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Sunday, February 26, 2017

Bach for Beginners



Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos are over-played in every coffee shop and bookstore to the point that many people take them completely for granted, like some advertising jingle for a product they don’t buy. To keep yourself from being jaded by their ubiquity you only need to watch these performed to appreciate them for what they are: absolute genius.

I’ve chosen this movement because at its heart we hear the harpsichord although like in most of these pieces the violin and recorder do most of the heavy lifting as far as the melody goes. 

Most of my piano practice consists of making my way through the most modest pieces written by the great German composer and as simple as they are to play they all contain a profound music sensibility. Most of this music Bach wrote with the beginner in mind but it’s obvious that he wanted nothing more than to coax the uninitiated into his wonderful musical world. Instead of condescension Bach has the deepest respect for his students whom he treated like family because in some cases they were his family. 

Here is the full concerto:

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