Listening to Bach with High Quality Headphones

[thomasmgill]

I just received my first ever pair of high quality headphones in the mail yesterday.

In general I don't find listening to J.S. Bach all that pleasurable, but after being able to hear all of the subtleties with crystal clarity, I am blown away.

Bach is now one of my favorite piano composers to listen to, even if I can hear Gould's humming with stunning precision.

[awesom_o]

Bach is now one of my favorite piano composers to listen to

Not to be pedantic, but Bach wasn't a really piano composer!

[thomasmgill]

Fair enough. But I do think that issue has been settled that Bach was trans-instrumental!

[awesom_o]

Absolutely! Bach was one of the most trans-instrumental composers ever to live!

I find it interesting that you say 'In general I don't find listening to J.S. Bach all that pleasurable'.

In my opinion, J.S. Bach's music was written primarily for the glory of God and for the spiritual betterment of humanity.

In other words, Bach is a bit like bodybuilding for the soul. Study Bach with due diligence, and you WILL become a better, stronger human being.

So in a way, what you said reminds me of a person saying this: 'In general, I don't find watching people exercise to be very pleasurable.'

Well duh! Exercise isn't about pleasing others... its about bettering yourself mentally and physically! Swimming lengths and doing chin ups IS pleasurable, in a tough-love sort-of-way. It makes you feel good!

A different, more wholesome, healthy way of feeling good than, say, sitting on the couch with a carton of ice cream while watching trashy TV!

[thomasmgill]

I understand your point. However, if the purpose of Bach's music is merely to be a vehicle through which humanity can glorify a higher power, then what is the use of performing Bach's works in public?

Surely Bach's compositions would be delegated to the same place as, say, Czerny etudes?

[j_menz]

In my opinion, J.S. Bach's music was written primarily for the glory of God and for the spiritual betterment of humanity.

"Music is an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul."-J.S.Bach  (thanks to flashyfingers)

You make it sound like hard labour, and not all of us find it so.

[awesom_o]

Being a decent scholar of Bach's music is both the greatest joy AND the hardest labour!