
Just what about my "manners" bother you?

Taking some of your precious time, just to puke over our object of adoration, for one.

Strikes me as akin to someone going out of his way, literally and metaphorically, just to tell a buddy how incredibly ugly his wife is. :)

robnewman

#32
June 01, 2009, 02:50:47 AM

One of 3 marvellous arias from the cantatas heard recently -

Cantata No. 151
Opening
Aria
Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt
BWV 151/1

http://www.mediafire.com/?jmjdve2jdzg



jochanaan

#33
June 01, 2009, 10:07:21 AM
Quote from: jlaurson on May 31, 2009, 07:57:42 PM
If not your mind, how about your manners?  ;D
Don't bother.  Some of us have tried. ;D
Quote from: jlaurson on June 01, 2009, 02:28:43 AM
Taking some of your precious time, just to puke over our object of adoration, for one.

Strikes me as akin to someone going out of his way, literally and metaphorically, just to tell a buddy how incredibly ugly his wife is. :)


That only works if the "buddy" subconsciously thinks his wife IS ugly.  If not, they only go home and laugh and kiss. :D
Imagination + discipline = creativity

Guido

#34
June 01, 2009, 01:16:06 PM
Quote from: Iago on May 31, 2009, 04:04:05 PM
There is lots of music by Bach that can be described by a word starting with the letter "B". But that word isn't "beautiful". That word is "BORING".

Tiresomely BORING. BORING to the point of sleep induction in the listener.
So BORING that it makes me turn off my audio system.
I have never owned a recording of music by any of the Bachs, and never will.
The only Bachian experiences I have had were in the concert hall. And they never failed to put me in a catatonic trance of severe ennui and boredom.

UGH, the Bachian style makes me PUKE!.

Don't bother rebutting. My mind and my taste CANNOT be changed. Not after 60 yrs of listening.

Wow.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

Iago

#35
June 01, 2009, 01:39:57 PM
If a little rain on your parade causes such monumental hand wringing, can you imagine what a severe thunderstorm would cause?

You LOVE Bach's music. I loathe it.

Am I not as entitled to my opinion as you are to yours?
And am I not as entitled to state that opinion on this forum, as you are to state yours?
"Good", is NOT good enough, when "better" is expected

knight66

#36
June 01, 2009, 01:54:39 PM
Iago, Feel free to start an anti-Bach thread. This was not really a general discussion thread, more a request for recommendations. So, your comments, valid as they are, do seem out of place on this specific thread.....a sorbet between courses perhaps.

I would provide a list as long as your arm, but it means getting the CDs out to ensure the spelling is correct. There are so many beautiful moments of stasis in the cantatas, contemplation and a timelessness within the music.

Sometimes it depends very much on the performers. Auger for me always hits the spot with Soprano arias. BWV105, 'Wie zitten und wanken.' 'How tremble and waver' One of the many arias where Bach sets up a duologue between voice and a wind instrument. I would say just the same about BWV92 'Meinen Huirten bleib ich treu' 'To my Shepherd I'll be True.'

I was once in a performance of the St Matthew Passion conducted by Abbado. The female soloists were Margaret Price and Jessye Norman. In the final rehearsal, I was so transfixed by them singing the duet which is almost interrupted by the double chorus singing about thunder and lightening; I missed my entry altogether.

Mike

DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

knight66

#37
June 01, 2009, 02:10:51 PM
I suggest the entire disc of Auger Bach Arias......I am listening to it now. I would just end up listing the tracks.

Hanssler: Auger, Helmuth Rilling 13 Bach arias.CD 98.958

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

DavidRoss

#38
June 01, 2009, 02:25:08 PM
Quote from: knight on June 01, 2009, 01:54:39 PM
I was once in a performance of the St Matthew Passion conducted by Abbado. The female soloists were Margaret Price and Jessye Norman. In the final rehearsal, I was so transfixed by them singing the duet which is almost interrupted by the double chorus singing about thunder and lightening; I missed my entry altogether.
That sounds normal.  The other day a friend related a story about meeting a rock superstar at a social gathering.  She was so flabbergasted that when she took a sip of her drink, she poured it down the front of her blouse!
"Maybe the problem most of you have ... is that you're not listening to Barbirolli." ~Sarge

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money." ~Margaret Thatcher

robnewman

#39
June 02, 2009, 08:10:06 AM

J.S. Bach
Duetto
'Wohl mir, Jesus ist gefunden'
From Cantata 154

'.....and, around evening, an announcement was made in the corridor that amongst the visitors  was old  Seb. Bach,  cantor of the Thomas School at Leipzig, who had just arrived in Potsdam for a long promised visit.  On receipt of which news Frederick (the Great) broke off from conversation with his musicians and straightway headed towards his visitor'. (Court Diary - Potsdam, May 1747) -

LOL !  :)


http://www.mediafire.com/?knwlinmlvow

Print
Go Up Pages 1 2 3 4
User actions