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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Musical Interlude: J.S. Bach

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

California Guitar Trio's rendition of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor:




The traditional version (pipe organ):




The genius of Bach!

13 comments:

  1. How could you not love those?

    Thanks for some great music!

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  2. Thank you for this, what a nice change from politics. Have a great and blessed Sunday AOW and Mr. AOW

    Debbie
    Right Truth
    http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

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  3. Mr. AOW and I are spending a relaxing Sunday and, for our evening meal, will have a special Sunday dinner: roasted chicken (rosemary), peas, and creamed corn. The bird is in the oven as of 10 minutes ago.

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  4. Bach's music is so well written it would still be good even if played by a chorus of harmonicas -- or on a Synthesizer, as has often been done in the recent past.

    This particular piece -- possibly his most famous work along with the selection from one of his choral cantatas best known as "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" -- has been transcribed for piano solo by Feruccio Busoni and for orchestra by Leopold Stokowski.

    Frankly I like this arrangement for guitar-trio much better than any of the other alternative treatments. There's a gentleness about it that beautifully demonstrates that Bach's music is not innately pompous, overbearing, overly-authoritative or too complex -- a mistaken notion that, unfortunately caught on with "average churchgoers" decades ago, and has made life miserable for well-trained church musicians ever since.

    The music in its original form, of course, is heard at it's best.

    I highly recommend Peter Hurford's recording of The Great Organ Works of J.S, Bach, complete and in their entirety -- an IMMENSE accomplishment.

    Hurford's recording is readily available on YouTube for those interested in developing a greater, deeper understanding the wonders of J.S. Bach.

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  5. Dinner sounds delicious, AOW!

    Enjoy your peaceful Sunday at home to the fullest.

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  6. FT,
    Mrs. AOW really outdid herself tonight. The best roast chicken she has ever fixed! She tried a new mix of seasonings. I hope that she writes down this particular recipe!

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  7. I hope so, too, Mr. AOW. I'm getting tired of the way I do chicken, myself, and would like some variety.

    Glad you folks are having a good evening.

    I'm eating chicken LIVERS tonight, believe it or not. ;-)

    You can still get a whole mess of them for less than two bucks, and once in a while they taste very good.

    Best to ya!

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  8. Burnt Out On F.T. Diarrhea FingersMarch 10, 2013 at 9:54:00 PM CDT

    But, but, Bach vas a Choiman! Nobuddy sez dis? No credit for dat? Ach du lieber! Und he nedder playink no harmonikers, neider.

    Und dere you haf mine indellectuals ting what I sez. I vould writing long fatuous ting what dominates alla yez comment pages but anodder allez beetz me to it, name of Fatz Tinks or sumpin like dat.

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  9. Chicken livers. Well, that explains it. Mad Chicken Disease.

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  10. FT,
    I haven't had chicken livers in ages. I prefer them coated with corn meal, then fried.

    Black Sheep,
    If there were such a thing as Mad Chicken Disease, every chicken farmer would have it. Hahaha.

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  11. How quickly the conversation descends from the edifying to the enervating when the boors descend upon us!

    ---------> Katharine Heartburn

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  12. If there was only one composer in the world I would hope it would be Bach. He inspired my interest in music.

    And as much as I like, and have played, the Toccata and Fugue in D minor my favorite Bach organ work is the Passacaglia in C minor:

    http://youtu.be/F51uHpH3yQk

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  13. Mike,
    Passacaglia in C Minor is a masterpiece. No doubt about it.

    When I took Music Appreciation in college, that particular one of Bach's masterpieces was one that we spent a significant amount of time studying.

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