Essential Bach

Janos Starker (Performer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Georg Solti (Conductor), Iona Brown (Conductor), Karl Munchinger (Conductor), Neville Marriner (Conductor), Raymond Agoult (Conductor), Raymond Leppard (Conductor, Performer), Seiji Ozawa (Conductor), Richard Adeney (Performer), William Bennett (Performer), Eduardo Fernandez (Performer), Pepe Romero (Performer), Marisa Robles (Performer), Christopher Middleton (Performer), Thurston Dart (Performer), Heinz Holliger (Performer), Tess Miller (Performer), Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Orchestra), Boston Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Performer: Janos Starker, Raymond Leppard, Richard Adeney, William Bennett, Eduardo Fernandez, et al.
• Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Georg Solti, Iona Brown, Karl Munchinger, Neville Marriner, Raymond Agoult, et al.
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
• Audio CD (June 13, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00004SPLF
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #49,656 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #32 in	Music > Classical > Sacred & Religious > Passions
  #44 in	Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Baroque (c.1600-1750) > Forms & Genres > Variations
  #54 in	Music > Classical > Instruments > Strings > Lute

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It is not possible to fit 36 Bach masterpieces on two CDs, so what Essential Bach does is present individual movements from across a range of the composer's work. The anthology is clearly aimed at the newcomer, and the absence of booklet notes to put the music in context is disappointing. We are only given titles, performers, and what films the extracts have been featured in, from Rollerball to The English Patient.

On the plus side, most if not all of the music is instantly recognizable, by melody if not by name. Everything from the Brandenburg Concertos to "Air on a G String" to the B Minor Mass and St. Matthew Passion is represented. Performances range from 1960 to 1993, encompassing both early instrument and modern orchestra interpretations by a wide variety of forces, including Sir Neville Marriner with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Raymond Leppard leading the English Chamber Orchestra. Given such diversity the result is unavoidably a patchwork, albeit one made from the finest materials, and as such is perhaps best treated as a sampler to aid exploration of the vast legacy of one of the very greatest composers who ever lived. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

107 of 112 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest composer of all time!, October 12, 2002

By	Todd Altman (Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is truly a splendid collection of works by J.S. Bach. Covering a wide variety of sounds, tempos and textures, there's something here for everyone.

CD 1 begins with a dramatic orchestral version of Toccata in D minor, which is more commonly known as an organ piece. Then it shifts to the soft and soothing sound of Air (Orchestral Suite No. 3), followed by the heavenly melodies of Prelude in C major (a beautifully-played harp solo). Next comes the joyful-sounding Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 (1st movement), followed by a serene piano solo called Aria.

Other highlights on CD 1 include the cinematic-sounding Allegro moderato (Violin Concerto No. 1), the upbeat, richly textured Brandenberg Concerto No. 5 (3rd movement), and the exquisite guitar playing in Bourrees I & II (from Cello Suite No. 3) and Prelude in D minor.

Highlights on CD 2 include the respective 1st movements of Brandenburg Concerto Nos. 2 and 3, the brilliant, uplifting guitar melodies in both Prelude (Lute Suite No. 4) and Gigue (Partita No. 1), the cheerful piano solo in Allegro (Italian Concerto), the touchingly subtle harpsichord playing in Largo (Keyboard Concerto No. 5), and the mesmerizing Organ solo in Allegro (Concerto in A minor for organ).

For me, the only thing that prevents this album from being perfect is the omission of the 3rd movement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 and the 1st movement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. But it is still well-deserving of a five-star rating.

Quite simply the best sampling of J.S. Bach available.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite Essential Bach, January 31, 2005

By	rodboomboom (Dearborn, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Value and exquisite sampler of Bach on two CD's at an affordable price. Recorded by the likes primarily of Academy of the St. Martin-in-the-fields, Chicago Sympony, Boston Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra and with virtuoso performers as William Bennett, Heinz Hollinger, Pepe Romero, and Wolfgang Rubsam, one gets treated to wonderful Bach exerpts of all his fantastic breath and depth of chamber, symphony and choral works.

One will have to go to other places to find background on these marvelous compositions as the liner notes only list perfomer and date recorded.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Bach, February 2, 2009

By	Clare R. Rayburn (Kenwood Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great CD with lovely classical music! We now have 3 of the "essential" classical series and enjoy them all.