Maybe it’s the presence of a young child in the house, rendering me unable to play music loud of an evening, or maybe it’s impending middle age, but classical music is kind of becoming an ever bigger thing with me. I am not a musician and cannot judge it on a “musical” level, but more and more I am finding myself thrilled with what seems to me like the new discovery of music which is hundreds of years old.
I have already asked about Beethoven here, non symphony stuff, and his piano sonatas have been a source of much play in my house. But those who try Beethoven often find themselves doing Bach don’t they?
I should say, I have had Glenn Gould’s Bach albums for years and I fucking love them. I also have a box set of Bach’s Masses, which I struggle with. Too much like prog rock. But right now I am listening to a CD of his Flute Sonatas which are just marvellous. So my question to the massive is, once you have the Gould and the Masses, where next for Bach?
For me, it would be the six unaccompanied cello suites…plenty of good recordings of varied vintage (my choice would be Pablo Casals)…
(I’ll risk the wrath of the masses & post a clip)
It’s the cello suites, absolutely. For me, the definitive recordings are Janos Starker and Paul Tortelier.
I think this is actually the most perfect music ever written. It’s one instrument, but so entirely sublime that it seems to harmonise with itself.
Being a cellist myself there are few holier grails than the Cello Suites. I was lucky enough as a kid – when studying for my grade 8 and then my performance certificate – to play all of them. The G major and the D minor are my favourites and I played them often in recital.
They are, as I say, perfect music.
That is truly impressive, Bob….I got as far as Grade 4, then chucked it, grew my hair & bought a bass guitar…..my parents said I would regret it and, in due course, they were proved correct.
Ha! Yeah, the cello was my “thing”. Started at age 7 and just had an affinity for it. I used to bunk lessons and games and hide in the music dept practising 6 hours a day.
Like everything as a kid, I didn’t realise how lucky I was to have achieved that, and it all dropped off at uni (I decided that although I was good, I wasn’t concert-soloist good, and I never loved orchestral playing). So it was off to uni to study English instead of music college and now I hardly play. I’m very rusty, but for a while there it was the one thing in my life that I could genuinely say I was properly good at.
6 cello suites sounds brill. I look forward to listening to this. Thanks!
Funny how cello is now dead groovy, appearing in any trendy acoustic bent band. I love the swooping tones.
(Fingers crossed re E.L.O mind, who are unlistenable tosh and always have been, ever will be etc etc etc)
Laura Reid’s contribution to Kathryn Williams albums makes all the difference, transforming straight froward folk music to something otherworldly. The reason why Agnes Obel’s Aventine is so wonderful is the deployment of cello. It is a fabulous sound that never fails to tickle the hairs on my nape.
His violin concertos are heavenly.
I’ve never heard a better recording than the English Chamber Orchestra’s recordings under Raymond Leppard, don’t know if they are on Spotify (difficult to find specific recordings of classical music there, I find).
Just checked my old vinyl album, it’s a joint Bach/Haydn violin concert bonanza with the violininst Arthur Grumiaux, and the Bach concerts on it are the concert in A minor (BWV 1041) and the one in E major (BWV 1042), both wonderful in every way.
This is the same orchestra, performing part of the one in A minor, at a different time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4QoCrwmOk
Another vote for the cello suites and violin concertos. The most populist choice would probably be the Brandenburg concertos, from which there are dozens of versions to choose, but my favourite is an old Decca recording which features the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Britten. I also love the Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Neville Marriner version of the four orchestral suites, and the set of oboe concertos are also worth a listen.
You could try this….. 😉
http://www.wendycarlos.com/+sob.html
(I actually really love that album – even though it was very much of its time)
On a serious note, my two go-to Bach recordings are
– Dunedin Consort / JS Bach : Six Brandenburg Concertos (absolutely incredible sounding recording especially in Hi-Res
http://www.linnrecords.com/recording-j-s-bach-six-brandenburg-concertos.aspx
– Steven Isserlis / Bach : The Cello Suites
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67541/2
Big up for the Dunedin Consort! Their Matthew Passion is also very good. I’ve seen them perform it for the last 4 years. It gets better every time. If only I could remember to take a cushion – it’s a long time to sit on the Queens Hall benches.
For Bach I’d also suggest the Brandenburg concertos. Amazingly he never heard them played in his lifetime.
A couple more classical works that are a great introduction –
Mozart’s piano concertos, No 20 K466 in D minor, and No 23 K488 in A major. I know the Barenboim versions from the 60s well but there are hundreds out there.
The slow movement of K488 is exquisite. Go to 11.03 here to hear it, or experience the setup from the beginning. (Hard to find the extra ten minutes I know with little ones around the house…)
I’ve actually got Switched On Bach!
Thanks folks, Brandenburg it will be….
Cello Suites! Cello Suites!
Have spotified them. Yo Yo Ma’s version. Not listened yet but will do…
This is great. On a morning like this, put this on and everything will be right with the world.
Let’s not discount the architectural beauty of the great man’s music when performed on guitar. Here are a few random choices
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iER17E0nHnw
Love the John Williams record, haven’t heard it for years. Thanks for posting.
St Mathew Passion.
Just get it – you’ll love it. Use the six listens rule and you’ll be hooked for life.
I do have it. It’s just too much sadly. The Masses go on forever. Like actual Mass did when I was young…
Stick with it man – you don’t have to listen to it all in one sitting. Or try this: Cantata #95, BWV 95, “Christus, Der Ist Mein Leben” – Valet Will Ich Dir Geben. 1 minute 53. Shorter than a Ramones song and quite probably the most beautiful single piece of music I’ve ever heard.
Not to mention O Haupt, voll Blut und Wunden – Bach’s utterly sublime arrangement of an older chorale. It’s spine-tingling.
The Brandenburg Concertos – Turn it up. Bring the noise.
I’m not joking.
It was good enough for Jimi Hendrix, it’s good enough for me.
We had this in our house in the 70s
I purchased one of those massive boxed sets some years ago – Brilliant Classic’s Bach Edition, the complete works spread across 155 CDs, for about £50.
The set comprises of contemporary recordings, some made by Brilliant themselves, others licenced from other labels. There’s nothing really from major names, as the licenced material tends to come from smaller labels such as BIS.
The set breaks down to 23 CDs of keyboard works, 23 of orchestral and solo instrument works, 60 of cantatas, 32 of other choral works, and 17 of organ works. There’s also a CD-ROM of sleevenotes.
The set has since been expanded to 160 CDs, adding some extra or different choral recordings.
Have you actually listened to it?
He has – but not six times!
All the recommendations we’ve had so far have been Bach’s original stuff.
How about a Bach cover version?
JSB did a cracking cover of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, changing the title to “Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden” (Psalm 51) and giving it the catalogue number of BWV 1083. The little tinker! I hope Pergolesi got the royalties that he was due.
Perhaps this can be included in Future “Best cover versions” threads?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTXCor8OIJk