Bach to the Future: Why Johann Sebastian appeals to moderns

Weekly Standard ^ | 02/26/2007 | George B. Stauffer

[Borges]

PING

[sitetest]

Dear Borges,

Thanks for the ping!

Especially to an article on JS Bach!

It don't rock if it ain't Bach! ;-)

Classical Music Ping List ping!

If you want on or off this list, let me know via FR e-mail.

Thanks,


sitetest

[RightWhale]

The B-Minor Mass does not seem to have been performed during Bach's lifetimeThe B-Minor Mass does not seem to have been performed during Bach's lifetime

Bach was a performer, a jazz improv master, not a writer. Somebody else with a good ear wrote down the compositions.

[Mr. Mojo]

What the greats said about J.S. Bach

.....the man who wrote the "St. Matthew Passion," the B-Minor Mass, and other monuments of Western music.

Including The Art of Fugue, A Musical Offering, and The Six Cello Suites (three of my favorites).

The greatest composer by a wide margin, imo.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Not much of a classical music fan.

[rbookward]

There is a great story about a 'thank you' letter Old Bach wrote upon receiving a gift of a small cask of wine.

He goes into great detail of the money required to get the cask out of customs, hiring a wagon, paying a lad to cart it into the house, tipping him, etc.

The punch line was that he asked not to be sent any more gifts, as they were entirely too expensive to get.

Looked for it, but can't find it. Rats.

[Kimmers]

Bach Concerto Ping !!!!!!!!

[Blind Eye Jones]

"such as assessing Bach's room-order bill in Halle to conclude that a good deal of beer, brandy, and tobacco went into the creation of a cantata"

Yes, God knows what it takes to create a cantata for his glory and provided man with the essential ingredients needed to fill that order...

[Albion Wilde]

Bach bump!

[omnivore]

Lewis Thomas, by the way, may have gotten the idea from Arthur C. Clarke, who emphasized the universal appeal to the intellect of Bach's music in his novel _2001_ back in the 1960's. No idea why Kubrick picked Strauss for the movie version.

[Borges]

Bach had a pretty good ear himself.

[Kimmers]

Shameless plug for the group my friend started....she is the harpsichordist ..

http://www.bachbabes.org/

[Borges]

The script for the film actually predated the novel. Kubrick used both Strausses and Ligeti.

[Borges]

Bach predates Classical music actually.

[RightWhale]

First rank both on keyboard and strings.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

What musical category (genre?) would his music be put in, then?

[dfwgator]

"Ahhh Bach!"

[Mr. Mojo]

No idea why Kubrick picked Strauss for the movie version.

Whatever the reason, Thus Spake Zarathustra (Richard) and The Blue Danube (Johann) worked brilliantly. Still, it is a bit surprising ole Stanley couldn't find a place for J.S. Bach's music somewhere in the film. ....especially since he worked so closely with A.C. Clarke in its making.

[Mr. Mojo]

Baroque.