Johann Sebastian Bach

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Don't judge the silent among us Music Forumers! I too have a high awe of Bach's music -- not quite what I would call an "obsession", but very close. My "I-listen-to-almost-no-other-composer-but" guy is Mozart. I'm endlessly fascinated with his art. (I'd go on, but it's all been said before, in one way or another, about that particular composer.) I consider Bach to be no less than Mozart, just different in personal style and of course music period.

There was also an other difference: Bach was employee of the church or the most time of his live civil servant. At least the City of Leipzig did not care a lot about the quality of the music Bach had to deliver: So Bach was in almost constant struggle with his bosses, the City Council of Leipzig, for extra resources, but had also a lot of freedom to create the music he wanted to create.

Mozart wrote, after getting fired by the Archbishop of Salzburg, for the "free market". So Mozart had to put the taste of the audience and of his sponsors much more into consideration than Bach. So Mozart's situation in Vienna was closer to the situation of Handel in London than to Bach.

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There is a lot of misconception regarding Bach's work: Some assume, because Bach wrote a lot of spiritual music, that he was particular religious, what was true or not, but part of Bach's contract with the City of Leipzig was to provide a cycle of three year with oratories for the High Feasts, one cantata for each normal Sunday and extra cantata and motets for funerals and other occasions. It is therefore no wonder that the most music from Bach had been written for the church.

almost as strenuous as Hayden; a symphony a week for how many years?...
no wonder there's a Surprise ('that should make them jump!'), and a Palindrome symphony (which sounds just like a tape machine going backwards...no word on Satanic lyrics tho...

In the times of Haydn the situation was already changing, but at Bach's time, a musician (composer, player, etc.) was seen as a servants who had to deliver a certain amount of music. Other composers wrote much more higher amounts than Bach (e.g. Telemann).

Bach is here exceptional: Because the most composer "recycled" music all the time to handle this workload. Bach did so too - but to a much lesser extent than his contemporaries.

Bach, remixed by Union Jack, one of the finest acid trance acts in musical history. A pity they only produced one album, but I understand they're going to release another one soon, after years of silence from them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOc4wNVXO74

Also...

Warning: Heavy Fast Beats!
If you are not adverse to 140bpm growly psytrance, you should check out Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, remixed by Russian psytrance act, Transdriver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCC64PZXZLk

I am also obsessed with Bach for almost 3 years. But this isnt like a usual meaningless obsession. I am obsessed with him because I really like to listen to his music. For the last 3 years I have listened to him for 1 hour average for day .

His music is so distinct; to me, its the highest form of music. Its sounds usually quite modest, however it always puts hysterical smiles or tears to my face. I think the fact that he wrote most of his work for himself really helped it to be as sincere and honest it is. He wrote it for the sake of music and probably didnt care much for its future value and reputation - what a dedication!

As I listen to him, I also read and learn about him and try to understand about his personality. For example, I am really curious about what was on his mind while composing BWV 582 - Pascaglia and Fugue, BWV 565 or BWV 1004. Most of his music is so pure, aimed to delight the musical part of the brain (such as minuet in g), or expressing and evoking basic feelings (Air in G, bwv 1043 largo). His religious compositions are self explanatory. As a baroque composer he didnt make thematic music, but colossal pieces like BWV 582 and BWV 565 evoke more than just feelings or pleasure in me. They stun and capture you, stimulating the imagination. JS Bach must also have imagined something other than tunes while creating these, and I really would like to ask him personally

I also think about whether he has AS. I am kinda sure that Mozart (can even be deduced from his music) and Beethoven had it, and I also think JS Bach might have had it. The problem is there is little info about his life, thus his personality. However it is known that he tended to have problems with authorities, which kinda reminds of the level-headed and uncompromising attitude of AS. Also there is an anectode, he walked like 400kms to be able to listen some musician, because there were no coach available. This seems like pure aspie way to me, solving problems in a very basic way, without caring for self-consequences.

I want to list some special works of him which I cherish:

BWV 1056 Largo
BWV 582 Pascaglia and Fugue
Sleepers Awake
Goldberg variations - Aria and var. no:1
Sheep May Safely Graze (oops this is indeed thematic
BWV 1043 Largo and vivace
BWV 1060 Adagio
Brandenburg concerto no:5 allegro (the longer one)
Brandenburg concerto no:2 Allegro (longer one)
BWV 659
Cello suits no:1
Mass in B - Agnus Dei
BWV 1079

I am sure there are more to cherish, it takes time to digest his music.

I'm quite fond of Bach's Little Fugue in G Minor.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVadl4ocX0M[/youtube]

Too powerful for me
I wish I could listen to classical music. It's so beautiful, but I just can't stand listening to it. Makes me kinda creepy and nervous all over. No idea, if it's the pitch or the slow speed or both. Maybe too mathematical
/

I adore Bach.
This is one of my favourites:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2j-frfK-yg[/youtube]

No, you aren't. I am obsessed with his work, too. Although I often listen to other composer's works, his works I personally consider most perfect. Especially some of his keyboard works (art of fugue, well-tempered clavier etc.) tend to completely occupy me - afterwards I often have the opportunity to listen to my very own works in my very own mind (that must be what others mean by stating 'inspired by Bach' I assume ).

He isn't my favorite, but he's certainly among my favorites! (I'm more of a Mahler junkie myself, I could and sometimes do listen to him all day lol). Bach's Partita No. 2 is definitely one of my favorite pieces of music out there. In most lists of the greatest/most influential composers, he is almost always at the very top, so I doubt you're the only one who's really into him!

I wouldn't say "obssessed", but heck yeah I listen to Bach. A lot. I especially like the orchestral suites, and especially when I'm out in wild places away from civilization. For some reason, Bach to me is a "wilderness" composer, just as Beethoven is an "urban" composer.

Recently I've been singing this Ave Maria on and on and on... Well... trying to

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCD8r8J7Hy0[/youtube]

Bach's music normally bores the hell out of me, but you just can't NOT give him the credit for creating the ability of musician's all over the world to communicate and collaborate musically.

He IS the father of western music. Period.

And he did write some pretty cool stuff I actually like once in a while.

I know very little about music, so choose what I like. That includes popular stuff like Mozart's 21st Concerto, and some Bach. Now History is something I get more enthused by. So I see Bach being of crucial importance. It seems to me he broke new ground and made so much possible for other composers.

I probably wouldn't understand the Math you refer to, but it sounds fascinating.

I love the Cello suites and Brandenburg Concertos!