J.S. Bach

  Bach Live At Fillmore East - Virgil Fox

Edited by dwill123 - June 15 2009 at 09:15

meptune wrote: I adore Bach and I'm absolutely fascinated by canons and fugues. To think that he could actually improvise a multivoice fugue is mind boggling.

he did what now!

When i start making rock, i intend to write some pieces that are directly and primarily influenced by classical pieces

It is a little known fact that the classical composers used to be great improvisers, and in most concerts for instruments they played large parts were improvised when played, and actually this practice was kept up until the romantic era. The Romantics, however, followed a kind of "genius cult"; it is they who introduced the practice of playing exactly what is written down and nothing else, and this was kept up until today. Recently there have been some attempts to re-invoke the spirit of improvisation for classical music though.
I bet Bach, Mozart or Beethoven would turn in their graves when they hear how (comparatively) lifeless their works are being played today. Don't get me wrong: I love classical music, but I am pretty sure much of it was never intended to be played the way it is now.

hitting_singularity2 wrote: BaldFriede wrote: It is a little known fact that the classical composers used to be great improvisers, and in most concerts for instruments they played large parts were improvised when played, and actually this practice was kept up until the romantic era. The Romantics, however, followed a kind of "genius cult"; it is they who introduced the practice of playing exactly what is written down and nothing else, and this was kept up until today. Recently there have been some attempts to re-invoke the spirit of improvisation for classical music though. I bet Bach, Mozart or Beethoven would turn in their graves when they hear how (comparatively) lifeless their works are being played today. Don't get me wrong: I love classical music, but I am pretty sure much of it was never intended to be played the way it is now. that's really cool.  I've always wondered what the point of the conductor is if everyone is just playing off a sheet anyways!  but i guess they used to actually make the music! pretty cool

That's rather interesting, the romantics insisting on discipline, and before them the written music being much more flexible.  It makes sense, though, strictly sticking to what was written and not using your own creative license can be a bit tedious.

BaldFriede wrote: It is a little known fact that the classical composers used to be great improvisers, and in most concerts for instruments they played large parts were improvised when played, and actually this practice was kept up until the romantic era. The Romantics, however, followed a kind of "genius cult"; it is they who introduced the practice of playing exactly what is written down and nothing else, and this was kept up until today. Recently there have been some attempts to re-invoke the spirit of improvisation for classical music though. I bet Bach, Mozart or Beethoven would turn in their graves when they hear how (comparatively) lifeless their works are being played today. Don't get me wrong: I love classical music, but I am pretty sure much of it was never intended to be played the way it is now.

I'm actually working on my skills as a classical improv man. Despite being bloody difficult (you have phrasing, mood, direction and strategic dissonance to worry about as well as melody and harmony), it is so fun to do. Admittedly, I'm not to a standard where I can pull off even a 3 part fugue yet (I can just about do a really slow two part invention at best), but I think I could pull off a lame version of a pseudo-Lizst fantasia or rhapsody. But yeah, it's probably one of the most difficult things I've ever tried out on the keys.

I have a friend, John Ebata, who is an AMAZING improv pianist.  He did a live album that was all covers of bands from the 60s and 70s with a really good singer and I was there for the recording.  He had a piano solo in every song, it was simply incredible.  

My favorite composer and in general musician of all time... I guess a lifetime wouldn't be enough to enjoy all of his great music like it deserves to be enjoyed...

Ricochet wrote: The T wrote: Curiously, mostly religious-inspired works... Bach dedicated his whole life, as well as his entire music,, to God.

There are a few exceptions in his work though which show that the man had a sense of  down to ground humour too, like his "Coffee Cantata": "Ei, was schmeckt der Kaffee süße" ("Oh, how sweet the coffee tastes").

BaldFriede wrote: Ricochet wrote: The T wrote: Curiously, mostly religious-inspired works... Bach dedicated his whole life, as well as his entire music,, to God. There are a few exceptions in his work though which show that the man had a sense of  down to ground humour too, like his "Coffee Cantata": "Ei, was schmeckt der Kaffee süße" ("Oh, how sweet the coffee tastes").

God loves laughter

The T wrote: If (improbable, according to me) God does indeed exist, Bach was obviously one of his closets sons....   If (likely) God is just a figment of our imagination (and Bach's), well, Thank god for god.... without this idea, we probably wouldn't have enjoyed the work of the Kantor of Leipzig...

I'm pretty okay with this compromise.