Some people seem to think Bach traveled around the country giving concerts like a rock musician. Like most musicians of his day, he worked as a town musician or in a noble or royal court. Musicians of his day received little publicity unless they worked for the stage. Few did. The highest social/ professional status a musician could achieve was court capellmeister, which positions Bach held from his early 30s til his death. From 1736 he was Royal-Polish / Electoral-Saxon Court Composer.
That comment made me laugh, "Pearls cast before swine". Let's hope wcbroccoli is right and that Bach didn't live his life unappreciated. On a more important note I just have to get out and buy a recording of Cantata No 65!
@southgateandleigh One of Bach's staunchest patrons was the highest-ranking state dignitary, Count von Flemmming, governor of Leipzig and representative of the Saxon electoral court, who lived not far from the St. Thomas church. The count had hosted Bach at his mansion in Dresden for the now legendary Marchand contest in 1717, and commissioned Bach to supply congratulaory cantatas for his birthday.
@southgateandleigh Bach's daily routine in Leipzig kept him in touch with faculty and officials of the University of Leipzig, then Germany largest and most prestigious. A faculty member wrote that "in Saxony, Capellmeister Bach is head and shoulders above his peers" and made other favorable references to Bach in several of his publications.
@southgateandleigh "No master of music was apt to pass through [Leipzig] without making my father's acquaintance and letting himself be heard by him. The greatness that was my father's in composition, in organ and clavier playing, was far too well known for a musician of reputation to let the opportunity slip of making the closer acquaintance of this great man if it was at all possible." - C.Ph.E. Bach
@southgateandleigh "Prince Leopold in Coethen, Duke Ernst August in Weimar, and Duke Christian in Weissenfels particularly loved him, and rewarded him appropriately. In addition, he was particularly honored in Berlin and Dresden [then the musical capital of Germany]. But in general he did not have the most brilliant good fortune, because he did not do what it requires, namely, roam the world over."- C.Ph.E. Bach
@Jitpring Gardiner isn't saying that Bach ought to look like a hunchback, he's merely noting that the statue looks overly romanticized. And it does.
Also, this is not a documentary about Bach, else I would agree with your comment about the multicultural/relativist commentary. However, this is about the project, and so about the people involved.
Gardner's statement that there's no record of anybody, other than Bach's students, expressing appreciation for his music is incorrect.
Picander, who wrote the poetry for the St. Matthew Passion, wrote in 1728 in the preface to his complete cycle of sacred cantata poetry, "I flatter myself that the lack of poetic charm may be compensated for by the loveliness of the music of our incomparable Capellmeister Bach."
are you serious who did that at 00:19? and 8;28 has such a wonderful voice
stargirlsusan 2 months ago
Some people seem to think Bach traveled around the country giving concerts like a rock musician. Like most musicians of his day, he worked as a town musician or in a noble or royal court. Musicians of his day received little publicity unless they worked for the stage. Few did. The highest social/ professional status a musician could achieve was court capellmeister, which positions Bach held from his early 30s til his death. From 1736 he was Royal-Polish / Electoral-Saxon Court Composer.
1banders 4 months ago
That comment made me laugh, "Pearls cast before swine". Let's hope wcbroccoli is right and that Bach didn't live his life unappreciated. On a more important note I just have to get out and buy a recording of Cantata No 65!
southgateandleigh 8 months ago
@southgateandleigh One of Bach's staunchest patrons was the highest-ranking state dignitary, Count von Flemmming, governor of Leipzig and representative of the Saxon electoral court, who lived not far from the St. Thomas church. The count had hosted Bach at his mansion in Dresden for the now legendary Marchand contest in 1717, and commissioned Bach to supply congratulaory cantatas for his birthday.
1banders 4 months ago
@southgateandleigh Bach's daily routine in Leipzig kept him in touch with faculty and officials of the University of Leipzig, then Germany largest and most prestigious. A faculty member wrote that "in Saxony, Capellmeister Bach is head and shoulders above his peers" and made other favorable references to Bach in several of his publications.
1banders 4 months ago
@southgateandleigh "No master of music was apt to pass through [Leipzig] without making my father's acquaintance and letting himself be heard by him. The greatness that was my father's in composition, in organ and clavier playing, was far too well known for a musician of reputation to let the opportunity slip of making the closer acquaintance of this great man if it was at all possible." - C.Ph.E. Bach
1banders 4 months ago
@southgateandleigh "Prince Leopold in Coethen, Duke Ernst August in Weimar, and Duke Christian in Weissenfels particularly loved him, and rewarded him appropriately. In addition, he was particularly honored in Berlin and Dresden [then the musical capital of Germany]. But in general he did not have the most brilliant good fortune, because he did not do what it requires, namely, roam the world over."- C.Ph.E. Bach
1banders 4 months ago
I love that self-deprecating smile at around 3:25-ish at the wrong note.
worldviolist 11 months ago
@Jitpring Gardiner isn't saying that Bach ought to look like a hunchback, he's merely noting that the statue looks overly romanticized. And it does.
Also, this is not a documentary about Bach, else I would agree with your comment about the multicultural/relativist commentary. However, this is about the project, and so about the people involved.
worldviolist 1 year ago
It's really too bad that they failed to resist including that multicultural and relativist commentary. So very trite.
Jitpring 1 year ago
Apparently, according to Gardiner, the statue should have portrayed Bach as a hunchback. Ridiculous.
Jitpring 1 year ago
Gardner's statement that there's no record of anybody, other than Bach's students, expressing appreciation for his music is incorrect.
Picander, who wrote the poetry for the St. Matthew Passion, wrote in 1728 in the preface to his complete cycle of sacred cantata poetry, "I flatter myself that the lack of poetic charm may be compensated for by the loveliness of the music of our incomparable Capellmeister Bach."
wcbroccoli 1 year ago 3
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wcbroccoli 1 year ago
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flibbertergibbet 2 years ago
around 10:20 "Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen" BWV 65. This is so great a piece with the opening horns!!
AlexandrosV 3 years ago