Bach's Greatest Works Part 2f Orchestral

[DavidW]

• BWV 1041, Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo No. 1 in A minor
• BWV 1042, Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo No. 2 in E major
• BWV 1043, Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Continuo in D minor, Double Concerto
• BWV 1047, Brandenburg No. 2 in F major
• BWV 1048, Brandenburg No. 3 in G Major
• BWV 1049, Brandenburg No. 4 in G Major
• BWV 1050, Brandenburg No. 5 in D Major
• BWV 1052, Concerto for Keyboard, Strings and Continuo in D minor
• BWV 1056, Concerto for Keyboard, Strings and Continuo in F Minor
• BWV 1067, Orchestral Suite #2 in B minor

Do you ever notice how unpopular the orchestral suites are?  I wonder why that is?  When you consider giants like Vivaldi practically owning the concerto, it seems like the competition for an excellent concerto is stiff.  Bach was rarely commissioned for such work, but the few times he did do you think he excelled at writing such music?  How does he stand out (if he does) from the Italian masters of the concerto?  And what about the simply Italian inspired Handel and Telemann?

Again, please ask your own questions as well.

[Chaszz]

• BWV 1041, Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo No. 1 in A minor
• BWV 1042, Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo No. 2 in E major
• BWV 1043, Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Continuo in D minor, Double Concerto
• BWV 1047, Brandenburg No. 2 in F major
• BWV 1048, Brandenburg No. 3 in G Major
• BWV 1049, Brandenburg No. 4 in G Major
• BWV 1050, Brandenburg No. 5 in D Major
• BWV 1052, Concerto for Keyboard, Strings and Continuo in D minor
• BWV 1056, Concerto for Keyboard, Strings and Continuo in F Minor
• BWV 1067, Orchestral Suite #2 in B minor

Do you ever notice how unpopular the orchestral suites are?  I wonder why that is?  When you consider giants like Vivaldi practically owning the concerto, it seems like the competition for an excellent concerto is stiff.  Bach was rarely commissioned for such work, but the few times he did do you think he excelled at writing such music?  How does he stand out (if he does) from the Italian masters of the concerto?  And what about the simply Italian inspired Handel and Telemann?

Again, please ask your own questions as well.

I have not noticed how unpopular the orchestral suites are. I hear them fairly regularly on the two classical FM radio statons within my antenna's range.

Bach was I believe commissioned for a few concertos by the Prince of Cothen. When he left there to work for the Thomaschurch in Leipzig, it is understandable that few concertos were required of him. Somewhat later, when he took up the directorship of the Collegium Musicum which gave regular concerts in a coffeehouse in Leipzig, he did produce more concertos and rearrangements for other instruments of his earlier ones.

The festive orchestra he used for his cantatas and other religious works, with its kettledrums and dramatic trumpets, is worth remarking upon for its beauty and for the varied effects he obtained from a limited instrumentation, although of course it's not strictly orchestral music.     

[springrite]

Do you ever notice how unpopular the orchestral suites are?  I wonder why that is? 

I wouldn't say the suites are unpopular. Bach composed so much great music, some will be played more than others, some more popular than others. Just because it did not "rank" in whatever scale in the top (n) does not reflect badly on it whatsoever. I'd take the lowest ranking Bach work over Telemann's greatest hits any time.

[KevinP]

They're not unpopular, but they do lack the greatness of the Brandenburgs. Unfortunately, some of the popularity that they do have comes from them being able to fill out the CD running time of two Brandenburgs concertos.

[springrite]

Many many years ago, when I asked my dad if there are classical works that he knew and loved, he thought for a minute and said: "Oh, Air on a Chicken String is nice. Funny title but the music is good." It took me a while to realise what he meant. The Chinese word for chicken is pronounced the same as "G".

[DavidW]

They're not unpopular, but they do lack the greatness of the Brandenburgs. Unfortunately, some of the popularity that they do have comes from them being able to fill out the CD running time of two Brandenburgs concertos.

I've noticed that too, you usually find them as filler.