Your favorite J.S. Bach piece

[Elendil's Heir]

Scientist and author Lewis Thomas once suggested how we should communicate with the universe: "I would vote for Bach, all of Bach, streamed out into space, over and over again. We would be bragging of course, but it is surely excusable to put the best possible face on at the beginning of such an acquaintance. We can tell the harder truths later."

Bach's best? There're so many to choose from! If you held a gun to my head, I think I'd have to say one of the "Brandenburg Concertos," No. 3 in G Major, Allegro (III). Intricate, passionate, deeply rewarding. It never fails to cheer me up and make me think better of humanity.

What's your favorite, and why?

[Zebra]

I have always been fond of the 'Little' fugue in G minor.


I love fugues in general and I arranged that one for a sax quartet. It was really interesting to get inside that music that way.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Air for the G String.

[Queen Bruin]

I am another "Little" Fugue fan. It's just...awesome, in every way.

[Ranchoth]

Heh. FYI—as a matter of fact, the first musical selection on the Voyager record was the first movement from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2! (It's a favorite of mine, too.)

After that, I'm fond of the prelude to his English Suite #2—mostly for when I'm in a bad mood.

[Robot Arm]

Damn good question.

I played the Brandenburg Concerto, No. 3, in my high school orchestra days, so I definitely have a soft spot for it. I like the first movement better than the third.

There's one passage in the first movement of the Seventh Symphony that gives me chills.

In Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, after the first two notes establish a pattern, every note that follows is absolutely right and inevitable.

But if I have to pick a favorite, it's the Toccata in D Minor. That piece should be played on the biggest pipe organ you can find and it should shake the earth. But I also remember it from a different setting. My first time ever in Europe was a business trip to Germany, and I managed to get one free day to myself and went to Stuttgart. I was walking back to the train station, and saw a couple of street musicians setting up. I didn't know how long until they were going to start, and there was a train back to Munich in a few minutes, so I kept walking. Behind me I heard them play the first few notes of the Toccata, and I had to go back. They played it on two accordians, and kicked ass! I never would have thought it could work on that instrument, but these two guys just nailed it. Followed it with the Fugue, then Winter from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. One of my all-time favorite travel memories.

Zebra, that wouldn't be the Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet by any chance, would it?

[Rayne Man]

All you fans have just missed a treat. For the 10 days up to Christmas, BBC Radio 3 broadcast Bach 24 hours a day. In that time they aired every surviving work of the great composer at least once. If you want to buy the complete works it is available on 150 CDs.

My favourite is the Goldberg Variations.

[Jeff Lichtman]

I'm very fond of the Violin Partita No. 3 in E major (BWV 1006), especially the gavotte. Still, I wouldn't want to choose one Bach piece as the best - so much of his work was so great.

[GorillaMan]

Goldberg Variations, without (much) hesitation

[Sophistry and Illusion]

I'm a huge fan of the cantatas. As I've said before on this board, I think Actus Tragicus (Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit) is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.

Originally Posted by Elendil's Heir

and why?

I can't say why; I just know that it is.

[Nancarrow]

My vote goes to the Art of Fugue. I've got a recording for string quartet and two harpsichords, and a solo piano version. I do not believe that bogus story about a human writing this, or that humans performed it in a recording studio. What in fact happened is, Neil Armstrong discovered these discs buried under the lunar soil. In all the years since, we have no more clue how they came into existence. They're proof of the existence either of God, or of transcendent alien-light beings.


What?

[Nancarrow]

Originally Posted by Nancarrow

They're proof of the existence either of God, or of transcendent alien-light beings.

Oh for what it's worth, so are these!


Sorry

[Kizarvexius]

I agree wholeheartedly with Robot Arm in his description of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Sublimely gorgous music.

Other Bach favorites...

- Sheep May Safely Graze
- Jauchzet, frolocket from the Christmas Oratorio
- Goldberg Variations

[Beware of Doug]

[i]Wachet auf,[i] mostly because of an obscure jazz version called (ironically) Nightcap.

[RealityChuck]

Brandenburg Concerto #3.

For sentimental reasons: Musette in D Major. One of the pieces I played when learning piano. It also provided me one of my favorite classical jokes: There's a Yo-Yo Ma/Bobby McFerrin collaboration album where Ma starts on the opening to this, and McFerrin starts out doing the melody to "Purple Haze." It's done live, and no one in the audience gets it, probably because they don't recognize Hendrix if they did recognize Musette. I wondered if I was the only person other than McFerrin and Ma to get the joke first thing without explanation.

[DeVena]

Magnificat.

[dalej42]

Tough one. I'd have to say either the Mass in B Minor or one of the Passions.

[Eonwe]

Assuming I'm talking about the same piece as Beware of Doug, my vote is for Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, which was written for organ I believe, but I've only heard/played on piano (arr. Busoni). There's something very... thoughtful, pensive, and smooth about the whole thing. No large expressive swells really, but just constant rightness.

[ddgryphon]

I'm a big fan of the Little Fuge in G min. It is intricate, passionate and just downright gorgeous.

Also like:

Passion in B min

Fantasia in C min

And the Sonatas for unaccompanied Cello

[tarragon918]

I've been looking for one of my Bach CDs (Essential Bach), which I finally uncovered. I have to go with Sleepers Awake as well - that's Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. Firstly, Eonwe, you should hear it done on an organ - some of the most impressive and expressive parts of it are the footpedal work. Secondly, this piece always makes me think of my Mom, who was an accomplished organist - I know I'd heard her play it many, many times. After that, I'd say Sheep may Safely Graze, which also reminds me of my Mom. One of my brothers names the "Little Fugue" (I think). It's so hard to choose among Bach's work because it really is so beautiful, all of it.

Thank you for this thread - I'm going to listen to some Bach before I head home tonight.

[Knorf]

Originally Posted by Eonwe

Assuming I'm talking about the same piece as Beware of Doug, my vote is for Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, which was written for organ I believe...

In fact, it was originally a Cantata, BWV 140, but also there exists a chorale prelude arranged from the 4th movement of that cantata, which is indeed for organ, BWV 645.

Lots of good information about this is available here.

As for me, I could hardly imagine doing without the Cantatas (all 215+ that exist!), the Partitas for solo keyboard, the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, the cello suites, the Concerto for 2 violins in D minor, the Goldberg Variations, the St. John Passion, Die Kunst der Fuge, the Well-Tempered Clavier, etc., etc.

But I especially could never do without the Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 and the St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.

There is so much to discover in Bach! Truly, enough for a lifetime.

[Knorf]

Aaaaargh! And how could I forget the monumental Passacaglia in C Minor, BWV 582 for organ!

[missbunny]

Goldberg Variations, Glenn Gould - but his later recordings. The earlier ones he plays much too fast for my taste. Plus his mumbling or humming or whatever it is he's doing is much more apparent on the earlier.

Brandenberg Concerto No. 3. All of them, really, but I love No. 3 the most. I have at least 10 versions of it.

I'm sorry to have missed that BBC All Bach All The Time thing!

[Rayne Man]

Originally Posted by missbunny

I'm sorry to have missed that BBC All Bach All The Time thing!

All is not lost. If you go here and click onto Listen on the Radio Player You can hear the last few days of the project.

[Misnomer]

I'm a big Bach fan: when I was learning to play the piano several of my early pieces were from Anna Magdalena's notebook, and over the many years since then I have come to realize that he is my favorite classical composer. I hadn't thought about my favorite work of his until this thread, and I'll admit I'm somewhat surprised to realize that it isn't a keyboard piece: without question, it's the prelude to Suite No. 1, S 1007 (G Major) for cello (as recorded by Yo-Yo Ma in 1983). It's short, less than 3 minutes long, but is one of my favorite pieces of music of all time, not just by Bach.

As to why it's my favorite, who can really say "why" anything when it comes to music?

[Cunctator]

Originally Posted by Knorf

the St. John Passion

I'm learning this at the moment for some performances next year, and, yes, it's stunning.

Originally Posted by Knorf

But I especially could never do without the Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 and the St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.

Absolutely

[Maeglin]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lichtman

I'm very fond of the Violin Partita No. 3 in E major (BWV 1006), especially the gavotte. Still, I wouldn't want to choose one Bach piece as the best - so much of his work was so great.

My pick is pretty close: the chaconne from Partita #2. It is not easy to choose a single selection, but the chaconne is playing in my little corner of heaven.

[Liberal]

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565. But quite honestly, with Bach it's pick a card any card.

[rowrrbazzle]

It's tough to name just one, and most of my faves have been covered, including Bburg #2. I hadn't realized it was on the Voyager disk, but it's a great choice.

[Cartooniverse]

As Radar O'Reilly said in M*A*S*H, " Ahhh, Bach ! ".

I think the Wedding Cantata that was played at my wedding by my brothers-in-law. ( The Phillips brothers, that is. The other two fellahs ain't related. )

Aside from that piece, I'm feeling it would be Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Mostly because of the visual assocation with the Disney film Fantasia in 1940. Truly powerful piece.

Cartooniverse

[JKellyMap]

1. Orchestral Suite #2 in b minor

2. Brandenburg Concerto #4

3. Mass in b minor (especially Kyrie eleison, Domnie deus, Et in spiritum, Sanctus, Agnus dei, and Dona nobis pacem)

4. English suite #2 in a minor

5. Double violin concerto in D Major


Why? Lots of reasons. The Orchestral Suite #2, because of the perfect blend of sounds (especially the woody transverse flute), the gorgeous melodies, the early baroque overall feel but with late baroque dancy courtliness...

[Zebra]

Originally Posted by Robot Arm

Zebra, that wouldn't be the Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet by any chance, would it?

No, just something I did for a class assignment my freshman year in college.

[Ukulele Ike]

I've always been obsessively fond of the G Major Fugue "a la gigue" (BWV 577). It's just so damned cheerful.

[CheapBastid]

C-Major Prelude From The Well Tempered Clavier specifically as performed by Darron Flagg.

Easily my favorite piece of music. I had it all set up for a pivotal moment in our outdoor wedding but the tape wasn't set properly so she walked down the aisle to silence.

Interestingly we got dozens of comments on how powerful that silent moment was.

[Cheez_Whia]

Little Fugue in G Minor. Brandenburg Concertos. Pick one. Any one.

[KarlGauss]

I'm not sure if anyone's still following this thread but ...

... lots of great choices already listed including the Goldberg Variations, English and French suites, and some of the partitas. Interestingly, nobody's selected my Bach fave - Concerto for Oboe in D minor. So sweet, so touching.

[Miss Mapp]

Brandenberg Concerto No. 5. I love the harpsicord solo.

Also No. 2 (those lovely French horns), Nos. 3, 4, and 6, and one of the violin concertos, but I'm not certain which it is.

[TubaDiva]

In the chorales, Komm Susser Tod.

This chorale is in the TubaChristmas book; it's the only non-Christmasy-carol thing we do on the program. It was the favorite Bach piece of William Bell, one of the greatest tubists of our time and most revered teachers. If it wasn't for Bill Bell, we wouldn't even have TubaChristmas. (He was also born on Christmas Day, which makes it even more appropriate!)

You haven't lived until you've been in the middle of a group of multiple tubas playing this thing, it's like the world's biggest organ chord; the majesty and beauty in it will make you cry. It always makes me cry, anyway, it touches my heart and that's what great music is all about. Bach does that.

Jenny
reporting in from the tuba section

[CalMeacham]

I have always been fond of the 'Little' fugue in G minor.


I love fugues in general and I arranged that one for a sax quartet. It was really interesting to get inside that music that way.

I came in to add precisely this one. Although i like all thwe Brandenburgs, and Toccatta and Fugue in D Minor (probably because I've heard it more often than any other), this one can send chills up my spine.

[JohnT]

I'm surprised at all the love being given to Brandenburg #3 when #2 is such an obviously superior piece, especially the third movement.

Passacaglia and Fugue in C (minor?), especially as played by E. Power Biggs on the Flentrop organ at Harvard.

Concerto for Four Harpsichords, BWV 1065.

[CalMeacham]

Scientist and author Lewis Thomas once suggested how we should communicate with the universe: "I would vote for Bach, all of Bach, streamed out into space, over and over again. We would be bragging of course, but it is surely excusable to put the best possible face on at the beginning of such an acquaintance. We can tell the harder truths later."

In Fred Hoyle's The Black Cloud, IIRC, the titular sentient Black Cloud enjoyed Bach. In Harry turtledove's "WorldWar: Colonization" series, the aliens don't care much for Earth music, but they find the patterns in Bach interesting.

[ianzin]

Originally Posted by missbunny

Brandenberg 3. I have at least 10 versions of it.

I was pleasantly surprised to open this thread and see so many references to Brandenburg 3, because I've been listening to it a lot lately.

Please help me by recommending a recording of the Brandenburgs that's available on CD.

I only have one CD of the Brandeburgs. It combines recordings by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields conduicted by Neville Mariner and the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Britten. I don't really like it. For one thing it's just a CD transfer of what must be a relatively old recording (given that Britten died in 1975). Also, I think it's one of these attempts to recreate the 'authentic baroque sound', which might be fine for the connoissueur but I have simple tastes and to me the strings sound thin and scratchy and the whole recording (especially number 3) doesn't sound like it has the warmth and vitality that it should have.

So, any recommendations? I want a good-quality modern recording of all 6 Brandenburgs, although I will be listening to number 3 more than the others combined, and I'm looking for a warm, rich, joyous sound full of life and brio and one that celebrates the sheer awesome, impressive creative brilliance of these works.

[Elendil's Heir]

I highly recommend the Apollo's Fire (a Cleveland-area baroque orchestra) recording of the Brandenburgs:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...474682-2924835

Let me know how you like it.

[II Gyan II]

Originally Posted by ianzin

So, any recommendations? I want a good-quality modern recording of all 6 Brandenburgs, although I will be listening to number 3 more than the others combined, and I'm looking for a warm, rich, joyous sound full of life and brio and one that celebrates the sheer awesome, impressive creative brilliance of these works.

For Bach, there's jsbach.org's reviews.