Donald Macleod journeys through Johann Sebastian Bach’s relationship with the organ.
Johann Sebastian Bach is often acknowledged as one of the greatest composers of all time and yet, during his lifetime, he was often more famous as an organist. Bach became very much in demand as a performer and a teacher. He was often asked to advise on the design and renovation of expensive church instruments. He composed a great deal of music for organ and was particularly productive during his twenties and early thirties when working at the court in Weimar. All this week Donald Macleod examines Bach’s life and music through the lens of his life-long fascination with the organ, focusing particularly on his time in Weimar and exploring his role as performer organist, teacher, servant, entrepreneur and composer.
Music Featured:
Brandenburg Concerto No 3, BWV 1048 (ohne Satzbezeichnung)Sonata No 2 in C minor, BWV 526Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 550Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565Concerto for Harpsichord in G minor, BWV 1058Cantata No 162 ‘Ach, ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe’, BWV 162Concerto in A minor, BWV 593Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542Concerto for two violins and strings in D minor, BWV 1043Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Dorian), BWV 538St Matthew Passion, BWV 244Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564Brandenburg Concerto No 2, BWV 1047The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Prelude and Fugue in C major), BWV 867The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Prelude and Fugue in C minor), BWV 847Lute Suite in E minor, BWV 996Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (Vivaldi Violin Concerto Op 3 No 11)Mass in B minor, BWV 232 (Osanna in excelsis, Agnus Dei, Dona Nobis Pacem)Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC WalesFor full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for J S Bach https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l1dm
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z