Johann Sebastian Bach passed away 326 years ago, in July, so I thought what could have been better than starting my column here with the ‘Father of Music’, a composer with whom I have had a love-hate relationship. When I

Cantata BWV105: Aria “Wie zittern und wenken” Elizabeth Watts, soprano Harry Bicket, conductor The English Concert, chamber ensemble From Bach: Cantatas and Arias (2011) Released by Harmonia Mundi Bach: Cantata BWV105: Aria “Wie zittern und wenken” Elizabeth Watts (Winner of

Contrapuntus 1 Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, chamber ensemble Raphael Alpermann, organ From Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge (2011) Released by Harmonia Mundi Bach: Contrapuntus 1, from Die Kunst der Fuge The monumental Art of Fugue arranged by the musicians

Bach, the composer as intellectual by Marco Moraes   But all at once it dawned on me that this Was the real point, the contrapuntal theme; Just this: not text, but texture; not the dream But topsy-turvical coincidence, Not flimsy

Gloria in excelsis Deo Philippe Herreweghe, conductor Collegium Vocale Gent, Early music ensemble From Bach: Mass in B minor (2010) Released by Harmonia Mundi Bach: Mass in B minor, Gloria in excelsis Deo Bach’s masterpiece performed by one of the

Magdalena Kožená, mezzo-soprano Bach: Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, Cantata BWV 208 – Aria: Schafe können sicher weiden From Bach Arias (1998) Released by Deutsche Grammophon Bach: Schafe können sicher weiden One of my favorite mezzos, Kožená

Paul Tortelier, cello Bach: Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 From Les 6 Suites pour violoncelle (2002) Released by EMI Classics France Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 What I like about this interpretation by Tortelier is the degree of intensity that

Glenn Gould, piano   Bach: Goldberg Variations for keyboard, BWV 988: Aria From Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1992) Released by Sony Classical Bach: Goldberg Variations6 Legend has it that Bach composed the Goldberg Variations at the request of the