VA - Bach: The Essentials (2017)

Bach is considered by many people to have been the greatest composer in the history of Western music. Bach's main achievement lies in his synthesis and advanced development of the primary contrapuntal idiom of the late Baroque, and in the basic tunefulness of his thematic material. He was able to successfully integrate and expand upon the harmonic and formal frameworks of the national schools of the time: German, French, Italian, and English, while retaining a personal identity and spirit in his large output. Bach is also known for the numerical symbolism and mathematical exactitude which many people have found in his music – for this, he is often regarded as one of the pinnacle geniuses of Western civilization, even by those who are not normally involved with music. Bach spent the height of his working life in a Lutheran church position in Leipzig, as both organist and music director. Much of his music is overtly religious, while many of his secular works admit religious interpretations on some levels. His large output of organ music is considered to be the greatest legacy of compositions for the instrument, and it is the measure by which all later efforts are judged. His other solo keyboard music is held in equally high esteem, especially for its exploration of the strictly contrapuntal fugue; his 48 preludes and fugues (The Well-Tempered Clavier) are still the primary means by which these forms are taught. His other chamber music is similarly lofty, the sets for solo violin and solo cello being the summits of their respective genres. Bach's large-scale sacred choral music is also unique in its scope and development. The St. John and St. Matthew passions and B Minor Mass led to the rediscovery of his music in the 19th century. His huge output of cantatas for all occasions is equally impressive. Finally, his large output of concerti includes some of the finest examples of the period, including the ubiquitous Brandenberg Concertos. ~ Todd McComb

TRACKLIST
01. Brandenburg Concerto No.3 In G Major, BWV 1048 : 1. (without tempo indication) - The English Concert, Trevor Pinnock
02. Suite No.3 In D Major, BWV 1068 : 2. Air - Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
03. Das Wohltemperierte Klavier: Book 1, BWV 846-869 : Prelude And Fugue No.1 In C Major, BWV 846 - Hélène Grimaud
04. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor, BWV 1067 : 7. Badinerie - Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel
05. Partita For Violin Solo No.3 In E Major, BWV 1006 : 1. Preludio - Shlomo Mintz
06. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Cantata, BWV 140 : Chor: "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" - Münchener Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter, Münchener Bach-Chor
07. Aria mit 30 Veränderungen, BWV 988 "Goldberg Variationen" : Aria - Andrei Gavrilov
08. Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043 : 2. Largo, ma non tanto - David Oistrakh, Igor Oistrakh, George Malcolm, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eugene Goossens
09. Cello Suite No.1 In G Major, BWV 1007 : 1. Prélude - Pierre Fournier
10. Partita No.1 In B-Flat Major, Op.1 No.1, BWV 825 : 1. Praeludium - Maria João Pires
11. Mass In B Minor, BWV 232 : 3. Sanctus - English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir
12. St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 : 1. Chorus I/II: "Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen" - English Baroque Soloists, The Monteverdi Choir, The London Oratory Junior Choir, John Eliot Gardiner
13. J.S. Bach: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 - Helmut Walcha
14. Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 : 10. Choral: "Jesus bleibet meine Freude" - Crispian Steele-Perkins, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
15. St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 : No.39 Aria "Erbarme dich" - Michael Chance, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
16. St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 : No.54 Choral: "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden" - The Monteverdi Choir, The London Oratory Junior Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
17. St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 : No.68 Chorus I/II: "Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder" - The Monteverdi Choir, The London Oratory Junior Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
18. Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106 "Actus Tragicus" : No.2 a-d "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit" … "Es ist der alte Bund" - Nancy Argenta, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Stephen Varcoe, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir
19. Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565 : 1.Toccata - Helmut Walcha
20. Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565 : 2.Fugue - Helmut Walcha
21. Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G, BWV 1049 : 3. Presto - Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel
22. Partita For Violin Solo No.2 In D Minor, BWV 1004 : 5. Ciaccona - Nathan Milstein
23. Partita No.2 In C Minor, Op.1, BWV 826 : 6. Capriccio - Martha Argerich
24. Sonata No.1 In E-Flat Major, BWV 525 : 1. Allegro moderato - Ton Koopman
25. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 In F Major, BWV 1047 : 3. Allegro assai - Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel