The Daily Bach: week 1 summary
From The Well Tempered viols, to the organ chirping like a bird.
What have you discovered in Bach Club’s daily selection of JS Bach’s music?
From The Well Tempered viols, to the organ chirping like a bird.
Make sure you bookmark and regularly visit The Daily Bach page that we curate for you, sometimes from a slightly unusual perspective. Listen to our playlist at the bottom of this page.
Week 1: January 1 – 7, 2023:
Sunday, 1st Jan
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Overture from Orchestral suite in D major, BWV 1068
Les Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall
“Ouverture” means an opening so what better way to start a year than with this Bach’s glorious piece? Full of energy, and the sparkling fireworks of the trumpets – an instrument Bach reserved only for special occasions – it is a beautiful movement, and a fitting start of a new, hopeful journey.
Monday, 2nd Jan
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Little Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 933
Glenn Gould
A “Prelude” is filled with anticipation… What will come next? This energetic work is full of optimism!
Tuesday, 3rd Jan
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Ei! wie schmeckt der Coffee süße, BWV 211
Emma Kirkby & Liza Beznosiuk, with Academy of Ancient Music dir. by Christopher Hogwood
After the New Year’s celebration it’s first day back at work so… coffee anyone? Bach definitely wanted one and he was known to frequent Cafe Zimmerman (Zimmermannsches Kaffeehaus) in Leipzig that also became a scene for his Coffee Cantata.
In this aria the girl would prefer her coffee to muscat wine, or to a thousand kisses 😘 … “ah!, just give me some coffee!”.
Wednesday, 4th Jan
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Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden, BWV 1083
Nancy Argenta, Diego Fasolis, Guillemette Laurens, I Barocchisti
Giovanni Batista Draghi (“Pergolesi”) was born on this day 4 Jan 1710. Bach, notorious borrower, took his famous “Stabat Mater” and rearranged it to the text of Psalm 51, adding a beautiful viola part. With that velvety richness the piece gained a new depth and impact.
We also recommend a recording of this piece by The Bach Players (“Bach Arranging and Arranged”) – not available on streaming platforms but worth exploring!
Thursday, 5th Jan
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Canzona, BWV 588
Jörg Halubek
Can you hear the birds chirping? While it’s unlikely that they nested inside the organ, this fascinating instrument can imitate some natural sounds. It can also have stops designed to inspire awe and amazement, e.g. turning stars, or wing flapping eagles.
Friday, 6th Jan
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Duetto in F, BWV 803
András Schiff
Oh the clavichord… you won’t hear it if a loud car passes by your window, but let your ears focus and you will discover so much expression. Not only as it’s the only keyboard instrument allowing the player to vibrate the notes.
Duetto for one? That’s ‘bicinium’, with two hands having a dialogue.
Saturday, 7th Jan
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Fantasia in G major BWV 573 (Piéce d'orgue)
Phantasm
Laurence Dreyfus arranged Bach’s keyboard piece for his consort of viols, in a freshly released (2023) single promising a wonderful new album, already 3rd in a series of Well Tempered Consort. We can’t wait!
Sunday, 8th Jan
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Week 1 Summary
From The Well Tempered viols, to the organ chirping like a bird.
– bookmark this page, and follow @bachdotclub for more inspiration.Go to summary: https://bach.club/dailybach-week1/
Which was your favourite? What would you like to see? Let us know on social media or in a comment!
