Customer Reviews

Bach: Greatest Hits

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For someone who knows little about Bach and wants to learn something, you couldn't do better than to give them this CD. Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra give their signature warm, plush sound to the work of the great Johann Sebastian Bach, making him sound very nearly like a Romantic rather than a baroque or classical composer. This is not a bad thing--some complain that Bach, with his mathematical leanings, leaves them cold. That isn't possible with the inviting material on this CD.

Nothing much I can say about this one - the assortment of the pieces is good, but I was rather disappointed to discover that Sleepers, Wake! was not indeed the organ version I sought so hard (if you've ever heard it live, you know what I'm talking about). Music is good, but because of the variety, does not set a single mood - pieces vary in tone -- I find myself listening to one or two tracks, then switching back and forth.

I bought Vol.1 of this offering on vinyl as a poor college student some few (!) years ago. Now I am delighted to find the whole thing! It is an excellent collection with which to introduce people, especially high school students, to Bach's range of work., plus it offers performances by some of the best conductors, artists and orchestras of their day.

There are two things you should know before buying a greatest hits album by one of the legendary composers whose music we often call 'classical'.

First, the purists hate them. Their ire is understandable. Art music is so enriched by an understanding of its historical moment, its place in a composer's career, the history of its performance, and the like that it seems almost barbaric to strip out a few listen-able tunes and flog them on an album that provides none of this context. These are portions of long pieces, not the four-and-a-half minute stand-alone tunes to which we've become familiar (and learned both to love and to consider normal) in pop music.

Second, the big box stores are full of 'greatest hits' albums performed by fourth-tier, no-name orchestral groups with little personality and unrecognizable roots. Don't buy them if your entree into, say, Bach is really an entrance to something larger rather than just a need to fill the house with a little background music (which is not a bad thing on its own terms and beats hearing the doors squeak on their hinges or the frozen pizza sizzle on its lard-ish pan).

The Sony Classical series of greatest hits album is not what I've just described. Bach: Greatest Hits is one album of a splendid series with an appealing common genre of artwork, entry-level time lines on the CD liner notes and--here's the Big Thing-selections from the very best performing ensembles in the world.

Not *that's* a greatest hits album. If your interest in classical music is at a beginner's stage, buy the whole series. If that's a stretch, you won't regret starting out by snagging Bach: Greatest Hits.

Rock on.

I purchased this for track #10, which I'd happened to hear on the radio...it stayed in my head until I tracked down the CD. I have a relatively basic working knowledge of classical music, so this long playing collection was an excellent and surprising introduction to several of Bach's diverse works...both well known and more obscure. Certainly a worthwhile addition to your classical collection.

A smattering of short excerpts -- many not on their native instruments -- to introduce the great literature left to us by J.S. Bach. Some of the versions are truly inspired, a few are not.

If you like what you hear here, by all means seek out the full-length, original instrument versions!

There are better recordings of all these pieces save one and that's the one I was looking for. It's very hard to find 'Bist du bei mir' ('If Thou Be Near', also called 'Art Thou With Me') sung in English and the Morman Tabernacle Choir does its usual wonderful job on this disk. This collection on LP was indeed my introduction to Bach many years ago. It is a great one and I still love all these pieces although I've long since found higher quality renditions of most. 'If Thou Be Near' however, struck such a chord with me even as a young person, I decided I wanted it sung at my funeral, and even all these years later, I still do (and am a lot closer to that eventuality :). Later efforts to find it on CD in English were fruitless. I couldn't even find this collection on CD when I was first looking.

This is an excellent selection of Bach pieces and shows his range and style well. It's a good place to start to determine which things you'd like to find great performances of for long term listening and, perhaps like me, you might come to love the song I always called 'I go with joy...' as a perfect parting gift to your loved ones.

I don't want to repeat what has been said already but this is a great indroduction to Bach. The variety on this release is good, but like has been said numerous times before, the amount of variety fails to set a single mood. But with a low price and a great deal of variety this is a great CD for those who want to start getting into Bach. Recommended.

I bought this CD for my Kitty, Montgomery. He loves Bach, he sits and listens to the music like he's in a trance. He doesn't like any other music besides this and Andrea Bocelli.

I am in love with this CD; it offers all the pleasure you can ever hope for if you love Bach's work. I am enjoying it immensely. Thanks for the pleasure!