You're welcome.

K

You're right, for me to say he is not a complete genius would perhaps be an untruth. There are many things that went into what I feel made him a genius, not JUST his music.

"it's talent that borrows, whereas genius steals – meaning genius makes the thing stolen entirely its own." - Igor Stravinsky

Bach was first and foremost an organ player, and at the time, one of the best. However, if you have studied Bach, his music, his life, you (or perhaps it's just me) will see that it did not start with him - it flowed through him. He simply represented the height of German Art in it's most musical form at that moment in history.

Diligent, disciplined and devout - definitely. Genius? Perhaps, but not just for his inventive forms and counterpoint, he was devoted to creating Lutheran music that served many different purposes, whether it was evening services, Festive chorales, creating inventions in different keys and modes for students to study the art of playing and performing the harpsichord or schralping Fugues on the organ. His genius, if that is what we are calling it, is not limited to just the music he left behind, but the compilations of musical studies that he put together, the musicians he inspired along the way, the pieces by other composers that he re-worked in his own style AND the 20 children from 2 different wives he fathered. 20.

There were other writers of the period that were doing amazing things. Vivaldi immediately comes to mind - he was doing mind-blowing things with music. Vivaldi's A Major Concerto con violino principale con altro per eco in lontano?! He was placing violinist's in different parts of the listening area to get a new sound?! He was also the first person to use a musical program during his performances - words that would go along with music set to the seasons - NOT liturgical. We don't think of that as genius, but this was like punk rock back in the day if the church was paying for it and not getting the glory.

There are geniuses all around us, but few diligent enough to know it at that moment. Don't get me wrong - I like Bach, a lot, but his LIFE is what made him a genius - his music just happened along the way.

Two points

What was Bach known for in his lifetime? He was the greatest improviser. Classical improvisation an almost lost art form. What we could learn if we could hear some of these, ask me the time machine question and I would say 1717 kothen with a tape recorder.

Secondly if you asked who was the greatest mind ever to render a word in any language onto a piece of paper or parchment, the scholars would argue but a man named Shakespeare would most likely win, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays only 2 were original ideas.

Brett

A reminder about our FHF today, looks like a smaller crowd which is great. While we can talk a little about the man, we'll also take some time to talk about how to approach simpler pieces, like the Bourree in E minor or the Minuet in G major, the latter of which will be our focus. This video will be more instructional in nature so I expect the discussion will be more at the beginning and the end of the session.

Looking forward to talking to you at 12pm PDT, cheers.

All, this session has run a little bit late. I expect we'll be able to get it started no later than 12:30pm PDT and will send an update to those that have alerted me to their availability.

So sorry to miss it. I'll be teaching... Happy 4ths and 7ths...

I am in for anything and everything Gene

We're on live right now. Welcome at this link:

http://hangouts.google.com/hangouts/_/anbpzeft2uupy3t7k7tqesbb2qa

Japhlet: you are fired from life for not emailing me! You know I can put a demonic hex upon you so why shalt though betray me! tragast@gmail.com buddy