JS Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080 • Kimiko Ishizaka
It is easy to marginalize Bach’s last work, his “Art” of the “Fuga” as an esoteric, mind-bending intellectual pursuit: the ultimate expression of one man’s obsessive reliance upon counterpoint.
modern
Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, the Four Seasons
I was late to the party, but I’d already realized that the opening to the Netflix show A Chef’s Table featured Vivaldi, but it had been edited.
Bach Goldberg Variations • Ji
The Korean pianist known as “Ji,” whose full name of Ji-Yong Kim, has recorded Bach’s Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, on his debut album for Warner Classics.
Bach Exhibition
In my efforts to better apprciate some pieces of music, and those specifically by J.S. Bach, I like to hear arrangements. One of the famous ones is by Busoni, a pianist, of his violin Chaconne from Partita no.
Bach Trios
Stuart Duncan is out this round, but the musicians otherwise have already collaborated to a great degree with remarkable results in the Goat Rodeo Sessions.
Aguas de Amazonia by Philip Glass
Most recently a concert was advertised in town for Philip Glass’s 80th birthday. I couldn’t get tickets, as it was sold out. Not everyone likes Glass—but who cares? Not everyone likes Bach, or Mozart, or Vivaldi.
Modern String Quartet • Bach’s Art of Fugue
A couple years ago, I'd selected a recording by the Modern String Quartet of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier for string quartet, and really liked the interpretation.
The New Four Seasons
I was in high school when the first of Nigel Kennedy’s Vivaldi: Four Seasons recordings came out, recorded on EMI with the English Chamber Orchestra.
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier • Kimiko Ishizaka
After her Goldberg recording, Ms. Ishizaka has now released the first book to Bach’s Wohltempierte Clavier, BWV 846-869.
Time Present and Time Past – Harpsichord Music performed by Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani has joined forces with DG Archiv ensemble Concerto Köln for a release entitled Time Present and Time Past.
Hewitt Records the Art of Fugue
Bach's Die Kunst der Fuga is a true favorite piece of music of mine (BWV 1080). Organized as a series of fugues and canons labeled contrapuncti, the piece starts simply enough with a D-minor keyed theme and fugue, then…
Bach Arranged for Saxophones
On the heels of another review of a Bach arrangement, I have another, using a family of saxophones to reveal Bach's contrapuntal art with Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080.
Bach’s ‘Wohltemperierte Klavier’ Arranged for String Quartet
I was not currently looking for another reading of Bach's "24" or "48." With harpsichord and piano versions already well established by mainstream artists and niche classics alike in my collection, it would have to be…
Ensemble Contraste Review: J.S. Bach Transcriptions
The Ensemble Contraste has recorded a number of transcriptions of J.S. Bach for violin (Arnaud Thorette), viola (Maria Mosconi), cello (Antoine Pierlot), and piano (Johan Farjot and Karol Beffa).
Schiff on Bach (on piano)
Andras Schiff has been in the "news" of late, after a series of successful concerts and awards. I have not listened to his Beethoven, but am quite interested in his interpretations of Bach.
Spaces by Nils Frahm
I have a profoundly narrow scope of music I listen to, although over the past 5-8 years I have been consciously trying to expand that.
Bach – Sonatas and Partitas, vol. 1 • Thile
Chris Thile has been playing the mandolin for a big portion of his life; it's really fair to say he's a virtuoso on the instrument, and he came to my conscience through his recording with Yo-Yo Ma of the Goat Rodeo…