Yer.  And try contrasting with similar by Teleman, Corelli or Geminiani.  Bach is just much better.  

But TBF Handel is also good at these.  

PS the concerto grosso was a major art form for a longer period of time than feature films have been around as a major art form yet ...

I’m mostly rocking Bach’s cello suite no 5 and the Goldberg variations lately. Oh, and Chopin’s Nocturnes. Especially no 2 in e flat... sublime.

Can't stand baroque music, tbf. 

isn't bach a bit, erm, formulaic?

My favourite Bach is A Musical Offering.

A lot of baroque music is a bit formulaic.  Not nearly as formulaic as pop music, mind.  

But Bach is definitely not formulaic.

I used to hate Bach but now I find the patterns reassuring. I have a whole box of Murray Perahia playing Bach and it's great.

There was a poster on here eons ago - allumeuse iirc - who was a massive bach fan, middle aged way too early. Wonder what happened to her <chambo off>

Not that appreciating it is a sign of middle age, erm.

Considering I first fell in love with Bach as a 19 year old student, it certainly isn’t a sign of middle age.

 I’m saying nothing about today.

Where are you all on the period instrument debate?

I like the Perahia Goldberg Variations but sometimes I feel a bit guilty for not listening to them played on the harpsichord, for example.

I don’t like harpsichords

HIPP is a bit faddish tbh

How to destroy a violin bow

https://youtu.be/sarm8rzdY3Y

"Thinly veiled "look how cultured and intelligent I am" humblebrag"

Surely the days of labelling classical music this way has gone, no?

If you want a way to appreciate the drama of JS Bach’s music in the context of his time try the 2017 album of harpsichord concerti by different members of the Bach family put out by the young French harpsichord virtuoso Jean Rondeau.  It’s on the Erato label and called “Dynastie”.  

@UntrustworthyDolphin

Harpsichord much better innit.  And has added advantage that heavy metal fans like harpsichord music ? 

The Brandenburg Concertos are some of my favourite music.

I'm not massively keen on harpsichord. Although I do listen to a lot of metal...

Generally speaking, I like the old instruments though. There was a French film back in 1991 - Tous les Matins du Monde. It was about viol players back in the 17th century. Viols are essentially 6 string cellos. The soundtrack is sublime. There is a certain timbre to a viol that's different to and richer than the cello. I played cello in orchestras when I was young, but really wish I had been able to play a viol.

The general absence of viol these days is a tonal loss. 

I have a harmonium though. These are a pedal organ. Mine is Canadian from around 1910, and has a good range of voices. Its sound is unique and varies from, say, a church organ. I suspect this is because of the way you can vary the intensity based on how much you pump the pedals. It's more expressive than a modern organ.

This is one of the reasons I have always loved Björk. In fact for many years I was completely obsessed with her. She has always experimented with sounds and different instruments / synths / voicings. She experiments with arrangements using odd combinations of instruments. She creates novel and interesting forms of music.

She created a whole load of novel and interesting instruments iirc

Didn’t Garth Hudson play a harmonium on a lot of The Band records?

Interesting instrument a viol, I'm sure someone still makes them, in electric versions too. Partially fretted like a guitar to about half way down the neck. I'll have a listen.