Are we people who neglect Bach?

[Quijote]

I've just thought of a double "Desert Island" solution that would suit me for a good while were I to be shipwrecked on some island (with fresh running water, plenty of food and electricity): Bach's 'Goldbergs' and Beethoven's 'Diabellis'.

[gprengel]

In the many years of my journey with classical music Bach was very much ignored by me. I never liked the Brandenburg concertos, from the passions and cantatas I appreciated only a few chorales, from the other concertos I loved only the Adagios from the violin concerto in E and from the double concerto for violins. And from the organ works I knew and loved only the great Toccata and Fuge in d. I always said that I loved Handel much more than Bach (mainly because of his oratorias and the Dettinger TeDeum).
All this changed about 2 years ago when I got to know the well-tempered piano CDs with the wonderful performance by D. Barenboim with its very "Romantic" approach and a CD with the Chromatic Fantasy and other great Transcriptions for piano with Alfred Brendel! Then the piano rendition of the Art of Fugue, the Passacalia and the Chaconne (see my other thread on these) ...
Now I have become addicted to the piano music by Bach and listen to it more than any other piano compositions!
I hope that some day soon I will also enter into the cello suites (which so far are still closed for me) ...

[Enrique]

Dear Enrique, I'm sorry I didn't come back to you sooner, but I've been very busy these last few days with the Schreker conferences and concerts, plus one very late dinner and bar session with dusty old academics (not all old and dusty, though!) that left me drained of energy, not forgetting a terrible hangover. Que borrachin soy yo!

If somebody has to apologize it's me, Quijote, for asking about personal tastes though, after all, the thread title can refer to all people in western societies, as indeed it does. About hangovers, that's nothing that a couple of aspirins can't remedy.

I used to play the suite no. 2 well enough for me to enjoy it, which does not mean somebody else could do the same. But the cello has an advantage over the violin: it's more tolerable to hear a cello student play than hearing a violin one at the same level of apprenticeship.

I was always surprised that LvB never sung the praises of Bach to the extent I would have expected of him.

But Beethoven could not know but a very, very little part of Bach's output, and certainly none of his great orchestral and orchestal-choral works, with the possible exception of the Magnificat, that was available by before his death.

In any case, whilst I do tend to keep certain of Bach's output for teaching purposes, when it comes to pure listening pleasure I have to place in top position the 'cello suites, the violin partitas/sonatas, the cantatas that I know, the B minor Mass and two Passions, and the Brandenburgs. I confess that I neglect the organ works as I have problems with this instrument (sorry Sorrano and Chris) because of its timbre and my school upbringing.

You forgot the violin concerti!

[Peter]

About Beethoven and Bach then: I was always surprised that LvB never sung the praises of Bach to the extent I would have expected of him.

Well we can be certain Beethoven thought very highly of Bach who he thought should be called 'Ocean' because of his harmonic mastery rather than Bach (Brook).

[Peter]

But Beethoven could not know but a very, very little part of Bach's output, and certainly none of his great orchestral and orchestal-choral works, with the possible exception of the Magnificat, that was available by before his death.

I wonder how much he did know - don't forget he had access to Van Swieten's extensive library. He certainly knew of the B minor mass, but would never have heard a performance, mind you he wouldn't have heard many Handel works either.

[Enrique]

I wonder how much he did know - don't forget he had access to Van Swieten's extensive library. He certainly knew of the B minor mass, but would never have heard a performance, mind you he wouldn't have heard many Handel works either.

I read in a book that in Bach-Jahrbuch III (1906) 84, Schneider discusses the availability or Bach's music during Beethoven's lifetime. The author summarizes his findings in the book. According to Schneider Beethoven familiarity with the works of Bach, including the Mass, must have come largely from privately circulated manuscript copies.

Wasn't Swieten a baron? Your assertion about the Mass: I would like very much to know some source with gives clear evidence of the fact.

EDIT: my mistaske. You said "he knew OF the B Minor Mass", that is, he knew of its existence, not "he knew the B Minor Mass" (the score, of course).

[Megan]

Great bio on Bach on youtube by BBC.

Something that may interest Enrique.

Bach on youtube.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcnBz5x8pOA
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMEri...eature=related
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5jdb...eature=related
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aj42...eature=related
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsyBN...eature=related
Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT-ZN...eature=related
Part 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT06U...eature=related

[Enrique]

Something that may interest Enrique.

Bach on youtube.

And others I hope. Very considerate of you, Megan. And how considerate of the producers to have added the Spanish subtitles. Although the English is spoken there with a clear diction. I always say Internet is one of the evils of our time, but things like these make me to reconcile with it.