Happy Birthday, Johann Sebastian Bach

[filkertom]

On this date in 1685. (More or less.)

What are your favorite Bach pieces? It's kind of a cheat to just say, "all of 'em", but that's close to the truth. I really adore the Toccata and Fugue in D minor (who doesn't?), the Goldberg Variations, the Brandenburg Concertos (especially #s 3 and 5), and the Suites for Lute.

Comments

[bigtig.livejournal.com]

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (http://www.crescendo.net/~phil/lj/music/joy.mp3)" from Cantata No. 147. (Alfred Reed arrangement)

[raven-ap-morgan.livejournal.com]

What? You mean you don't care for "Joy" by Apollo 100 - "Jesu", done at breakneck speed?

Raven

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

"Joy" is a hella fun piece...

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

J,JOMD is unquestionably the finest piece of music written in the last millenium.

The worst is "Abba Dabba Honeymoon"

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I could make a strong case for "Afternoon Delight" or "Macarthur Park" or"My Baby Takes The Morning Train" or...

... or just start a new thread. ;)

[infinitemorning.livejournal.com]

Ditto. Not necessarily any particular arrangement, but it's a beautiful, beautiful piece of music and easily among my all-time favorites.

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

Tocatta is still my favourite to play.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

I'm a sucker for the Brandenburg #3 (especially the first movement) and the Double Violin Concerto. But I always have a soft spot for stuff I learned to play early.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[crwilley.livejournal.com]

Of things that haven't been mentioned, the second Solo Cello Suite is near and dear to me.

Of things that have - mark me down for "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and the Double Violin Concerto.

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

The third LP I ever owned, back in the sixties, was four Bach organ pieces performed by Karl Richter. One was the Toccata and Fugue, and yes, obviously. Next came the Fantasia and Fugue in G minor (I think: I'm going to be hazy on keys) which, as well as sounding great, introduced me to that wonderful trick the circle of fifths, in a lovely and easily playable bit where the chords go up and the bass goes down.That was a revelatory moment for me. So I love that one. Next was the Prelude and Fugue in (I think again) G minor, which showed me a bit more of the potential for sheer savagery in the organ (and in Bach: that I ever thought of his music as cold and calculated just shows what a twit I can be) that I later discovered in Widor and Poulenc. And the collection was rounded off with the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, which introduced me to the idea that you could play the same bass line over and over and over and over and (you get the idea) and do something different over the top of it every single time. Another revelation.

That album, those pieces, more than any other, were central to my discovery that music was something I might be able actually to do at some point. So they would have to be my favourites.

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

Just trawling through Amazon as a result of this conversation, and came across this listing:

"A Portrait of Sir Adrian Boult by Richard Wagner, Gustav Holst, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Johannes Brahms"

How very foresighted of them...and the collaboration must have been quite difficult to arrange.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

I always rather liked his stuff with The Lovin' Spoonfuls, as well as the theme from "Welcome Back Kotter".

Oh, wait... that was John Sebastian. Wrong guy. Sorry.

Say, You're An Intelligent Imbecile

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Here, lean into this. *smak* *poke* *CKKK CKKK CKKK* *poonk*

(Sorry. I've got that DVD of The Swing Parade with Michael J. Nelson's commentary RiffTrax sitting right here.)

[ericcoleman]

Brandenburg #2 ... one of my favorite pieces of music ever ... the high trumpet part makes me smile

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

It was the one with the bagpipe and the balloons released into the air, then shot with a BB gun.

No, wait. That was his son, PDQ Bach. The guy who beat out Sam Kinison for his one Grammy award for Best Comedy Album.

Would you believe 3 part invention #13?

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Purely from the standpoint of being just so FUN to work on.

(Yes, I played piano before they made them electronic.)

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

Well, I can actually play the Minuet in G from the Anna Magdalena notebook:

http://members.aol.com/petealway/Minuet-in-G.mid

I can almost play Prelude in C--I don't know if I've gotten through it without any flubs, though.

But for listening, oh geeze. Brandeburg Concertos, Tocatta and Fugue in D Monor, Little fugue in G...

What's the Brandenburg concerto with the crazy harpsichord solo that goes on forever? You know the one where it sinks down into the depths of colorless colors and makes me wish I were synaesthetic so that I could see them, and then emerges back into the light for a glorious conclusion, and that's just the first movement? Number 5? I'll say that one right now.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

Too many favorites, but the one I'm most inclined to hum or whistle is "Jesu". Followed by the Ian Anderson "Bouree".

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

Brandenburg #5 is the a-number-one top of my list, hands down, although the Passacaglia and Fugue in Cm comes a close second. Then there's... the final unfinished fugue from Kunst der Fuge (I damn near cry when that last note sounds). The Bourree. The Two- and Three-Part Inventions. Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. The Coffee Cantata. Name it, chances are I love it. :)

[madfilkentist]

I'm sure I'll forget something, but:

• The St. John Passion. I'm in the minority that likes it better than the St. Matthew.
• The pieces from the WTC which I can actually play. In particular, nos. 1, 2, and 20 from Book 1.
• The Coffee Cantata. Bach actually could write funny stuff, and who could dislike an aria in praise of coffee?
• The "Wachet Auf" chorale prelude. For a long time I had that as the music my alarm clock played to me.
• All of the Brandenburgs, but I think No. 4 is my favorite.

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

Having looked at the list (thanks for the link), I have to agree that Toccata and Fugue in D minor is my favorite. It is too bad most people only know the opening of it and not the whole thing.

And let's not forget

[capplor.livejournal.com]

The Well Tempered Klavier. (Ok, I'm sure that's not quite the real title). It's obviously a demonstration piece, but great.

And perhaps, in its incarnation as the instrumental accompaniment to Ave Maria, the first filk of its kind. (You can do this existing music with that existing music, as opposed to basic 'tune stealing & writing new words')

;-)

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

I really adore the Toccata and Fugue in D minor

As do I, but I think I actually prefer the semi-obscure Toccata and Fugue in C Major. It's troubled-question-and-joyful-answer structure always appealed to me.

OTOH, it's always puzzled me that the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor is structurally so unlike anything else Bach wrote. It seems I'm not alone. (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05303/597490.stm)

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Passacaglia in c, BWV582.

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

I used to be able to play a transcription of the Toccata and Fugue in d on clarinet, but that was many moons ago. :-)

[kitsana-d.livejournal.com]

Goldberg Varriations. Rather sad that I owe that love to Hannibal Lecter, but I do.