“Ceaseless work, analysis, reflection, writing much, endless self-correction, that is my secret.” — J.S. Bach
by Rebecca Cochran
“Ceaseless work, analysis, reflection, writing much, endless self-correction, that is my secret.” — J.S. Bach by Rebecca Cochran
Although I’ve been a red wine lover for many years, I’ve just come across Franciscan Estate’s, Magnificat. According to their website, “Magnificat is one of the original Meritage blends in California, a wine Franciscan has proudly produced since 1985. Named for J.S. Bach's masterpiece, it is crafted to be as seamless and harmonious as its musical namesake.” Bach’s Magnificat (BWV 243) has always been one of my favorite works. As a flutist, I especially love the ninth movement, Esurientes implevit bonis (He hath filled the hungry with good things), for alto and two flutes. Hmm…perhaps Franciscan Estate is filling the thirsty with good things, too! Enjoy this video recording of Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting the Concentus Musicus Vienna with soloist, Bernarda Fink. by Rebecca Cochran
“You don’t need a fleet of commando bald monks chanting to experience mindfulness. You just need Bach.” — pianist, James Rhodes by Rebecca Cochran
Bach wrote his cantata 29, Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir (We thank you, God, we thank you) for the inauguration of the newly appointed town council in Leipzig in 1731. This is one of the few sacred cantatas in which Bach opens with an orchestral sinfonia. In this case, the organ dominates. Furthermore, this opening sinfonia is Bach’s reworking of the prelude from his Partita for violin (BWV 1006). Enjoy this recording of the sinfonia with Andrew Parrott conducting the Taverner Players. by Rebecca Cochran
“The poetry, the atmosphere, the intensity of expression, the beauty of the preludes and fugues grip, overwhelm and stimulate us. Let us not be afraid of the supreme contrapuntal science of the fugues, nor be overawed by the stern appearance and heavy wig of Father Bach. Let us gather around him, feel the love, the noble goodness that flow from each one of his phrases and that invigorate and bind us by ties strong and warm.” — Carl Friedrich Zelter, teacher of Felix Mendelssohn by Rebecca Cochran
As a resident of Boston for more than a decade, I made it a point to attend as many music performances as my time and budget permitted. Having since moved south, I still get back to Boston a few times a year, often planning my visit around a concert or two. I have my eye on an upcoming performance as part of the Boston Early Music Festival on November 18. Ton Koopman will direct Juilliard415 & The Royal Conservatoire in a performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor. Christoph Wolff, author and esteemed Bach scholar, will give a pre-concert talk. More information on these events can be found here. by Rebecca Cochran
A few years ago, American pianist, Simone Dinnerstein released a CD entitled, Bach: A Strange Beauty. The recording is a wonderful compilation including three chorale transcriptions, two Keyboard Concertos and the English Suite No. 3. Enjoy this music video where Dinnerstein plays excerpts from the CD and shares some of her thoughts on Bach. by Rebecca Cochran
Charles Widor (1844-1937) was a French organist, teacher and composer. He succeeded César Franck as organ professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1890. A strong proponent of improvisation, Widor recommended that his pupils study the organ works of J.S. Bach to help them become better improvisers. Widor was a prolific composer, creating a vast repertoire of orchestral works, solo works for organ and piano, chamber music, songs and choral works during his long lifetime. His appreciation of Bach shines through in his 1925 work for solo organ, entitled Bach’s Memento. Enjoy this video recording of the Mattheus-Final from Bach's Memento, played by organist, Peter Van de Velde at Antwerp Cathedral. by Rebecca Cochran
A friend mentioned George Shearing to me the other evening. Shearing (1919-2011) was the British jazz pianist who wrote more than 300 compositions including the jazz standard, Lullaby of Birdland. Shearing spent many years in the U.S, collaborating with other great jazz and classical musicians. This morning’s crisp autumn air reminds me of one of my all-time favorite tunes, Autumn Leaves. This wildly popular tune has been recorded by scores of 20th century musicians of all genres. I adore this short clip of Shearing’s version, à la Bach! by Rebecca Cochran
Appending to yesterday’s post, another life lesson via Bach I learned from my mentor, pianist/flutist/composer, Louis Moyse happened when he and I were working together on Bach’s Flute Sonata in C major. The opening Andante movement was the reference. After playing through it, Louis advised me, “Start from nothing. Then, allow yourself to grow.” To me, Louis (and Bach) was saying, “We all begin not knowing, but we should be on a lifelong quest for knowledge and self-improvement.” by Rebecca Cochran
I recall, years ago, one of many, many flute lessons with my mentor, Louis Moyse. We were working on the Bach Partita in a minor. After I had played through the third movement, the Sarabande, Louis stopped me. I remember his exact words: “Make it sound simple.” It took me years to realize that Louis was coaching me on life, through Bach. In this particular instance, Louis was telling me that clear, straightforward communication has a power all its own. by Rebecca Cochran
Yesterday, pianist, Murray Perahia released his first recording on the Deutsche Grammophon label. The recording is of the Bach French Suites. DG released a trailer with Perahia discussing his feelings and experiences around Bach. There was a time when, due to a hand injury, the pianist had to refrain from playing. Nonetheless, states Perahia, “I would study Bach every day and it would really nourish me. For that, I am very, very grateful.” Enjoy the video trailer here. by Rebecca Cochran
“I had been listening to a lot of Bach. All of a sudden the wheat field was playing Bach. It was the most wonderful experience of my life up to that point.” — Steve Jobs by Rebecca Cochran
The oboe d’amore (oboe of love) was invented in Bach’s time. This instrument’s range lies between that of the oboe and the English horn, allowing it to play the role of mezzo-soprano. Bach made good use of this new invention. He included oboe d’amore in many of his cantatas, as well as in his B Minor Mass. Although Bach’s Concerto in A Major (BWV 1055) is a harpsichord concerto, it is believed to be his reworking of his earlier Concerto for oboe d’amore (BWV 1055r). Enjoy this lovely recording of the oboe d’amore concerto with the Kammerorchester Basel and soloist, Shani Shachar. by Rebecca Cochran
The Flute Sonata in E Major (BWV 1035) was probably composed following one of Bach’s visits to the court of King Frederick the Great in Potsdam where Bach’s son, Carl Philipp Emanuel served as principal harpsichordist. Bach dedicated the sonata to Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf, the king’s personal secretary who, like the king himself, was an amateur flutist. The opening movement of this sonata has unique characteristics. Marked Adagio ma non tanto, this may be the only instance where Bach wrote out very elaborate ornamentations, including tierces ornées, intermediate notes added to descending thirds. As a flutist, when I first encountered this sonata in college, I recall being a bit surprised to see these fully notated ornamentations. I was (and still am) happy to have the occasional “road map” from Bach, giving me a better understanding of his intentions. Enjoy this recording of the Adagio ma non tanto by flutist, Emmanuel Pahud. by Rebecca Cochran
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of hearing a performance by an incredible steel drum player. Bach was not included in his set list. On my way home, I began to wonder if other great “steel pan” artists may include Bach in their repertoire. Happily, the answer is, “yes.” Enjoy this video featuring Kees Eskes on piano and Felix Walroud on "steel pan," performing two Gavottes from Bach’s English Suite No. 3. by Rebecca Cochran
I once read that Pablo Casals, the famous Spanish cellist, included Bach in his morning ritual. Upon rising each day, he would take a walk in nature. Returning home, he would play two Bach preludes and fugues on the piano. Breakfast was next. Then, he would pick up his cello and play a few scales and arpeggios, followed by one of the Bach Cello Suites. In any given week, he had played all six suites. He made it a habit to play Suite No. 6 twice each week as he considered it the most difficult! by Rebecca Cochran
This morning, I’m saddened to hear of the loss of conductor, Neville Marriner. He was one of the great Bach interpretors. I was fortunate, many years ago, to hear him conduct his Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields live. I still remember exactly where I was and where I sat in the hall. The performance was Bach’s Mass in B Minor. Here is a Marriner recording of this work from 1978 with Margaret Marshall, Janet Baker, Robert Tear, Samuel Ramey and the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. by Rebecca Cochran
This morning, I heard an interesting spot on NPR’s Weekend Edition. Music producer, composer and performer, Craig Hartley shared some of his ideas around what he called his "improvised mashups." The first example started with Bach’s Prelude in C Minor, as Craig said, “straight up.” He then improvised the Miles Davis tune, Solor, over the Bach. The result was stunning and another great example of the timelessness of Bach (and Miles)! Enjoy the NPR interview here. by Rebecca Cochran
“I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.” — J. S. Bach by Rebecca Cochran
The Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba and continuo (BWV 1027) is probably an arrangement Bach made of his Trio Sonata for two flutes and continuo (BWV 1039). Another version, a trio sonata for organ, also exists. In three movements instead of four, this version is probably not by Bach. Nonetheless, I love this trio sonata, in all its forms. Enjoy this version with cellist, Anner Bylsma and organist, Bob van Asperen. by Rebecca Cochran
The American Bach Society was founded in 1972 to “support the study, performance, and appreciation of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach in the United States and Canada.” ABS produces several publications, hosts meetings and conferences, and awards research grants and performance prizes, all to further its mission of sharing the genius of J.S. Bach. The ABS website is well crafted and includes a page of Links to Bach Resources. by Rebecca Cochran
“What I love about Casals is that he used to say he was, first of all, a human being; second, he was a musician; third, he was a cellist. I think those priorities were very much demonstrated in the way he lived his life. In an interview I heard when Casals was in his nineties, he was asked to choose the one piece he would want to play for the whole world. He selected the Sarabande from Bach’s Fifth Suite. So this is a self-chosen piece by Casals of the very music he had championed throughout his life.” — cellist, Yo-Yo Ma by Rebecca Cochran
This morning, my first listening experience was an arrangement for string quartet of the Fugue No. 16 (BWV 885) from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2. The recording was by the famed Emerson String Quartet. It made my Monday! Listen here. by Rebecca Cochran
Bach’s Fugue in E flat major (BWV 552) that ends the Clavier-Übung III, has been nick-named the “St. Anne” fugue, as the theme resembles the St. Anne hymn, O God, Our Help in Ages Past. This is a triple fugue with each of the three sections having its own special character. In the third section, Bach writes a five-part double fugue for full organ. It is considered by many to be the most complex of all fugues ever written. The twentieth-century theologian, organist, philosopher and physician, Albert Schweitzer said of this work, “The triple fugue ... is a symbol of the Trinity. The same theme recurs in three connected fugues, but each time with another personality. The first fugue is calm and majestic, with an absolutely uniform movement throughout; in the second the theme seems to be disguised, and is only occasionally recognisable in its true shape, as if to suggest the divine assumption of an earthly form; in the third, it is transformed into rushing semiquavers as if the Pentacostal wind were coming roaring from heaven.” Enjoy this archival recording of the "St. Anne" fugue featuring organist, Helmut Walcha. |
My Year of Bach.This is an experiment. Archives
January 2017
Categories
All
|