Your opinion about Bach?

[geopianoincanada]

During my exploration of music through lessons I find myself gravitating towards Bach. Prior to beginning piano lessons 6 years ago I never gave such music a second thought, not even a first thought.

Now when I listen to the Goldberg variations even for a short time I find myself thinking of how it must be played and the beautiful complexities within.

What are your views on Bach as a source for piano students? Are there any recommended pieces which are suitable for students to begin with?

[ravelfan07]

In my opinion, he isn’t bad by any means
He just isn’t good, he has some great pieces for beginners (prelude in c major, air, etc)
But overall, he’s just ok

[themeandvariation]

Bach - Beethoven said that his name 'Bach' (meaning - a brook), is not appropriate - because he is 'the Ocean'.  I couldn't have said it better.

For students just embarking on Bach, the Anna Magdalena Songbook is very artfully written, but not too difficult to play. Then there are the 2-part inventions. (You could also learn the first prelude from the WTC1).
Then after that, you could go to the Sinfonias- also called the  3-part inventions.

[transitional]

Best composer that ever lived. People criticize his inventions, sinfonias, and wtc as being too deeply contrapuntal and serious. Once you get past that, there are some beautiful melodies to pick out in the wtc. . . and the suites (especially the partitas) are something else. The goldberg variations are amazing but they're long and hard to get into. I don't really follow his masses or any other church music, and don't really pay attention to music for instruments other than piano either lol. But his extremely popular brandenburg concertos are both easy to follow and complex. And they have a rustic baroque sound.

Good pieces to start with? Many mention the Anna M Bach notebook, which leads into the inventions, sinfonias, then wtc, then you can start to conquer the suites. he's also written some great toccatas, there's the fantasy in cm that kind of leads into the sonata form, some other less known solo pieces maybe? There are also great arrangements from other instruments, like the busonis (but those are extremely difficult). Also overlooked are the bwv 924-943 preludes which are great teaching pieces. The Bwv 939 is popular to learn. They're not as complex but can be used to practice many important aspects of baroque music. For example, the bwv 939 was in alfred book 5 to teach mordents

While I can enjoy melodic composers like schubert or more playful composers like Mozart, Bach is someone that can do everything. And I respect him for that.

[lelle]

The 2 part inventions are classics in the pedagogical literature for a reason. They might break your brain at first, and you might not even be ready for the harder ones when you are starting the easy ones, but they really help you develop that brain-finger connection if you stick with them.

A lot of his keyboard music was written for students. The Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach has already been mentioned. The 2 part Inventions of course. As you become more skilled, some of the easier ones in WTC start being attainable. I'd also argue some movements from some of the partitas might be doable.

[brogers70]

I don't believe in God, but I definitely believe in Bach, and that's almost as good.

[jaquet]

bach is GOD

[pianistavt]

Bach is one of the most brilliant musical minds in the history of Western Music.  He tends toward the intellectual over pure musical appeal, but there are many beautiful moments in Bach's music, and then there is some that seems focused on compositional craftsmanship over emotional communication (fugues!)

I don't currently listen to Bach much, though I have listened to almost every keyboard piece he wrote.  I am not playing much these days either, though I have had Bach phases - - when that's happening I enjoy exploring Bach very much - it's rewarding to master a contrapuntal piece - a challenge to balance the different voices, and endless detail to explore.  I think Bach is very rewarding to play.

[kosulin]

Bach is Euclid of Western music.

[ravelfan07]

bach is GOD

I can’t emphasize how overrated he is lol

[jaquet]

I can’t emphasize how overrated he is lol

um what

[brogers70]

I can’t emphasize how overrated he is lol

Translation: I don't like him as much as a lot of other people do.

[frodo4]

Translation: I don't like him as much as a lot of other people do.

[thorn]

I like some of Bach's works. I don't understand calling any composer "the ultimate" because all of them wrote interesting and boring things. Personally I think he wrote more boring things than interesting things- or at least from the head more often than the heart- but in other threads people have said similar of Liszt, who is a composer I love. There's room for everyone!

[quantum]

I think Bach is cool.  I think the way certain academics, institutions and educated musicians impose their opinion on Bach, and dictate everyone else should follow their lead because their way is the only correct way to interpret Bach is NOT cool. 

[ravelfan07]

Translation: I don't like him as much as a lot of other people do.

Tbf I enjoy romantic and impressionist stuff far more
Too baroque for me tbh