Chi Meson said:
IMO:
Classical music is at its best with J.S. Bach.
Most people who appreciate and understand serious music would agree with this. He is more often ranked as the greatest composer who ever lived than any other composer.
However, huge amounts of Bach's music are not accessible to people who are switching over from a previous orientation in pop music. I think the Romantic composers are the best ones by which to make the transition.
J.S. Bach is at his best at the piano (Klavier).
Yes, provided you mention that he never actually wrote anything for the piano. It wasn't invented till he was an old man. He got to play one once and pronounced it seemed to have possibilities. The pieces by Bach that are commonly played on the piano nowadays were written for the harpsichord and clavichord. "Klavier" technically refers to any keyboard instrument, and technically includes the pipe organ, but a separation between the music he wrote for the "klavier" and the pipe organ is generally maintained. There is the issue of the pedal part, among other things.
No one ever played bach on the piano better than Glen Gould.
It might be better to say no one ever played Bach more brilliantly. He was a dazzling pianist. Critics and listeners alike sometimes took exception to some of his stranger interpretations.
You will not be disappointed by getting "The Goldberg Variations" as performed by Mr. Gould. He recorded it twice, 1955 and 1981. A real snob will insist the first recording was more masterful, although I am fond of the latter. I understand it has recently been remastered so that Mr. Gould's annoying habit to "sing along" has been removed.
I also like the second recording alot. The main trouble with it is that he was competing against no one but himself, and he had already blown everyone away with the first recording which was unbelievable. The 1955 Goldberg recording made Glen Gould, and it also made the Goldbergs what they are today. Before Glen Gould the Goldbergs were a part of harpsichord literature, and hence, relatively obscure. People certainly didn't play them as much as the Well Tempered Claver. Glen Gould made them part of piano literature.
I have exactly 20 different recordings of the Goldbergs. My favorite, after Glen Gould's, is by Charles Rosen. He takes all the repeats, in addition to giving an excellent performance, and I enjoy hearing them with the repeats.
I wouldn't reccomend them to anyone just starting out listening to serious music, though. They're too subtle. (Then there is that one slow, long, bleak, endless variation that brings everything to a halt for a while with it's cold, anxiety filled, winter.) I was quite bored with them the first time I heard them. Now, as you can probably tell, they are my favorite Bach. Maybe some other people will look into them on our reccomendation, but I wouldn't suggest them to Dooga.
Also you could try "The Well-tempered Klavier, Book1"
Overall, I actually like Book II better.
