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Members of the Bach Mailing List (BML)
Discussions - Part 21: Year 2020 |
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Continue from Part 20: 2019 |
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Introducing myself |
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Marc Genevey wrote (February 9, 2020):
I am Marc, math teacher from Guadeloupe (FWI) in my mid fifties. Unfortunately i cannot play music, nor even talk about it in a scholar manner. All i’m good for is to appreciate good recording the same way i taste good meals : way too much..
I discovered baroque and classical music when I started to listen to the radio while working. The broadcast « carrefour de Lodéon » soon became an eye-opener (or could I say, an « ear-opener » ?) and where I felt in love with my first bach recordings, thank to the speaker’s enthusiasm who led my first paths through the history and music backgrounds of the universe of the purest beauty.
My musical tastes are still very eclectics, but i keep coming more and more back to baroque, thanks to the internet that helps me fuel my passion. During the last months, i’ve been devoting all my listening towards bach’s cantata, and it was while I was searching for the best ressources to deepen my understanding , that I found the most precious Bach cantata website
… and here I am ! |
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Zachary Uram wrote (February 9, 2020):
[To Marc Genevey] Welcome Marc!
I also cannot play music, but I do enjoy it tremendously. I am working my way through the Leonhardt-Harnoncourt Bach cantatas! |
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Jeffrey Sollow wrote (February 9, 2020):
[To Marc Genevey] Welcome, Marc. I wish there were many more people in the world like you — it would be a better place!
I have been in your general geographical area but not to Guadaloupe yet. I brought a travel cello along! |
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Marc Genevey wrote (February 9, 2020):
[To Jeffrey Solow] Your way too kind Jeffrey!
Hope your paths will lead you again in my area.
Can you play the suites for Cello? Looks like climbing the Everest to the top to me !
Yup, I see Pau Casals as a first class sportsman ! |
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Jeffrey Sollow wrote (February 9, 2020):
[To Marc Genevey] I have played the complete cycle for the past 10 years at Bargemusic in NYC: https://www.bargemusic.org |
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Zachary Uram wrote (February 10, 2020):
[To Marc Genevey] Wow! |
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Self intro |
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CookieChan wrote (February 19, 2020):
Hope you are all doing wonderfully! This is CookieChan (I always go by this name online), who just joined the group. First I must thank you all so much, especially the webmaster Aryeh Oron, for building this amazing Bach Cantata website! It helped me tremendously with understanding his music, recordings, text, background information and so on! This project requires so much effort and I can't thank you enough for doing this for all the music fans around the world :)
So something about myself: I am currently working in Northern California. I am a software engineer by trade but I love classical music. One thing I regretted in my childhood was that my family didn't have enough money to purchase a piano, so I didn't pick up a musical instrument as a kid. But well, I learned a bit in my free time when I grew up! I always loved Bach's preludes. But when I listened to his St. Matthew's Passion for the first time, I decided that this was the BEST piece of music I have ever heard and he's now my favorite composer :P That's how I got into Bach's cantatas and his other vocal works.
I don't know too much about musical theory, but I do speak Chinese, German and English, so maybe I can contribute to some text and translations, or wherever you need help :P
I am excited to join this mailing list, and look forward to getting to know so many Bach cantata fans around the world! |
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Zachary Uram wrote (February 19, 2020):
[To CookieChan] Ni hao CookieChan! |
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CookieChan wrote (February 20, 2020):
[To Zachary Uram] OMG I understand that! Yeah I agree with you :) |
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Zachary Uram wrote (February 20, 2020):
[To CookieChan] Thanks CookieChan! ^_^ |
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Aryeh Oron wrote (February 20, 2020):
[To CookieChan] Welcome aboard and thanks for you kind words.
You wrote:
"I do speak Chinese, German and English, so maybe I can contribute to some text and translations, "
FYI, the BCW presents two complete sets of English translations:
Francis Browne: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/IndexTexts-Eng3-BWV.htm
Tobin Schmuck: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Eng10-BWV.htm
and two sets of Chinese translations:
Chen-Hanson Ting (complete): https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/IndexTexts-Chi2-BWV.htm
Yang Jingfeng (partial): https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/IndexTexts-Chi-BWV.htm
However, there is always a room for more translations on the BCW.
If you wish to contribute your own translations, you are invited to do so by sending them to me. |
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Marc Genevey wrote (February 20, 2020):
[To CookieChan] A very warm welcome from Guadeloupe!
The SMP is the most impressive musical work I ever heard... The one I hand to anyone asking for a proof that there's a God above.. |
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Zachary Uram wrote (February 20, 2020):
[To Marc Genevey] Amen Marc!!! I see Bach as a musical evangelist. |
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CookieChan wrote (February 21, 2020):
[To Marc Genevey] Amen to that! Thank you for your nice words :) |
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CookieChan wrote (February 21, 2020):
[To Aryeh Oron] Thank you for your kind words! Yes I do know that there is a complete English translation, but I didn't realize that there's also a complete Chinese translation! That's quite impressive. I will definitely take some time to read it :) |
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Self Intro |
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Michael Hochgartz wrote (March 15, 2020):
Dear friends of Johann Sebastian Bach and his music,
I would like to introduce myself as a new member of this group.
As a little greeting, I take the liberty of naming two links to previously unknown sources on Bach's Lüneburg period, which I discovered last summer.
In 1792 the historian Albrecht Ludwig Gebhardi recorded the building of the "particular school" near St. Michaelis in almost the same form as Bach experienced it in 1700; shortly before this school was demolished. (I hope the link to the Gottfried Wihelm Leibnitz Library in Hanover works ;-) http://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/sammlungen/sammlungsliste/werksansicht/?id=6&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=4378&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=733
In 2000, the local architect and conservationist Heinz Henschke tried to reconstruct this building and the area around St. Michaelis. http://www.alaev-lueneburg.de/download/aufriss_16.pdf (p.16ff)
Perhaps this can be a modest addition to the excellent travel report by Robert & Traute Marshall from 2016.
Best regards
Michael Hochgartz https://www.bachforschung.de (because of COVID-19 in Quarantaine in my home office for two weeks)
Jesu Christo Juvante ! |
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Julian Mincham wrote (March 15, 2020):
< Michael Hochgartz https://www.bachforschung.de (because of COVID-19 in Quarantaine in my home office for two weeks) >
Snap!! I too am self quarantined but in my case, at home. This unasked for situation tempts me to comment that some of us may welcome it in order to make use of the time reading about, listening to and playing Bach. What better way to pass the time? |
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Chiara Bertoglio wrote (March 15, 2020):
[To Julian Mincham] Apropos of quarantine, if you all wish to do so, please consider joining the challenge launched on Facebook and Instagram by JSBach.it.
1. Record and post a video of yourself performing a piece of Bach (regardless of your skill… it’s just a way to make Bach viral instead of the true virus!)
2. Post it on Facebook and/or Instagram
3. Tag “JSBach.it”
4. Invite your friends to like it.
The viwhich will obtain the highest number of likes by March 21st will receive a “Bach&Italy” gift! :-) Enjoy! |
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Zachary Uram wrote (March 16, 2020):
[To Michael Hochgartz] Hallo Michael! Wilkommen! |
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CookieChan wrote (March 16, 2020):
Welcome Michael! Glad that you found this list and thank you for the links you sent! Well at least the COVID-19 is giving us all more time to enjoy Bach :D |
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Marc Genevey wrote (March 16, 2020):
[To Michael Hochgartz] Welcome Michael ! |
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Zachary Uram wrote (March 16, 2020):
[To CookieChan] Amen CookieChan! JESUS JUVA! |
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Michael Hochgartz wrote (March 16, 2020):
Thank you all for your friendly greetings,
unfortunately COVID-19 also took away the concerts in the Elbphilharmonie, for which I was fortunately able to get tickets - especially this one: https://www.elbphilharmonie.de/de/program/abgesagt-matthaus-passion/11964
Do you know of other cancellations of Bach performances, especially SMP / SJP during Holy Week?
Jesus Christo Juvante! |
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Aryeh Oron wrote (March 17, 2020):
[To Michael Hochgartz] Numerous Bach performances around the world have been cancelled due to public health considerations in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak.
On the other hand, many ensembles broadcast their concerts live to the world via YouTube and other channels. |
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Michael Hochgartz wrote (March 17, 2020):
The "Bach Festival 2020" (We Are FAMILY) in Leipzig has not been canceled https://www.bachfestleipzig.de/en/bach-festival/statement-bach-archive
I hope that the Honorary Colloquium for Christoph Wolff can take place. https://www.bachfestleipzig.de/en/bach-festival/no-11-honorary-colloquium |
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CookieChan wrote (March 22, 2020):
I just learned from you that such a great festival exists for all Bach lovers! I checked out their program and I truly hope that it can still happen this summer. Adding one more thing to my bucket-list :D |
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Kim Patrick Clow wrote (March 22, 2020):
From the link:
" For us, there is no question that the »BACH – We Are FAMILY!« Bachfest will not take place!"
that seems cancelled to me. They hope to reschedule it for June, if possible. |
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Michael Hochgartz wrote (March 22, 2020):
< " For us, there is no question that the »BACH – We Are FAMILY!« Bachfest will not take place!">
That seems to be a very misleading translation of the German text (the pitfalls of double negation ...)
Kein Bachfest "BACH – We are FAMILY" ist für uns keine Option!
No Bach Festival "BACH - We are FAMILY" is not an option for us!
It was obviously meant:
For us, there is no question that the »BACH – We Are FAMILY!« Bachfest will take place!
The federal state of Saxony is also tightening its measures to contain the corona pandemic. Starting Monday midnight, there is an exit restriction for the entire Free State. After that, leaving the apartment or house without good reason is prohibited :https://nyti.ms/2wibSI1
I hope, the festival may be rescheduled for June 2021 or 2022. |
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Introducing myself |
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Stephen Merritt wrote (June 13 2020):
My name is Stephen and I live in Tennessee. I’ve relatively recently become interested in Bach’s music, especially the cantatas. I’ve come to learn and for recommendations. I’m very new to this and haven’t yet sprung for any recordings of my own. Thankfully there’s YouTube.
Looking forward to learning! |
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Zachary Uram wrote (June 13 2020):
[To Stepen Merritt] Welcome Stephen. I bought the Harnoncourt - Leonhardt recording of the Cantatas. I highly recommend it. |
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Niels Brandt wrote (June 13 2020):
[To Stepen Merritt] Welcome in the club !
I can recommend that you check out:
The Netherlands Bach Society who are in the process of filming All of Bach and making it available on YouTube: https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/allofbach
The J. S. Bach Foundation in Switzerland take a similar approach concerning his vocal works: https://www.bachipedia.org/en/
Apart from the above, my favourite Bach ensembles are:
Monteverdi Choir & English Baroque Soloists (John Eliot Gardiner)
Collegium Vocale Gent (Philippe Herreweghe)
Amsterdam Baroque Choir & Orchestra (Ton Koopman)
Collegium 1704 (Vaclav Luks)
Bach Collegium Japan (Masaaki Suzuki)
You will find that many singers appear in several of the above and other constellations at times, as many are free lancers.
If you want to enjoy Bach's own manuscripts, many are available at: https://www.bach-digital.de/content/index.xed
Good luck "hunting" Bach, it's a wonderful world ! |
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Kim Patrick Clow wrote (June 15, 2020):
[To Stepen Merritt] Hi there Stephen and welcome! |
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Marc Genevey wrote (June 15, 2020):
[To Stepen Merritt] I have the Suzuki series which gets me satisfied, but I am very versatile, and like to stray into everything from Richter to Harnoncourt, depending upon my mood ... So many depths, so many wonders, so little time....
All in all, I could not give you any better advice than those from Niels Brandt, so I will only send you a very warm welcome into this wonderful community. |
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Stephen Merritt wrote (June 15, 2020):
[To Niels Brandt] Hi Niels and everyone!
I quite like the Netherlands Bach Society and have watched a few videos. I’d not quite understood the goal of the project. Very exciting and good to know!
Thanks too for the link to the Bach Foundation site. I hadn’t checked it out yet but I really like the few videos I’ve seen so far. I’ve eyed their CDs a time or two!
So far I have to echo Marc in that I’m versatile. I like what I’ve heard of Gardiner so far but also Herreweghe and Koopman. I stumbled across a recommendation today for Eric Milnes and Montreal Baroque. Does anyone have any opinions of them?
So much wonderful music, so little time. I love it! |
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Introducing myself - Animations of Bach's vocal works |
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Jan Huizinga wrote (June 17 2020):
My name is Jan, I'm a new member. I'm a student from the Netherlands and have been listening to Bach's music on a daily basis since I was 15. I am especially captured by the wonderful complexity of his vocal works, the cantatas, the Passions, the Oratoria - I've listened to most of them. In these times of isolation I've decided to structurally listen to all of Bach's cantatas, starting at BWV 1 (I'm about halfway through now)
Another hobby of mine is video editing. I have done this since I was about 10 years old. When I first discovered Bach, I was so gripped by this complexity and polyphony in his vocal works, that I started animating individual movements and pieces. I animate the polyphony by typing out the text being sung by the individual voices (SATB) and editing it in such a way, that the syllables 'dance' across the screen to the music. In a way, I have combined my two passions.
If you like, you could watch some of the videos on this channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvEaGPE16F4 . This particular one is the animated Ascension Oratorio (BWV 11) in its entirety. I hope you like it! If you do, please consider to subscribe and spread the word. ;)
I'm looking forward to the messages in this group! |
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Kim Patrick Clow wrote (June 17, 2020):
[To Jan Huizinga] Great to see your video, it must have been a lot of fun creating that ;) Thank you for sharing that! |
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Judy Birmingham wrote (June 17, 2020):
[To Jan Huizinga] Welcome, Jan! Your animations are brilliant! I love how the vowels dance up and down, over the syllable, during a vocal run (melisma). And I find your animations are also a great tool for learning German (one of my current pursuits), as well as for studying the cantatas. Thank you for sharing. I will share your link in social media, for others to enjoy. |
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Marc Genevey wrote (June 18, 2020):
[To Jan Huizinga] Such amazing skills you have !
I'm sure your work will helpful for the modern listener to guide him through the structures of those musical cathedrals we call cantatas.
Thanks for your time and devotion, and a warm welcome into our humble community. :) |
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Joseph Ficht wrote (June 18, 2020):
[To Jan Huizinga] Wonderful! I just had a great sing-a-long. Please do more! |
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John Kilbo wrote (June 27, 2020):
[To Jan Huizinga] Wow. Your videos are amazing; what a contribution!
Thank you, I will be enjoying them over the next few weeks. |
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Introducing myself |
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John Kilbo wrote (June 27, 2020):
Hello, my name is John and I live in Michigan. I was introduced to Bach maybe 15 years ago, via Segovia's Chaconne and then various violin versions of that piece. I finally found the cantatas sometime in the last year; that was like finding the door to the treasure-room, and I realized I _really_ want to relate to Bach in a significant way.
I am trying to learn and soak up so much. I just ordered the Angela Hewitt Bach collection, which should arrive in the next day or two. I love learning and absorbing and understanding what I can of this music. I feel I listen and read a lot; currently reading My Only Comfort - Death Deliverance and Discipleship in the Music of Bach by Cavin Stapert, and it is very good.
But it's all like trying drink an olympic swimming pool through a straw. I would like to get organized and maybe start taking notes or something, if only because life is short (I'm 58).
If anybody has thoughts about how to approach Bach systematically somehow, I am all ears. I jump around from this to that to the other thing, which does feel good, but I want to get more "serious" somehow; joining this group is my first step in that direction.
Thank you for reading this long post. |
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Anne (Nessie) Russell wrote (June 27, 2020):
[To John Kilbo] I have Angela Hewitt's Goldberg Variations. They are very good. You will enjoy her collection.
Welcome to the group. |
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Jeffrey Solow wrote (June 27, 2020):
[To Anne Russell] This is my favorite recording of the Goldberg Variations: Ekaterina_Dershavina
Excerpt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-zgWVHiz0w&list=RD1-zgWVHiz0w&start_radio=1&t=0 |
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Aryeh Oron wrote (June 27, 2020):
[To Jeffrey Solow] You can listen to the complete Dershavina's GV via:
https://www.bach-cantatas.com/NVP/Dershavina.htm |
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Jeffrey Solow wrote (June 27, 2020):
[To Aryeh Oron] Thank you, Aryeh! I had loaned my CD to a friend before Covid-19 and cannot get it back now... |
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Marc Genevey wrote (June 28, 2020):
I have been a collector of variations of the Goldberg variations ;) ... Currently I'm very keen on Beatrice Rana's version.
I'm planning to give Zhu Xiao Mei more listening, and her book "The secret piano" is on top of my reading list for holidays... Readers opinions are welcomed. |
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John Kilbo wrote (June 30, 2020):
The Angela Hewitt Bach CD set arrived yesterday; I was beginning to get concerned, as Hyperion does not provide tracking for shipments and it had been almost two weeks since my order. But the packaging of the CD set is very practically done, and the notes are sufficient, but they are not the original notes for each CD sold separately. But notes are all online at the Hyperion site so it's ok that they are not included on paper.
Since the advent of YouTube and mp3 converters, I am not in the habit of buying CDs, so spending about $70 on a CD set was a big deal for me.
I started with the Goldbergs this morning, and that is what prompted me to post. The Aria shows off the left hand in a way that reminds me of being in a grocery story trying to get my shopping done, and feeling my attention drawn to an attractive person who knows she is attractive with charisma to boot; i.e. she is not deliberately trying to draw attention, it just come naturally for her. I am trying to just get my shopping done, but my attention is just pulled over there. My attention was just pulled to Ms. Hewitt's left hand while the right hand was going about its own business. Extremely delightful!
My one disappointment is that the Art of Fugue was not included. I am listening to Trio 335, playing a bassoon, oboe and accordion trio version of AoF, and that occupies me for now. |
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Anne (Nessie) Russell wrote (July 1, 2020):
Angella Hewitt
[To John Kilbo] I am wondering how John is enjoying this collection. I have not heard all of her work. I like what I have heard. How are the French and English Suites? |
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John Kilbo wrote (July 2, 2020):
I have only loaded the Goldbergs and the WTC Book 1 onto iTunes so far. The Goldbergs are absolutely divine; they just stop me short.
I have to listen to something a lot, and then compare it to other versions a lot, and then go learn about what I am listening to and then listen some more...
And some performances just stop me, and that is my experience with her Goldbergs. A project for me will be to compare her version with others that I might know.
I have been a little distracted by listening to the Art of Fugue in various versions (but not hers, as it was not included in the box set), but that is another thread. There are similarities between the AoF and the Goldbergs mostly that I can just get lost in the listening. And different versions of each of them sound and feel very different.
I wish I had the language abilities to describe the sound, and I look forward to hearing others' descriptions. One commentator on YouTube described her playing as "kind"; that really captures some of what I hear/feel. |
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Jeffrey Solow wrote (July 1, 2020):
[To Aryeh Oron] I see the review of Dershavina's Goldbergs but cannot find a way to listen to it. What am I missing?
Thank you, |
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John Kilbo wrote (July 2, 2020):
The Real Guide JS Bach playlist on Youtube has some of her performances, including the French Suite #5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTgvoprhJZk&list=OLAK5uy_lwUl3uqoo8FECjDfZdi-2xNnnXszAqyGM&index=23 |
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Anne (Nessie) Russell wrote (July 2, 2020):
[To John Kilbo] I tried the link. It said video not available. |
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John Kilbo wrote (July 2, 2020):
This link should work; I just found it again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA5Hj6WbG38&list=OLAK5uy_lwUl3uqoo8FECjDfZdi-2xNnnXszAqyGM
If it doesn't work, search in the YouTube search for: "Rough Guide: J.S. Bach"; you should see a playlist with 37 videos with a picture of Bach. |
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Continue on Part 22: 2021 |
