March 12, 1685. Eisenach Germany. A great genius is born.
From the simple (played by another genius):
To the complex (played by a woman who (a) taught at Bryn Mawr College, and (b) was married to Claude Rains!):
You have heard instrumental, written for harpsichord or clavier, played on the piano.
But his scope is so much more. For example, the concerto for two violins, played by the father and son pair of David and Igor Oistrakh - this is the complete concerto, so if you want you have almost half an hour of sheer genius and beauty:
I'm far from done!
Great artists of all kinds could be judged by their performances of Bach. In his final recital, the great pianist Dinu Lupati played the 1st Partita:
Here is a 1954 film of the great Spanish cellist Pablo Casals on the 1st Cello Suite. Casals would begin every day with Bach. And as you will note in the viewer comment, on the day before he died he was still working on Bach, attempting to improve his performance:
The last two are pieces I have played, having grown up playing both piano and cello.
My last piano teacher in high school, the late Joseph Bloch of Julliard, who taught materials of music and was known as "the man with the golden ears" payed me the 2nd greatest (after Leaves on the Current agreeing to marry me) compliment in my life at my final lesson with him. I played the entire 1st Partita all the way through. He then sat absolutely still, silent, for more than a minute, then said simply "within the limits of your technique, you play Bach as well as anyone I have ever heard."
Bach has always connected with me. Some of his music is very familiar, for example, from his 3rd Orchestral Suite, the so-called Air on the G String, a wonderfully meditative piece:
Some pieces I have always associated with a particular performer. Violinist Nathan Milstein was well-known for his performance of Bach. His performances of the Chaconne remains something that has always stayed with me:
When I hear others they evoke memories - perhaps of my playing them, perhaps of particular performances. Both apply to the Fourth Brandenburg Concerto (although I have played in all, sometimes cello, sometimes continuo, on some both):
Bach was deeply religious. This is apparent in things like this motet:
or perhaps in one of the Magnificats, in this case in D:
He wrote Passion settings to the text of two of the Gospels. The lesser known St. John Passion is absolutely exquisite, as perhaps you can experience in this selection from a performance in the Church of the Dormition in Jerusalem:
Then of course, there is the grandeur of the better known Matthew Passion. Here is a brief selection from the ThomasKirche, where for so many years Bach was the Kantor and Organist, and for whom he wrote so much of his religious music:
The great conductor Kurt Masur discusses the work:
From the ending of this magnificent work - take the time to listen all the way through:
For some, the Kantatas, a series of works written for all the Sundays of the Liturgical year, are perhaps more accessible. Here is a selection from one of my favorites, #4, Christ Lag in Todesbaden:
Another wellknown piece is the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for Organ, here played by E. Power Biggs:
The B Minor Mass, written to the text of the Latin Mass for the Catholic Church, was not as far we know, ever performed in Bach's lifetime. I have been fortunate to sing it several times. I want to offer a few selections from this magnificent work:
From the beginning, the Kyrie:
From the middle, the Sanctus, in D, with the baroque trumpets. Close your eyes and let the sound envelope you:
And from the end, the Dona Nobis Pacem. At a complete performance, in many ways singers should have no voices left, and the music has already appeared elsewhere in the Mass. But somehow you find the way to summon up something, or perhaps the music simply arises from within you:
Perhaps I should end there - when I listen I remember performing it, I am transported to a place I cannot describe in words.
But I cannot stop there.
I must offer one more piece.
I am going to end with a selection from a Kantata, the 78th. It is perhaps as joyful as any music I have ever heard. Listen:
In our household, this is a holy day.
My students will also, even in a government class, experience some Bach today, perhaps different pieces in different classes.
I have begun my day with Bach.
I have shared his magnificent gift with you.
I thank God, whoever she may be, for the gift of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Peace.