Favorite Bach Keyboard Music

Started by James, June 24, 2008, 07:59:05 AM

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What is your favorite Bach Keyboard Music?

The Well Tempered Clavier, BWV 846-893
11 (36.7%)
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
5 (16.7%)
English Suites, BWV 806-811
0 (0%)
French Suites, BWV 812-817
0 (0%)
Partitas, BWV 825-830
8 (26.7%)
Italian Concerto for solo keyboard BWV 971
2 (6.7%)
Art of Fugue (keyboard version) BWV 1080
3 (10%)
Other (not listed)
1 (3.3%)

Total Members Voted: 22

Voting closed: July 09, 2008, 07:59:05 AM

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DavidRoss

#40
July 03, 2008, 05:32:42 AM
Quote from: Mn Dave on July 03, 2008, 04:54:33 AM
Weren't the Goldbergs meant to put someone to sleep?
No, you're thinking of The Art of Fugue--so effective, incidentally, that even before completing it Bach drifted off and never reawakened (use with care!).
"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

Sergeant Rock

#41
July 03, 2008, 05:35:22 AM Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 05:37:18 AM by Sergeant Rock
Quote from: Mn Dave on July 03, 2008, 04:54:33 AM
Weren't the Goldbergs meant to put someone to sleep?

Always works for me. But then I only listen to it in piano performances. If I heard it played on the harpsichord, the infernal racket would undoubtedly keep me awake.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Sergeant Rock

#43
July 03, 2008, 05:39:26 AM
Quote from: Mn Dave on July 03, 2008, 05:36:29 AM
Even Gould?

Yeah, I own both 55 and 81 and even Gould can't keep me awake. It's one of those masterpieces I still don't fully enjoy...yet. But I'm working on it.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Norbeone

#44
July 03, 2008, 07:02:37 AM
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on July 03, 2008, 05:39:26 AM
Yeah, I own both 55 and 81 and even Gould can't keep me awake. It's one of those masterpieces I still don't fully enjoy...yet. But I'm working on it.

Sarge

I recommend that you buy the DVD of Gould performing the Goldbergs. It was only after seeing this that I was able to fully enjoy, 'get', understand, and love the work. I don't know why, but just seeing the great pianist bring the piece alive made me appreciate the music so much more.

:)

Josquin des Prez

#45
July 03, 2008, 07:52:10 AM Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 07:58:00 AM by Josquin des Prez
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on July 03, 2008, 05:39:26 AM
Yeah, I own both 55 and 81 and even Gould can't keep me awake. It's one of those masterpieces I still don't fully enjoy...yet. But I'm working on it.

Sarge

That's because the music of Bach is so saturated in content that the brain simply goes on over-load at first. You just have to keep hammering at it. To make things a bit easier, Bach actually has the work in two halves, the second portion starting with a French Overture (variation 16), so you don't really have to go through the whole thing in one sitting. Same thing for the WTC, really, which was never meant to be a single work but a mere collection of individual pieces.

As for recordings, i recommend Gould's '59 version and Scott Ross's studio take. 

Josquin des Prez

#46
July 03, 2008, 08:10:59 AM Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 08:13:37 AM by Josquin des Prez
Quote from: Mn Dave on July 03, 2008, 04:54:33 AM
Weren't the Goldbergs meant to put someone to sleep?

Erm, no. They were meant to entertain Count Kaiserling in his bouts of illness and insomnia. There's a different between putting someone to sleep as opposed to trying to cheer somebody who can't sleep.  ;D

mn dave

#47
July 03, 2008, 08:22:25 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on July 03, 2008, 08:10:59 AM
Erm, no. They were meant to entertain Count Kaiserling in his bouts of illness and insomnia. There's a different between putting someone to sleep as opposed to trying to cheer somebody who can't sleep.  ;D

;)

mn dave

#48
July 03, 2008, 08:34:07 AM
Quote from: James on July 03, 2008, 08:28:37 AM
The first time I heard the Goldbergs (Gould '55) I was so engaged & deeply moved with what I was hearing and I had to immediately listen the performance of it again right after.

Yep. It's pretty awesome the first time you hear it. Or it was for me.  :)

marvinbrown

#49
July 03, 2008, 08:54:26 AM


  Yes  :)!! The Goldbergs  8) are up to 5 votes.....suddenly my Bach world makes more sense  0:).

  marvin

jochanaan

#50
July 03, 2008, 10:16:33 AM
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on July 03, 2008, 03:42:23 AM
...and they haven't received a singe vote yet!  :'(
Give me a match, I'll singe 'em! ;D
Imagination + discipline = creativity
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