Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) came from an already well-known family of musicians, a fact easily forgotten given his titanic talent and extensive output. It wasn't enough for Johann Sebastian to master the art of counterpoint (how two or more notes interact); he found humorous, creative and innovative ways to create music in an era gridlocked with compositional rules and expectations. From the seemingly simple Inventions and Sinfonias to the size and depth of St. Matthew's Passion, Johann Sebastian's music still baffles, intrigues and impresses composers, performers and listeners. We are collecting music, coverage and news about Bach from around Classical MPR and our affiliated programs. Have a look (and listen) and enjoy.

Bach's Life and Work

Stories about Bach, and the music he created.

  • New Classical Tracks - Musical Speech: The Poetry of Bach and Schubert
    Pianist Simone Dinnerstein's love of Bach is a constant. And on her latest recording, she once again returns to Bach's musical world. But this time, she also chose to include music by another of her favorite composers: Franz Schubert. The music she chose to record has a beautiful and very communicative quality, and she wanted those qualities to represented by the title of the new release: Something Almost Being Said.February 15, 2012
  • New Classical Tracks - Air, The Bach Album
    On Anne Akiko Meyers' latest release, titled, "Air, A Bach Album," which celebrates the music of Bach, she experimented with a technique familiar to the world of popular music.February 8, 2012
  • SymphonyCast presents J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio
    For the holiday, the first three parts of Johann Sebastian Bach's beloved Christmas Oratorio - from Dresden, where an annual performance of this inspired music is a treasured tradition. Tune in on Sunday, December 25 at 1:00 p.m. to hear this joyful work.December 23, 2011
  • SPCO Performs Bach's Brandenburg Concerti
    This weekend, the SPCO will finish their cycle of Bach's Brandenburg Concerti. Listen to a performance from December 2007 by the SPCO.November 17, 2011
  • New Classical Tracks Encore - Bach's Oboe
    In work after work, J. S. Bach gave wonderful solo parts to the oboe. On a new disc, those concertos are gathered together by a master soloist and musician, Heinz Holliger.October 25, 2011
  • New Classical Tracks - Murray Perahia: A Survey of Bach
    Murray Perahia is one of the world's leading pianists, and his latest release gathers together all of his recordings by the composer who has meant more to him than perhaps any other: J. S. Bach.August 23, 2011
  • New Classical Tracks - Bach's Oboe
    In work after work, J. S. Bach gave wonderful solo parts to the oboe. On a new disc, those concertos are gathered together by a master soloist and musician, Heinz Holliger.August 9, 2011
  • Bach's St. Matthew's Passion
    It may be the greatest work in all of Western Music -- St. Matthew's Passion -- premiered Good Friday in 1727 and then entirely forgotten for 100 years until Mendelssohn revived it. Alison Young is your host this Good Friday at 10 a.m. of Bach's masterpiece. You can follow along with the original score online.April 21, 2011
  • Party on Saturday for Johann
    Bach's Birthday is Monday and we celebrate all day this Saturday with a cycle of free hour-long concerts at five Saint Paul churches.March 18, 2011
  • Regional Spotlight: Alessandro Taverna
    International Piano E-Competition winner Alessandro Taverna plays Bach.February 24, 2011

Complete Works of Bach

Complete Works of Bach

Bach in the news

Coverage of Bach from the Classical Notes blog.

  • Sellar Stages Bach
    Peter Sellars stages Bach's St. Matthew Passion in a new DVD from the Berlin Philharmonic
  • How I Like My Bach
    I was preparing for an interview and, naturally, I got pulled into that Internet vortex - listening to recordings and watching videos of Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suites. There are dozens of videos. Dozens and dozens and dozens.
  • Bach Visualization
    This is a fascinating visualization of the Prelude to Bach's Cello Suites. I like how it shows the chordal and melodic structure in a whole different way; the musical line forming the broken chords and flowing into the melody is...
  • The SPCO: Bach - The Art of the Fugue
    This Thursday through Saturday (Oct. 13-15), The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra is exploring selections from J.S. Bach's The Art of the Fugue.
  • Bach You Very Much, Mr. Sharp Nelson
    You like the Bach 'Cello Suites? How about clones and lighsabers and awesome camera angles? How about all of them together?
  • Walk or roll for Bach
    "Who's the greatest classical composer of them all?" asks Rob Hubbard of the Pioneer Press. If you agree that it's the guy celebrating a birthday Saturday with 324 candles on his cake, then put your walking shoes on (or maybe...
  • Many Faces of Bach, Part 2
    What did J. S. Bach's own face really look like? Read about a new reconstruction here....
  • Oops, Bach did it again.
    Fugue (fyoog) n. 1. Music An imitative polyphonic composition in which a theme or themes are stated successively in all of the voices of the contrapuntal structure. 2. Psychiatry A pathological amnesiac condition during which one is apparently conscious of...
  • Baroque 'n' roll
    You may have read the news that former members of the band Procol Harum are fighting over authorship of the organ melody in their 1967 hit, "A Whiter Shade of Pale." You have to wonder about the grounds for the...


Bach and You

We're collecting stories about Johann's life or music on listeners of Classical MPR. What's your Bach story?

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