17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

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Bach – A beginners Guide
The Classic Review (https://theclassicreview.com/author/the-classic-review/) - July 6, 2020
(https://theclassicreview.com/beginners-guides/bach-a-beginners-guide/)

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Johann Sebastian Bach (bhttps://theclassicreview.com/tag/bach/) was one of

the few last great Baroque (https://theclassicreview.com/tag/baroque/) TOGETHER WITH CLASSICAL

composers, and the most advanced and sophisticated of them all. In his long
career, Bach wrote for any instrument and in any genre imaginable except
opera. He was always aware of his contemporaries and predecessors,
continuing to be fully inventive even in his late life.

Bach musical thinking is polyphonic – maintains several voices that are played
simultaneously but remain independent. Later composers, most if not all
presented on our Beginners Guides
(https://theclassicreview.com/category/beginners-guides/), knew and
incorporated counterpoint elements in their works, but put a heavy emphasis
on the relationship between melody and accompaniment, with the former
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receiving more weight. Bach was a practical composer in the best sense of the
word; he wrote for what was necessary at the time – church music for Sunday
services, instrumental works for programs at a local cafe house, and works for
academic or pedagogic proposes. That is not to diminish the spirituality and ABOUT

emotional impact projected from his works.

During his lifetime, Bach was mainly renowned as an organist, and was often The Classic Review was launched in
called to examine and perform on organs in nearby towns. After his death in 2018 for classical music lovers
1750, Bach’s music went out of fashion and was only known to connoisseurs around the globe. It covers classical
and selected musicians. There was also very little pieces that were officially music reviews, as well as in-depth
published during Bach’s lifetime, one of the reasons why the small number of guides and classical music news.
works that were saved from obscurity included the keyboard works like the
“Well-Tempered Clavier”, Goldberg Variations
(https://theclassicreview.com/best-of/bach-goldberg-variations-the-best-
recordings/) and 6 partitas. In fact, it was Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach that was RECENT POSTS

considered “the famous Bach” until the second half of the 19th century.

Review: Haydn – Die Schöpfung

Felix Mendelssohn was the first well-known figure that revived major works by (The Creation) – Savall
Bach – most notably the St. Matthew Passion, on a well-received Berlin concert 01 (https://theclassicreview.com/alb
um-reviews/review-haydn-die-
in 1829. Since then, Bach’s music triumphantly returned to the concert and schopfung-the-creation-savall/)
recording canon, with significant help from the recording industry, and later the
Review: George Walker – Five
historically informed movement, which promoted performing Baroque pieces Piano Sonatas – Steven Beck,
on instruments and practices from the 18th century. Today there is no dispute Piano
(https://theclassicreview.com/alb
that Bach is one of the best classical music (https://theclassicreview.com) 02 um-reviews/review-george-
composers ever lived. Some argue he was the greatest.
https://theclassicreview.com/beginners-guides/bach-a-beginners-guide/ 1/8
17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

walker-five-piano-sonatas-steven-
beck-piano/)
Editor’s note: As on other articles from our “Beginners Guides
(https://theclassicreview.com/beginners-guides/)” series, the album Review: Bruce Liu Plays Chopin
recommendation for each piece are also chosen as a good starting point and a way (https://theclassicreview.com/alb
03 um-reviews/review-bruce-liu-
to be introduced to the music, and not necessarily as the best recording. plays-chopin/)

Review: Bach – Well-Tempered

Brandenburg Concertos Clavier, Book II – Andreas Staier,
Harpsichord
Bach’s 6 Brandenburg Concertos are all early works, some based on previous 04 (https://theclassicreview.com/alb
um-reviews/review-bach-wtc-ii-
material but revised to perfection and considered some of the masterpieces of andreas-staier-harpsichord/)
instrumental baroque music (https://theclassicreview.com/tag/baroque/). The
Concertos are Bach’s attempt at the Concerti Grossi form, where a group of Year In Review – Our Top Classical
Albums for 2021
soloists with different instruments plays against (or in dialog) with an 05 (https://theclassicreview.com/bes
t-of/year-in-review-our-top-
accompanying orchestra. Each of the six concerti showcases different classical-albums-for-2021/)
instruments with strings and basso continuo; for instance, a “natural” trumpet,
recorder, oboe, and violin in Concerto No. 2, or violin and two recorders for the
Fourth Concerto. All of the Concertos but the first contains three movements,
the outer fast and the middle slow or transitional. The name “Brandenburg” is
THE CLASSIC REVIEW ON SOCIAL
taken from the house name Brandenburg-Schwed, where Christian Ludwig, the
music’s dedicatee, was Margrave. There is no proof that these Concertos were
ever performed in this court during Bach’s lifetime. Join the classical conversation!

Trever Pinnock was one of the pioneers in performing Baroque music on period

instruments, and his early version (https://amzn.to/3dZXlQR) with The English (https://twitter.com/review_classic)
Consort from the mid-1980s still holds his own against many period

performances. But his newer version with the “European Brandenburg (https://www.instagram.com/the_classic_review/)
Ensemble” is even better, and one of the best digital version currently available.

The orchestra groups together some of the leading period instrumentalists and
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is a highly enjoyable way of getting to know the cycle – The group share their
love for the music in a transparent, enthusiastic and high-spirited performance, 
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/33311182/)
with a clear and pleasant recording.

Those who prefer modern instruments, can turn to a classic version of the
Concertos by “I Musici (https://amzn.to/2YUZ4Ti)”, with a warm, thicker but
never too heavy a rendition. The soloists include big names such as trumpet SIGN UP FOR FREE

player Maurice André and oboist Heinz Holliger, and features Frans Brüggen on
recorder.

Purchase on Amazon (https://amzn.to/31ALQNk)

Orchestral Suites
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Bach other orchestral (https://theclassicreview.com/tag/orchestral/)
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masterpieces are the Four Orchestral Suites, or “Overtures”. It’s important to
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note that Baroque composers considered an “orchestra” as a group of players Get our periodic classical music
playing different instruments, certainly not the over 100 players we today newsletter with our recent reviews,
news and beginners guides.
associate with large symphonic ensembles. The Suite was one of the most
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popular genres in orchestral writing of the Baroque era, with composers such
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as Telemann, Lully and others writing many dozens of such compositions. Bach ms-privacy/).
wrote only four, but all exemplary. Each Suite starts with an Overture in a
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French style (slow, dotted-rhythm introduction followed by a quick segment),
them a series of dances, such as Gavotte, Bourree, Gigue and more. Submit

Similarly to the Brandenburg Concertos, each Suite is composed for different

group of players, only there is more emphasis on the full orchestral playing
than on the exchange of ideas between soloists and larger ensemble. The NEW TO CLASSICAL MUSIC? READ OUR
GUIDES
second suite is special in that sense – It’s built around a flute solo with strings
and continuo accompaniment. The “Air” for strings from the Third Suite is one
of the best-known pieces in western music.

Christopher Hogwood recorded the Four Orchestral Suites in the late Eighties,
and his performances are still fresh and vibrant more than many newer
versions in the catalog. Some of his tempo choices may divide opinions (the
opening Overtures are rather fast), but the players of the Academy of Ancient
Music sound like they have the time of their lives, and this is indeed one of the
best recordings this group ever produced.

Naville Marriner released two beautiful versions of the Suites, both played by
(https://theclassicreview.com/category/beginners-
his modern-instrument Chamber orchestra, the “Academy of St. Martin in the
guides/)
Fields”. From his 1970s analog version (https://amzn.to/2C1EAzc) and his later,
1980s digital version, the first one is preferable; While this is an older recording, Beginners Guides To Classical Music
it still conveys the lusciousness of this group’s strings and highlights superb
performances of the woodwind section. The second version, also fine, lost

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17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

some of their spontaneity of the earlier version, and the vibrato, especially in
the second Suite, can be a bit much even for the die-hard lovers of romantic
approach to the music.

Purchase on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3dXbOwO)

Violin Concertos
Bach wrote several solo and double violin
(https://theclassicreview.com/tag/violin/) concertos, influenced by the popular
Italian Baroque Concertos by Vivaldi, Corelli, Albinoni and others. From Bach’s
surviving concertos, the two solo Violin Concertos in A Minor (BWV. 1041) and E
Major (BWV. 1042), as well as the “Double Concerto” for two violins (BWV. 1043)
are still in the active repertoire, and played by all major violinists.

The Violin Concertos survived in orchestral parts (not in Bach’s hand-writing)

from members of “Collegium Musicum”, a group of musicians from Leipzig that
met every week when the weather allowed it to play instrumental music by
Bach and other composers. Most musicologists agree that although these parts
are the latest surviving evidence of these Concertos, they were composers
much earlier, in either Weimar or Cöthen. Many violinist and conductors
change certain elements in the original manuscript, based on transcriptions for
harpsichord and orchestra that Bach made for these Concertos, which include
some later thoughts and changes.

Similar to the Brandenburg Concertos, the Violin Concertos are in three-

movement form – the outer movement fast and lively, the slow reflective and
sometimes improvisatory. The final movements are based on rhythms used in
Suites such as Gigue and Rondeau. Like many late-Baroque concertos, the
soloist-orchestra relationship is based on polyphony and the ability to differ
important melodic lines of the soloist form that of the orchestra or continuo.

Shunsuke Sato and Il Pomo d’Oro present a weighty, sometimes reflective but
always dynamic and interesting performances of the two solo and one double
Violin Concertos. The accompaniment is full yet transparent, with a superb
recording. Their measured way with this music, as well as the subtle and
responsible deviation from the written text to add ornamentations, makes this
a fantastic way of getting to know these Concertos played on original
instruments, surpassing many other period performances from the past 30
years.

On modern instruments, one has to go back to Arthur Grumiaux’s superb

version (https://amzn.to/2NOxOj5) of the three Concertos with his recording
group, “Les Solistes Romands”. This late-1970s recording ruled the catalog for
many years, and presents the concertos with a flair of romanticism. The
expressiveness and generous vibrato of Grumiaux needs some getting used to,
especially when coming from period instruments performances, but the ears
soon adjust. A must-have album for violin enthusiasts and listeners who wish to
glance at “old school” Bach.

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Sonatas And Partitas For Solo Violin

It’s not specifically known to whom these violin solo pieces were written for,
though we know that Bach worked with many fine violinists in his years in
Küten and Wiemer, and he himself was intimately familiar with the instrument.
Bach wasn’t the first to write such pieces for the solo violin – Composers such
as Biber and Telemann, among others, have composed such works before his –
but none reached the complexity of polyphonic writing for a solo string
instrument, the emotional depth nor the spiritual heights these works possess.

There are 3 Sonatas with four movements each and 3 Partitas with multiple
dance movements. From the group of 6 Sonatas and Partitas, it’s best to start
with the Second Partita in D minor, a pinnacle of the violin repertoire. The last
movement, “Ciaccona”, is a set of variations on a single bass line, and has been
transcribed for many instruments, most successfully to piano by Ferruccio
Busoni (1866-1924). The Third Partita contains some lovely tunes and is the
most optimistic of the group. From the Sonatas, the first in G minor is moving
for its chilling opening. All-in-all, the set is a must for any listener who cherishes
the violin, and certainly for the aspiring violin player.

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All serious violinists from the twentieth century and beyond have recorded
Bach’s complete solo works, few of them several times – From a hyper (but
lovely) romantic view of Perlman and Grumiax, to a more “objective” and cooler
view of Shaham or Chung. Nathan Milstein, in his second version of the cycle
(DG), still sounds superb in terms of musical understanding, taste and
spontaneity. Some may play these works in more beautiful sound or intentional
originality, but Milstein brings vast knowledge, rhythmic vitality and conviction,
which still sound fresh and engaging today.

Giuliano Carmignola, in a relatively recent release (https://amzn.to/2Ape4zh),

makes a good case for playing these works on gut strings and baroque bow.
The sound is more intimate, more pleasant than other period performances,
and there is a better projection of the dance rhythms that the Partitas are
based upon. The Sonatas are played more modestly than on longer bows and
stronger strings, but remain interesting and involving throughout. The famous
Chaconne has a good structural projection, showing that internal strength is
sometimes more powerful than an outspoken one.

Purchase on Amazon (https://amzn.to/31E3r6S)

Solo Cello Suites

Bach’s six Cello Suites are few of the best works ever written for cello
(https://theclassicreview.com/tag/cello/), and are the “holy bible” of this
instrument. Bach manages to add harmony and simple polyphony by the way
of “hints”, making the listener “fill-in” the harmony of a single line. The Cello
Suites are a bit more consistent in structure than the violin partitas: all the
suites have six movements, with a Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande
and a final. The fifth movement is either a Menuet, Bourree, or Gavotte. The
first prelude of each Suite is often improvisatory and the Sarabande is the
emotional center of the Suite.

There is some debate on the type of instrument these Suites were originally
written for. Suites No. 1-4 were most likely written for a cello similar to the
instrument we know today. The Fifth Suite, however, was written for a five-
string instrument (the cello classically has four), and the Sixth Suite is written
for a higher instrument than the original tuning of a cello, even for the time,
what makes some of the “historically informed” performers to play this suite on
Viola da Gamba. The Prelude of the first Cello Suite is the most famous of all
(one of the most well-known pieces ever written for solo cello), but every
movement of the six Suites is great music, and will bring endless joy to the
beginner listener.

As in the case of the Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas, every notable cellist has
recorded the six Cello Suites at least once. For listeners that come to this great
music for the first time, Yo-Yo Ma’s recent and third attempt at the six Suite is a
delightful introduction. Ma’s way with the Suite is clear-headed, clear and well-
articulated, especially in the fast dance movements. Other cellists have injected
more emotional involvement and spirituality into their performances (Fournier
and Rostropovich, to name just two), but Ma’s deep understanding and
conviction are never in doubt. Superb recording quality too.

After years of experimentations, recent years have shown few superb versions
of the six Cello Suites played on period instruments, with gut strings and
Baroque bows. David Watkin’s 2015 version (https://amzn.to/2BzYUYv) is truly
impressive from first note to last, showing a depth of feeling, and a vast
knowledge that never becomes didactic.

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Keyboard Partitas
Bach’s six Keyboard Partitas are essentially Suites with preludes and dance
movements written for harpsichord. They were published individually in the
1720s but eventually published as Bach’s Op. 1 in 1731, titled “Clavier-Übung”.
The six Partitas are more demanding than Bach’s earlier sets of six Suites, the
English and French Suites. It required abilities that far exceeded those of the
amateur pianist of the day (most movements still do), not only in a technical
sense, but in their compositional complexity and diversity of mood and style.
The first Partita in B major is the most familiar and often played from the cycle,
but the cycle as a whole forms a lovely recital, each Partita is a masterpiece that
brings its own set of qualities.

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17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

Igor Levit’s full cycle for Sony is ravishing, allowing listeners to hear the
complexity of Bach’s keyboard writing, expertly projecting a sense of style and
reflection. There are warmer or more playful accounts out there on a modern
piano (Perahia and Schiff are good examples), but this is the set to go by as a
starting point, to be cherished even after owning other successful versions.

A beginner listener who wishes to experience the six Partitas played on a

harpsichord (https://theclassicreview.com/tag/harpsichord/) can listen without
hesitation to Trevor Pinnock’s version on Haenssler, his second version on
record. Pinnock plays a strong, double-keyboard harpsichord and his style is
direct, with only a small amount of ornaments that never feel over the top. The
resonant recording somewhat compensates for the natural harshness of the
harpsichord.

Purchase on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3e02cBr)

Goldberg Variations
Bach’s Goldberg Variations is one of the longest, most difficult and profound set
of theme and variations in the history of music. According to Bach’s first
biographer, Forkel, the piece was written to a certain Count Kaiserling, a
Russian diplomat who used the services of a young and talented
harpsichordist, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg. The harpsichordist was asked to play
to the count when the latter suffered from insomnia, and when receiving an
invitation to compose the piece, Bach thought a series of variations on a theme
will have a soothing effect on the sleepless count. This legend is highly disputed
by Bach’s scholars (Goldberg was 14 at the time of the piece’s composition), but
it gave the variations their nickname.

The Goldberg Variations are based on a wonderful theme, an “aria” found in

Anna Magdalena’s notebook (Bach’s second wife). The theme is followed by 30
variations, every third variation being a Cannon. The Cannons themselves are
based on a growing interval (starting from a unison, then a second, third, etc).
Many of Bach’s scholars and performers have pointed out additional patterns
in the 30 variations, as styles (Kirkpatrick), grouping by mood (Perahia), and
more. In any case, there is no doubt that Bach invested all of his talent and
abilities, whether compositional, stylistic, or technical when producing the set.
The variations close with a repeat of the original Aria, making the journey come
to a close in a full circle.

As pointed out in The Classic Review’s “best of” guide to the Goldberg Variations
(https://theclassicreview.com/best-of/bach-goldberg-variations-the-best-
recordings/), Murray Perahia is the go-to piano version to a beginner or veteran
listener: “not only is it one of the best versions of the Goldberg ever recorded,
but also one of Perahia’s best and a landmark piano recording. It’s that good. It
should be in any respectable classical music collection.”

On harpsichord, Richard Egarr on Harmonia Mundi plays the set as if a life

experience is incorporated in his playing, without losing any of the freshness
and sense of awe from this major piece of art.

For choosing the best recordings of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, see our
three-part guide here. (https://theclassicreview.com/best-of/bach-goldberg-
variations-the-best-recordings/)

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Organ Works
Bach played many instruments expertly according to testimonies, but the organ
(https://theclassicreview.com/tag/organ/) was “his” instrument. The irony is that
the work most associated with Bach’s organ repertoire – The “Toccata and
Fugue in D Minor” – is one of the most debated among his entire works;
Scholars differ on its date of composition or whether it is a transcription from
another instrument. In any case, it takes the average listener about a second to
recognize, and one can’t argue its magnificent use of all aspects of this grandest
of instruments. Other famous works for organ by Bach include the
“Passacaglia” in C Minor, the “Prelude-Fantasy and Fugue in G Minor”, “Toccata
Adagio and Fugue in C Major” and many “Chorale Preludes”.

Recommending a recorded version Bach’s organ music to a beginner listener is

a perfect example of the difference between the “most overall
recommendation” to a “starting point” recommendation, for listeners who wish

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17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

to approach a classical music (https://theclassicreview.com) piece for the first

time. Peter Hurford recorded the complete Bach organ works for Decca in the
1970s, using different instruments in churches all around the world. His set was
noteworthy for its surprising clarity, letting listeners hear the complex
polyphony of the separate keyboards and pedal. Up until then, most
performances emphasized Bach’s “Grandeur”, a tendency which often tainted
many other performances of Bach’s music in general. This “Double Decca” set
includes all the famous works and best Chorale Preludes. Hurford is not the
most exciting organ player, nor is he the most technically impressive – Yet there
is no better way to get to know and appreciate Bach’s organ pieces, and that’s a
highly enjoyable journey indeed.

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Cantatas
There is no other composer that is more associated with the term “Cantata”
than J.S.Bach, though again, he is far from the first to excel in the field. Bach
wrote Cantatas all of his professional life, but it took significant time and effort
from his side when he held the position of Cantor in Leipzig (1723-1750). He
was required to write a choral (https://theclassicreview.com/tag/choral/) setting
for church service on Sundays, with texts based on scriptures, German poems,
or crowd chorales. A typical Bach Cantata is written for a chorus, which sings
the opening movement and a closing chorale, and two arias with recitatives for
soloists, accompanied by an orchestra with continuo, including an organ. Ever
the inventor, Bach diversified the Cantatas, and many of them diverge from this
typical structure; some include concerto-like movements, others are built
around a theme which requires an almost operatic participant from soloists,
while some Cantatas are particularly intimate and quiet, requiring only a
handful of musicians. Bach completed three full-year cycles of Cantatas, and
composed dozens more for separate occasions, including secular. Out of the
hundreds of Cantatas Bach believed to have composed, about a third is lost.
The Cantatas that are most-often-heard today are No. 4, 21, 51, 56, 140, 147,
and 202, among others.

With such a wide-ranging cycle, it’s difficult to choose only a few Cantatas, not
to mention recordings. Some conductors recorded all the Cantatas, others
thought that few famous ones suffice. Masaaki Suzuki’s cool, precise clean cycle
is considered one of the best, though some critics were ambivalent about
Suzuki’s “idealistic” view of the music. Although supremely performed and
recorded with a state-of-the-art SACD technology, other versions were less
“clinical” but showed more human warmth and vulnerability. Nonetheless, the
single release that included two famous Cantatas, BWV 147 and 21, can be
purchased without hesitation, and the clarity allows to be better equated with
the music.

On modern-day instruments, at least as of the 1960s and 1970s, Carl Richter

was a good representer. His tempi seem slow today, and although he used
chamber-sized orchestra, the strings give an over-romantic view of the music.
The soloists are often too operatic for the Baroque style. Yet there are many
good examples of Bach performance style that was somewhat lost after the
period-instrument groups took hold of the catalog. Richter’s double album
(https://amzn.to/38mWUPv) groups together all the famous cantatas he
recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, and includes big names like Edith Mathis,
Maria Stader, Peter Schreier, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and others.

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Mass in B Minor
Bach’s Massive Mass in B Minor is a work of roughly 25 years. Bach originally
wrote the first two chapters – Kyrie and Gloria – after the death of the Elector of
Saxony, and in hope of obtaining the title of “Electoral Saxon Court Composer”
from his successor. In the last few years of Bach’s life, he added to these two
chapters three more – Credo, Sanctus, and Osanna, the latter includes
Benedictus, Agnus Dei, and Dona Nobis Pacem. Each of the chapters includes
several movements for soloists, extended choir, and a large orchestra, and
some of the movements are borrowed from material previously used in
Cantatas and other choral works. After joining the chapters to form a complete
Mass, and with the exception of the Matthäus Passion, this is the longest and

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17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

most ambitious of Bach’s choral works. After the reworking in the 1740s, the
Mass in B Minor is remarkable for its diversity of styles and techniques, and can
be seen as an exemplary work of Bach’s choral compositional abilities.

Philippe Herreweghe’s third recording of the Mass in B Minor is his best, and a
good way to experience Bach’s great Mass and Herreweghe’s unique style for
the first time. One of the pioneers of the Period Instruments movement,
Herreweghe’s style looks back to influences from the medieval and early
baroque, together with late German Baroque influences.

Performances of the B Minor Mass on modern instruments were unfortunate in

the current catalog. The best performances – Neville Marriner and Peter
Schreier’s wonderful versions (both on “Phillips”) – are hard to come by and are
in a desperate need of re-issue (both are available on streaming services).
Karajan and Klemperer’s versions are a safe enough bet if you want to know the
Mass on modern instruments, but the heaviness and disregard of choral
phrasing make them somewhat problematic.

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This concludes our beginners guide to Bach. Visit our Beginners Guides
(https://theclassicreview.com/category/beginners-guides/) to classical music
page and get to know more classical music composers. Sign up to our
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Editor’s Choice: The Best New Classical
Music Albums, July 2020
(https://theclassicreview.com/best-
of/editors-choice-the-best-new-
classical-music-albums-july-2020/)
Review: Beethoven – Symphony No. 9,
Choral Fantasy – Bezuidenhout, Heras-
Casado
(https://theclassicreview.com/album-
reviews/review-beethoven-symphony-
no-9-choral-fantasy-bezuidenhout-
heras-casado/)

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17/01/2022 01:02 Bach - A Beginners Guide

EDITOR'S CHOICE, DECEMBER 2021  

(https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-sabine-devieilhe- (https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-bruckner- (https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-amata-della-

sings-bach-and-handel/) symphony-no-4-vienna-philharmonic-thielemann/) tenebre-anna-netrebko-soprano/)

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