J.S. Bach - Come Sweet Death

[crob647gtx]

Maybe the simultaneous most saddest yet beautiful song ever written.

[i44troll]

I don't know anything about pipe organs, was actually looking locally for "Messiah" concerts and stumbled onto Kiyo's youtube site. I was so moved by this piece that I immediately sent the this link to my mother, who has an appreciation for the pipe organ. Now I don't mean to say that I dont appreciate pipe organs, I just don't appreciate most organists. Most organists I hear play with very little regard for dynamics. This man makes this machine sound like the voices in a choir! Beautiful!

[gperivero]

can you send me a score, please its urgent. The organ score

[zingoz230]

sheet music?

[flobtheblob]

very beautifully done

[Brenniman65]

A truly excellent musician and rendition. I always believe, however, that even when we know and play a piece by heart, it always looks more professional to keep the musical score sheets in front of us and in case of a memory blow out you'll be happy you did too.

[DellAndersonProd]

Virgil Fox would be proud. And from memory. Yours is the only performance except for the two by VF that bring tears to my eyes. Thanks for posting this.

[planetcoco]

This music is a perfect for reality of the death. Death is the only real and it comes to

everyone no matter what you have or who you are...Sweet..

He played this piece in such a brilliant way ..sprinkled with sweet aroma.

[light4darkness]

fantastic crescendo at 4:50

[DoomwithBoom]

Life is but a symphany that is filled with quick, loud moments that seem to last seconds as well as mournful slow moments that last for an eternaty. When death finally comes, we simply look out at the audience that is our friends and family and simply bow, for next is but sweet silence.

[Georgiaorganist]

Marvelous and exciting!!!

[neelsdp1]

Beauty like this makes me foggy eyed!

[brianjnunes]

brilliant and powerful. Kiyo thank you for treating this piece in the manner you did.

[Arjunai]

I feel, Bach said here reconciliation with death, with the fact of death ... and confidence in what is coming for ...

This interpretation is very nice and accurately reflects that state of mind...

[rocker1210]

What an incredible song - the crescendo at 5:59 really hits me. Well done Kiyo Watanabe.

[Egestus18]

yes I can only agree to this...

but at 5:59 it's not really a crescendo, he just moves his left hand while holding "b" and "e" from the 2nd to the 1st manual and then builds up the full E mayor chord...

to maximize this effect i think he even takes his hand away from 2nd manual completely and then builds up the E mayor chord, but I'm not sure... The score says to "gradually change to Great" legato (something very uncomfortable)

if you look close you can see that he is not changing any stops

[angpav247]

This is the best I've ever heard this piece played. . .great work and what emotion!

[drelkep]

"Come Sweet Death." And they say metal is a bad influence on our children.

[mpmcd81]

This is a piece written by one of the greatest musical minds humanity will ever know, if not the greatest, as he was dying, at the end of a hard life where he knew many heartbreaks.

Maybe, just maybe, it is a good thing for our youth to hear if for no other reason than for them to know that at the end of a good life, death is nothing to fear, and in many ways, a sweet release.

I want this played at my funeral along with sheep may safely graze.

[mdjordjevic08]

I agree with you. I love this piece. Music is an expression of one's life. We are all going to face death one day and we cannot run or hide from it. I particularly like Air on G, the Lord's Prayer and the Prayer and Come Sweet Death, Amazing Grace and Sheep Safely Graze as well. I all ready have those wishes in hand. For we know not when death comes.

[TAfTfilms]

Yeah, this isn't about suicide, this is a song about how death can be a positive thing. But, it is something you have to wait for, the longer you do, the better it is. For it will be an end, but an end to a long life. Like Revelation and the Bible. Fade outs are better when they proceed a good song.

[mpmcd81]

Exactly. That is a beautiful way to look at death and dying. Yes, there will be sadness when leaving behind people you love, and leaving behind things you love, like music.

But at the end of a good life, being where the people you loved and who loved you, forever, in a place where there is no more death, no more sickness, no more suffering, and no more sorrow can be a very sweet thing, and I think this is what Bach wanted to convey, as so beautifully conveyed by Kiyo.

[TAfTfilms]

Yes, modern culture has told us death is an exit, but it is really a entrance.

[BayAreaBiker2001]

Death has numerous euphemisms, indicating intense fear. "Gone to heaven", "passed away", "be with Jesus" , "gone to one's eternal reward", even "fell asleep".

[ifuliki]

@BayAreaBiker2001 Yes indeed but it is abolition, elimination, eradication, extinction, extirpation, and when one is old or ill relief from pain, & release from suffering. It is also separation from those left behind. I do not hope for resurrection or to see those I have loved but feel I shalll welcome it when my time comes. I pity those who believe in heaven or hell.

[technocrash09]

@ifuliki I, too, ride.And I used to feel the same as you. My Dad loved this piece and after he passed, it was the one piece of music that can bring him back from time to time. We sit and listen....then he goes away again, only to be summoned some other day.

I say to you, my brother.....I pity those who do NOT believe. Ride on and take care.

[ifuliki]

@technocrash09 One never completely frees oneself from one's early teaching, does one. I had a lot of religion as a kid, sang in a church choir and attended a Congregational chapel too (they are close to being Quakers) and can both recite the Nicene Creed and quote extensively from the NT. I am waiting to find out all about this and wrote a poem about Death which may still be on my channel. My major here in Canada was Anthrop.

Aled

[georgfly]

entrance to what?

[railfanatic844]

@TAfTfilms Modern Culture has poisoned our world and says that this is the worse and boring stuff to ever listen to. It makes me sick

[grunt12394]

@railfanatic844 we must defy modern culture...

[wet1wheat]

@mpmcd81 Those are the two things i want played at mine as well. They are both so simple yet incredibly beautiful, that's were the real mastery is.

[technocrash09]

@drelkep I listen to some metal myself and I sort of agree with your sentiment. I play organ and llike this piece. I think the difference is the WAY messages are conveyed to children. Bach worked from a religious perspective. Most metal bands lace their messages with violence. It is the violence part that steers me away from the parallel influence you allude to. I must say, if we are to influence or kids in any way, we must be very careful HOW we do it as well as the words / music we use.

[silverstartrucker]

Almost as good as my version by Virgil Fox...but very well played by Kiyo

[organman52]

Right - no one could ever surpass mr. fox - no one.

[musicmirth]

This is a wonderful piece of music that I only discovered tonight. The performance is really brilliant! I thank you for it.

[marscreation66]

i see a ghost ,,,,everry one its god

[earlph]

Tell me way does this player sounds even better then Dr. Virgil Fox. The organist plays not by use of his hands and fingers , but with his soul and the spirit of the composer himself I do believe. Yes water running from my eyes .. more and more.. My gratitute !!

[organman52]

WAY better, in fact.

[hydractor]

Beautiful performance. A friend who was a colleague of Virgil Fox played this for the prelude one Sunday, but in the bulletin, he used the title "Come Sweet Repose." He had the biggest smile on his face as he justified his word play to me. If it were not for the treat of listening to his playing, I would have taken a warning from the prelude that most of the service would be worse than a slow death.

[kiyow]

By the way, when I played Bach's "Air for the G-String" for a worship service, the pastor told me to change the title. So it was printed as "Air in D Major" on the church bulletin.

[octavebasse8]

I know one person who prints it as: Air on the String of G.

[hydractor]

I have seen it reduced to two words:

Bach: Air

[organman52]

Correct. When 'in D major' follows it, it is just like any other tonal piece, e.g., Brahms Intermezzo in A major.

[organman52]

Air in D major is the correct title.

[polgarfan]

@kiyow LOL!!

[edolch]

VERY nicely done!

[Donn59]

Excellent performance. All from memory. Such a moving piece. A great piece of music for a time of reflection. Congratulations.

Don Hooper (Ocala FL)

[amourdutigre]

Bravo! This work always brings tears to my eyes when it is well played. Needless to say, the water works were going strong with this performence.

ADT

[jwpalm53ls]

beautiful music son

[KCMDButcher42]

I really wish someone would post the recording of this by Virgil Fox on the Wanamaker organ. The tonal spread of that organ is simply amazing, and I am told this piece by Bach was transcribed by Fox for the Wanamaker organ.

[trevjr]

Ah, too bad, he really could have played it so much better. I dont know why he keeps lifting off the notes, its it somewhat jarring. Almost, but I will keep my Fox recording

[iandurie]

Very good job, I played this piece (the Alfred Reed arrangement), in wind ensemble and this performance is the exact way we played it. This is the only way this piece should be played

[Rachael1918]

Really inspiring and beautiful, I am not a big fan of classical music but this enraptures me - it suggests something that is mysterious and yet magnificent.

I know that must sound pretentious and it dosen't really make sense, but I find this piece of music truly inspiring and beautiful! Many thanks for putting it up.

[trevjr]

There is so much out there for you to enjoy. I hope you find it.

[volvob10m]

Ohh this music is Just wonderfull! And so the interpretation! I love how this music grows as it gets to its climax! And the anti-climax at the end is just as wonderfull! Thanks for posting this video! Sorry about my english, I´m form Brasil.

[kraziesuthernbelle]

Wonderful!!!

[edolch]

I really enjoyed this video

[55trombone]

One of my favorites! Superb job!

[ChalieChaplin]

My congratulations!!! You are great!!!

[colossus999]

Wonderful. He does the piece justice.

[jt1stcav]

As slow moving as this masterpiece is, it's not an easy piece to play (I know, I've tried...by ear, no less). Kiyo did a marvelous job (despite a few sour notes here and there); I wish I could play like Kiyo Watanabe!

[SoCoolGaz]

Where were the "sour notes" then?

[jt1stcav]

I apologize for the bad wording...he slurred his notes a little at time-frame 3:57 and at 5:08, and they weren't sour notes at all. Like I said, he performed the piece marvelously...I can never achieve his perfection! Sorry if I offended Kiyo, you, or anyone else.

[kiyow]

Jt1stcav-san, you did not offend me at all. Thank you for listening to it so carefully.

[PRofoundBlue83]

Nothing like someone who probably can't even read music (and who looks like the missing link between apes and humans) to be a faultfinder.

[acchos]

well, he didnt have the tonal resources of the wanamaker organ that virgil fox had when he recorded it, but he done it well.