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Bach and the High Baroque  By  cover art

Bach and the High Baroque

By: Robert Greenberg,The Great Courses
Narrated by: Professor Robert Greenberg Ph.D. University of California Berkeley
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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

What listeners say about Bach and the High Baroque

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A desert island audiobook!

I doubt I can say anything more than others have, but just want to add a thank you to Robert Greenberg for this extraordinary labor of love about a man who labored for love of God and music. He’s right: Bach lives on through his music, and for us lay people it is Robert Greenberg who helps keep him alive. if you have any interest in music of any type, I cannot recommend this audiobook highly enough.

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Mind boggling in so many ways

1. The profound and prodigious genius of Bach's talent. I'll tackle the St. Matthew Passion in time but the Goldberg Variations are such a treasure.

2. The disrespect Bach faced during the end of his life. Please forgive them, Lord, for they knew not what they were doing.

3. The wealth of so much of his repertoire that was so carelessly tossed asunder, depriving billions to follow the joy of listening to them.

Thank you Professor Greenberg for another classic lecture series.

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Educational and entertaining

I thank Professor Greenberg for greatly increasing my appreciation of this wonderful master of music.

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An Inspiring Listen

Dr. Greenberg presents a most human and incredibly artistic Bach. This course has helped propel me into the world of classical music in general, and into the world of Bach. The melding of biographical information with the music makes this a superlative listen.

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Passion

Another amazing course by the good professor. So inspiring. I went to listen with fresh ears.

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Wonderful, Informative Course

The author of this course is so skillful, you get caught up in the story and don't even realize until later that you are learning!

A wonderful way to learn. The story flows easily as we learn about Bach and his time period. I think I would have enjoyed hearing these lectures in person, but I think that this might be even better as I can listen on my own time.

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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

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Another great Greenberg course!

Would recommend this course to anyone interested in Bach’s music. Peter Greenberg does a great job of explaining complex musical pieces and the historical events that lead to the writing of these.

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Couldn’t wait to get to class!

What a wonderful course for any lover of classical music—or anyone who’d like to develop an appreciation! The course material itself is rich with historical and cultural context, including about Bach himself, not just as a musician, but also as a man—husband, father, scholar, teacher, choir master, etc. The professor is engaging, supremely knowledgeable with a great sense of humor and the ability to render new or challenging musical concepts readily accessible.

Throughout, we enjoy a significant sampling of the glorious music itself. Now when I turn—either to listen or, as an amateur pianist, to play—a Bach fugue or any other musical genre of which he is the unequaled master, I have such a deeper appreciation of his genius.

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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.

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