BACH, J.S.: Great Composers in Words and Music

Johann Sebastian Bach today has a reputation as the Godfather of Western European music, as a fountainhead of classical music theory and the creator of some of the greatest works the world has ever produced. Better known as a keyboard virtuoso, Bach was not regarded as a genius in his day, so how did this headstrong and belligerent but ambitious young musician become so extraordinarily productive? What were his influences? How did he end up in jail and what did he get up to in Café Zimmerman? Discover all of this and more in this fascinating biography of a composer who, to Max Reger, represented ‘the beginning and the end of all music’. The narrative is illustrated with musical excerpts including the Brandenburg Concertos, Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, The Art of Fugue, St Matthew Passion and theMass in B minor among many others.

Tracklist

Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
1Introduction00:11
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Swiss Baroque Soloists (Orchestra)
Gabetta, Andrés (Conductor)
2Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major, BWV 1047: I. [Allegro] (excerpt)01:11
Swiss Baroque Soloists (Orchestra)
Gabetta, Andrés (Conductor)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
3Hurtling through interstellar space…10:23
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Buxtehude, Dieterich
Brown, Julia (organ)
4Prelude, Fugue and Ciaconna in C Major, BuxWV 137 (excerpt)01:14
Brown, Julia (organ)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
5After the street brawl and the trip to see Buxtehude…06:38
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Rübsam, Wolfgang (organ)
6Toccata and Fugue in F Major, BWV 540 (excerpt)00:57
Rübsam, Wolfgang (organ)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
7Yet Buxtehude and the northern German musical culture…03:23
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Rübsam, Wolfgang (organ)
8Organ Concerto in C Major, BWV 594 (arr. of Vivaldi's Concerto in D Major, RV 208) (excerpt)00:49
Rübsam, Wolfgang (organ)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
9Historians have argued that the lesson Bach learned…06:19
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Nishizaki, Takako (violin)
Jablokov, Alexander (violin)
Capella Istropolitana (Orchestra)
Dohnányi, Oliver von (Conductor)
10Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non tanto (excerpt)01:34
Nishizaki, Takako (violin)
Jablokov, Alexander (violin)
Capella Istropolitana (Orchestra)
Dohnányi, Oliver von (Conductor)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
11During Bach's nearly six years at Köthen…02:20
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Beauséjour, Luc (harpsichord)
12The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Fugue No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 869 (excerpt)01:27
Beauséjour, Luc (harpsichord)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
13The second Köthen composition that has come to define…03:07
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Swiss Baroque Soloists (Orchestra)
Gabetta, Andrés (Conductor)
14Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048: I. — (excerpt)00:35
Swiss Baroque Soloists (Orchestra)
Gabetta, Andrés (Conductor)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
15However productive Bach may have been at Köthen…06:32
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Henrici, Christian Friedrich - Lyricist
Bible - New Testament - Lyricist
Romberger, Gerhild (alto)
Mainz Bach Orchestra (Orchestra)
Čižmář, Jan (lute)
Morath-Pusinelli, Petra (organ)
Otto, Ralf (Conductor)
16St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, Part II: Aria: Erbarme dich (excerpt)01:29
Romberger, Gerhild (alto)
Mainz Bach Orchestra (Orchestra)
Čižmář, Jan (lute)
Morath-Pusinelli, Petra (organ)
Otto, Ralf (Conductor)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
17Bach's musical activities, in the years following…03:20
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Hill, Robert (harpsichord)
Cologne Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra)
Müller-Brühl, Helmut (Conductor)
18Keyboard Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052: I. Allegro (excerpt)00:54
Hill, Robert (harpsichord)
Cologne Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra)
Müller-Brühl, Helmut (Conductor)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
19As well as its regular weekly concerts…05:41
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Krämer, Nils Thilo (flute)
Pfister, Ariane (violin)
Benda, Christian (cello)
Benda, Sebastian (harpsichord)
20Musicalisches Opfer, BWV 1079: Sonata sopra il Soggetto Reale: Allegro (excerpt)00:50
Krämer, Nils Thilo (flute)
Pfister, Ariane (violin)
Benda, Christian (cello)
Benda, Sebastian (harpsichord)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
21Despite Bach's travelling and various guest appearances…01:56
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Rübsam, Wolfgang (organ)
22Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue), BWV 1080: Canon II, alla Ottava (excerpt)00:55
Rübsam, Wolfgang (organ)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
23As well as exhibiting Bach's penchant for the theoretical aspect…01:07
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Mass Text - Lyricist
Slovak Philharmonic Chorus (Choir)
Capella Istropolitana (Orchestra)
Brembeck, Christian (Conductor)
24Mass in B Minor, BWV 232: Dona nobis pacem: bars 1-1400:53
Slovak Philharmonic Chorus (Choir)
Capella Istropolitana (Orchestra)
Brembeck, Christian (Conductor)
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
25We know of nothing that Bach composed after this movement…02:36
Pugh, Leighton (Reader)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Mass Text - Lyricist
Slovak Philharmonic Chorus (Choir)
Capella Istropolitana (Orchestra)
Brembeck, Christian (Conductor)
26Mass in B Minor, BWV 232: Dona nobis pacem: bars 34-4601:03
Slovak Philharmonic Chorus (Choir)
Capella Istropolitana (Orchestra)
Brembeck, Christian (Conductor)

Total Playing Time: 01:07:24