The Joy of Bach, featuring Brian Blessed ★★★

This short movie is a wonderful tribute to the greatest musician of all time, our own Johann Sebastian Bach. The movie is an amalgam of Blessed reenacting fictitious though highly possibly true scenes from the life of JS Bach, and modern day performances of Bach. The modern day performances were both done in standard orchestral classical style, though the emphasis was on how musicians have incorporated Bach into the most unique circumstances, such as performances on steel drums, guitars, Moog synthesizers, and you name it. Blessed effectively communicates that the music of Bach is so great, that it continues to live today regardless of how it is played. Perhaps there is no other composer that has ever or will ever achieve this distinction to the extent that has happened with Bach. This movie can inspire even those who dislike the music of Bach.

Edition Bachakademie Hänssler, mostly featuring Helmut Rilling ?????

This is now my second hearing of this set of 172 CDs, consisting of all the known works of Johann Sebastian Bach. There exist two other collections of his works, one put out by Brilliant Records, and the other by Teldec. I do not have the Teldec set, but will probably purchase it when it becomes available again. This set, costing about $1600 (I paid much less for it), is now being offered for $300 on Amazon.com, which should be a total steal. The Hänssler edition is the only collection that utilizes adults and modern instrumentation for the productions of all the cantatas and other choral works. The only exception, of course, is the boys choir in the Mätthaus Passion. There are better performances many of Bach’s cantatas. I feel that Karl Richter’s cantatas are superior in terms of feeling and expressive content, though Richter offers less than half of all of Bach’s cantatas. Rilling is a most capable conductor, offering the complete cantatas and other vocal works of Bach, with more compelling performances than any of the other complete collections. The Brilliant and Teldec sets oftentimes uses boy performers, which can easily become quite wearisome to the ears. Rilling, like Richter, avoids period instruments, thus giving a brilliance and charm to the works that other performances do not possess. Regarding using modern vs. original instrumentation, the keyboard works for harpsichord are variously performed in this set, occasionally with a piano, occasionally with a clavecin, and usually with a harpsichord. I appreciate harpsichord music, but, much dynamics of performance appear to be missing with a harpsichord. Even when a piano is used instead of a harpsichord, the performer usually tends to plays the piano in a fashion like I was taught, to make it sound like a harpsichord. This ends up in a rather mechanical sound, that might be imitated by a piano roll. Perhaps, this is why I really appreciate the Bach performances of Glen Gould, who breaks out of the mold of original instrument thinking, and allows Bach to speak in a new and fresh fashion. Sometimes, an unusual array of instruments are used, such as in the Wohltemperte Klavier, where the harpsichord, organ and Clavicin are all variously utilized. The keyboard works were quite variable, though most with quite convincing and compelling performances, even though a number were more routinely and mechanically driven. In total, this set is an amazing compendium of mostly top notch, well performed Bach. The cantatas are the selling point of this set, though that should not diminish the attractiveness of the rest of the works on the set, whether they be keyboard, violin or cello sonatas, or any of the other plenteous compositions of the greatest of all composers of all time. Any lover of Bach must have this set: it will be treasured for many hearings.

Bach Organ Works, performed by Simon Preston ?????

I was a little leery of getting yet another set of Bach Organ works, since both the Peter Herford and Helmut Walcha sets are superb. Preston offers a change of venue, with many of the Bach pieces not performed in a perfectly traditional manner. Yet, the performances were entirely compelling, and most interesting to listen to. Oftentimes, syncopation or variations in volume or tonal presentation made a completely different piece than is traditionally heard. This is a very worthy purchase for the Bach lover. Quite honestly, I think that Bach would approve entirely of this performance. Remember that Bach quite often re-worked the pieces of other composers in order to hear them in a fresh manner. These works are definitely fresh, and bring an intense amount of life and vitality to what might otherwise be considered fairly boring works.

This book was recommended to me by Dr. Fred Leitz, since he knew that I enjoyed Bach. It was an excellent read. This is the first book of Siblin, who writes music critics for a major Canadian magazine. The book is the entwined stories of J.S. Bach, Pablo Casals, as well as Siblin’s own investigation as to the origin of the cello suites. It is quite cleverly written to hold the reader’s attention, while bringing to mind the lives of two great musicians. My greatest criticism of the book is the unduly high regard given to Casals, who, while he single-handedly resurrected and popularized the Bach Cello Suites, also was a radical socialist revolutionary with a not-so-desireable lifestyle. In contrast, J.S. Bach lived an impeccable, though also somewhat revolutionary lifestyle, fighting more for advanced artistic expression than for any political-social agenda. I would highly recommend this book to any music lover.

The Bach Cello suites were brought to light by Pablo Casals, who essentially defined the modern interpretation of these suites. Prior to Casals, the cello suites were viewed as nothing but petty exercises for students. Then, why would anybody imagine that. Even the student pieces of Bach are charming. When we think of student pieces, we imagine Schaum piano graded pieces, or the Czerny finger exercises (more like torture) for the budding pianist, and certainly NOT melodic. So, even if Bach did write these originally as student exercises (which I doubt), they have enough charm to be worthy of repeated listenings and performances. The interpretations tended to vary. First, Casals was given a star off, since the recording was poor, with multiple record scratch marks coming through. The sound was phonographic, but also a bit distant. Fournier, Ma-Ma, and Harrell all had superb recordings that reflected the joy that these pieces seem to exude. Pergamenshikow gave a surprisingly excellent recording, very light and joyous, dancelike, and with a very crisp, clean recording. He is a cellist to keep ones eye on. Ter Linden also was a superb interpreter, a little slower and somber in presentation, and the recordings were made a touch softer. Unfortunately, I had to give Rostropovich only three stars. The recording was okay, but the performance made these pieces sound like funeral dirges. Bach labeled them all with dance names, like Allemande, Courante, Bouree, Sarabond, Minuet, and Gigue, all of which were lively dances and whom most people would have been familiar in Bach’s time. Rostropovich is a most capable performer, and other recorded works definitely tend to shine. I’m not sure what he was thinking in these performances.  I will soon be reviewing a book on the cello suites, recommended by Dr. Leitz. These are must listen to pieces that are worth one obtaining a bit of familiarity with.

Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248, by J.S. Bach, performances with Rilling/Stuttgart Bach Collegium, Harry Christopher and the Sixteen, Richter, Münchinger, and Thomas/Thomaskirche

This Christmas season, I listened to multiple performances of both the Weihnachtsoratorium, and the Messiah, so see also my comments on the Messiah. The Weihnachtsoratorium is an under-performed piece in the United States and Britain. Oddly, both Bach, and Händel (the composer of the Messiah) were born about 30 miles from each other in the same area of Germany, about a year apart. Their individual paths were as different as imaginable, and their music also. Händel composed almost entirely opera, and as mentioned, the Messiah is as close to an operatic piece as possible, though without acting. Bach’s piece was more intended for church, for solemnity, for pastoral reflection, for teaching of the Christmas story. Yet, omitting the flamboyancy of Händel, it is the work of an absolute genius, dare I say, a far greater genius than even Händel. The piece begins with a Pauken (kettledrum) solo. Unglaublich (unbelievable)!!! I had to listen to the opening 5-10 times and review the score the first time I heard that. Drums were not used as a solo instrument of melody until the 20th century, and to think that Bach invented that. Regarding tradition, it is sad that in English speaking countries, the far more worthy Weihnachtsoratorium goes essentially unheard, and we have to endure the Messiah year in and year out. True, the Messiah was Händel’s greatest piece, and it truly is worthy of greatness, but is still surpassed by the majesty and genius of this humble piece by Bach.

Regarding the individual performances, I preferred the Richter performance above all for its interpretation of a piece fitting the accompanying words. Münchinger is very close in conducting style to Richter, and also is a worthy listening. Rilling is typically a superb Bach conductor, but tends here to focus more of style than substance in the piece, though I’d still rate his performance highly. The Christophers have a more intimate performance, but well done. The Thomas performance is at the church where the Weihnachtsoratorium was first performed, and used children for the soprano parts, which I tend to dislike even though the original performances probably used children. I believe that Bach would have used adults if allowed by the school. All of the performances are worthy to listen to.