Bach and the High Baroque

By: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Professor Robert Greenberg Ph.D. University of California Berkeley

Length: 25 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Though unappreciated in his own time, Johann Sebastian Bach has ascended to Olympian heights, the verdict of contemporary audiences long since overruled by succeeding generations of music lovers. But what makes his music great? In this series of 32 lectures, a working composer and musicologist brings his exceptional teaching skills to the task of helping you hear the extraordinary sweep of Bach's music. You'll understand the compositional language that enabled him to compose such extravagant, unbridled music while still maintaining precise control of every aspect - beat, melody, melodic repetition, interaction, and harmony. Whether devoted admirer or casual listener, you'll gain a new appreciation of the composer and a heightened skill at listening to his work.

You begin by learning the musical traditions and composers that inspired Bach, and how he absorbed those influences to become the transcendent composer of the High Baroque, more representative of the period and its aesthetic of emotional extravagance and technical control than any other. And you'll learn how both his German Lutheran heritage and family background - at least 42 relatives professionally involved with music - helped shape him as an artist.

Above all, though, you experience an abundance of music, with Professor Greenberg highlighting his discussions by playing major excerpts from several of Bach's most important works - including the Brandenburg Concerto no. 2, the Goldberg Variations, and the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor - and also showing you how to compare Bach with other composers both before and after his time.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©1995 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)1995 The Great Courses

Understanding Bach

Is there anyone else out there who like me has always appreciated Bach's music? I consider Bach one of the absolutely best classical composers (alongside Beethoven), and his music has always inspired me and provided great satisfaction.

If you have that background, this is really something for you. The courses are insprining and the narrator is enthusiastic about his topic, and he knows it very well. I advise you to listen one course at the time, then listen to some Bach music in between and then go on to the next course. If you try to take in all at the same time, it will be too much.

One thing that bugs me, however, is that professor Greenberg does not know how to pronounce Bach's name, at least not to a listener who like me speaks German. His consistent incorrect (=American) pronounciation ("Bock") could lead to the wrong conclusion that the good professor does not know what he is talking about. But he does and he is good at it, even though his German is deplorable (his Italian and French are possibly worse). A little language exercise: try to figure out who the composers "Wiwolde" and "Cooperand" are? (That is the way these baroque composers names are pronounced in this book).

So a really good course is tainted by bad language. However, if you can live with that, don't hesitate to buy this.

Best ever

This is my favorite course my Robert Greenberg to date. I've listened to it at least 5 times so far.

Amazing

Amazing lecture, incredible lecturer. I plan on coming back to this over and over. And to think I stumbled upon it by chance.

amazing

heartbreaking and beautiful the story was told and stirring and emotional sense and what I learned about Bach it's just
rewarding

Very entertaining and informative

Not sure "performance" is a correct description. This was an excellent course. I've done Teaching Company courses in the past, and the audiobook format is a winner. Professor Greenberg is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and just plain fun. I highly recommend this course if you are interested in the subject.

Well worth your time

A thorough look at Bach's musical and historical context, with lots of music by Bach and others along the way. In-depth reviews of a number of Bach's major works. Accessible for those without a background in music, but it was interesting for this listener with a degree in music, too.

Just plain fun.

The professor is one of the best. This lecture is more for musicians than historians, however the professor is so good I did not want this to end!

Excellent

I've listened to several Greenberg courses and this is much like the others. Very good, thorough.

Brilliant!

I went in not knowing a thing about music theory, I just love Bach and the Baroque Era so I took a chance to do this course. Mere words cannot describe how thoroughly I enjoyed learning in this way. Professor Greenberg's passion for art is beautiful! I highly recommend this series!

Fantastic overview of Bach’s oeuvre

I highly recommend this course. I enjoyed Greenberg’s lectures, his sidebars and opinions of which he is not shy. The selections of music reopened my appreciation for Bach as a musical genius