Bach's Greatest Works

[DavidW]

Edit: The list is complete turn to page 7 to see the results.  The first of the phase 2 threads can be found here.

I want to do what Karl is doing but for Bach.

Different rules though-- you can nominate three per genre (as specified below), you're not to repeat what's already been nominated, fragments don't count, spurious compositions don't count, and individual works only excepting The Art of the Fugue which will be considered one work, The Well Tempered Clavier will be considered two works, the Mass in B Minor will be considered one work (I say that since some consider it to be several works stitched together).  But the English Suites, for example, will NOT be considered one work.

Genres--
Cantatas (sacred and secular)
All other vocal works
Organ
Keyboard
Solo (non-keyboard) and Chamber
Orchestral

If that doesn't cover everything we can have a potpourri category.  The point is after shortening the list to what are popular to semi-popular works here on gmg, is that we're going to sort them out and construct a list by genre similar to classical.net's guide to cantatas which might provide a basis for newbies to explore Bach, so they do not feel overwhelmed.  If not that, at least we'll have fun sorting out and discussing the merits of works independent of the ever constant discussion of performances.

The Mozart thread is about ready to kick off the second phase, the more interesting one, and hopefully in a few days we'll be there too.  Like Karl, I will update to give lists to see where we stand and make further nominations easier.  Unlike Karl though I will abstain from listing, especially listing a huge #.

[Dr. Dread]

I say! You are a fine chap for doing this.

[karlhenning]

All other vocal works

Magnificat in D, BWV 243
Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist, BWV 454
O Jesulein süss, o Jesulein mild, BWV 493

Organ

Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her canonic variations, BWV 769
E Major Toccata, BWV 566
C Minor Passacaglia, BWV 582

Keyboard

Goldberg Vars, BWV 988
Italian Concerto, BWV 971
E Minor English Suite, BWV 510

Solo non-keyboard

C Major cello solo suite, BWV 1009
E Major violin solo partita, BWV 1006
A Minor violin solo sonata, BWV 1003

Orchestral
Brandenburg № 3 in G Major, BWV 1048
Brandenburg № 4 in G Major, BWV 1049
Brandenburg № 5 in D Major, BWV 1050

. . .  Unlike Karl though I will abstain from listing, especially listing a huge #.

Wise-acre!  

[karlhenning]

(I didn't vote in the Cantatas category, as I have not listened to enough of them, often enough, to drive a vote.)

[DavidW]

That's funny Karl because I've listened to the cantatas more often than any other category!

[DavidW]

I say! You are a fine chap for doing this.

Thanks man!  I'll really feel the weight when I have to start sorting this out.

[karlhenning]

That's funny Karl because I've listened to the cantatas more often than any other category!

It's a wide musical world!  I've sung in one, and I later conducted a performance of it, myself.  So I don't feel "shut out" from his Cantatas . . . but for whatever reason(s), they haven't been a field of my own musical inquiry.

To quote Jeeves, I understand they have given satisfaction  

[karlhenning]

Thanks man!  I'll really feel the weight when I have to start sorting this out.

Sort of looks like MN Dave won't play here, either 

[Dr. Dread]

Sort of looks like MN Dave won't play here, either 

Oh god. Too much work. I'll list three but they may already be up there.

Cello Suites
Goldberg Variations
Mass in B minor

[karlhenning]

Oh god. Too much work. I'll list three but they may already be up there.

Cello Suites

I listed one.  There are five others, and you can pick three of 'em.

Goldberg Variations

I nabbed this one already.  Sorry!

Mass in B minor

It's all yours!

[Dr. Dread]

I'm a music generalist. I can't be expected to come up with a list for a single composer!

[karlhenning]

I'm a music generalist.

Nothing wrong with that;  we're all still mates! 

[karlhenning]

I do dig this thread.

And I may vote for three Cantatas anyway.

[karlhenning]

Here goes:

Cantatas

Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62
Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150

[springrite]

I want to put in a non-purist vote for Art of the Fugue in the orchestral category.


...runs away and hide in the bushes...

[DavidW]

Yeah Dave you'll have to choose on those cello suites, two are taken.  I affirm Springrite's choice to cite Art of the Fugue for orchestral, and it still can be used for keyboard and organ as well.

[Dr. Dread]

Yeah Dave you'll have to choose on those cello suites, two are taken. 

Bah.

[karlhenning]

Bah.

Humbug? 

[(poco) Sforzando]

I affirm Springrite's choice to cite Art of the Fugue for orchestral, and it still can be used for keyboard and organ as well.

Affirm whatever you like, but I would reverse the above statement. AoF is keyboard music, this has been resolved by musicologists for decades, and the notion that Bach intended it for indefinite instrumentation is one of those myths that refuse to die. (But in fact one of my favorite versions is the orchestral arrangement by William Malloch known as The Art of Fuguing.)

Otherwise too many to choose from. I gave myself a 3-month project to hear all 60 CDs from the Leonhardt/Harnoncourt cantata set, and I can't even remember all the ones I gave high marks to. Certainly though, the two Passions, the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, the Italian Concerto, some of the motets like Singet dem Herrn, and many of the big organ preludes and fugues - the G minor, B minor, D major, F major, and more - would have to be listed.

[springrite]

Affirm whatever you like, but I would reverse the above statement. AoF is keyboard music, this has been resolved by musicologists for decades, and the notion that Bach intended it for indefinite instrumentation is one of those myths that refuse to die.

You are absolutely correct. That is why I said my choice is a non-purist one. I listen to the orchestral version or the Simpson quartet version simply because I hear the voiced more clearly. But I really should get a top-notch keyboard version that my untrained ear can follow better.


Oh, and I do love Sleeper Awake as favorite cantata. The others are: Cello Suites, St. Mathew's Passion, Viola da Gamba Sonatas, Goldberg Variation and Sinfonias and Inventions.