[contextly_auto_sidebar id="fCuLD2IqdN12lY1YuMoXVQLgOFYy7oc1"] Since the exact date is ambiguous -- he was born sometime in late March of 1685 -- I've decided to declare today Bach's birthday. That gives me great pleasure; Bach was the first composer to hit me hard, and is still my favorite. It also frightens me, because of the way Bach's music is typically used in films to signify something … [Read more...]
Celebrating Glenn Gould
Today would be the birthday of a musician who's nearly up there, for me, with john lennon and john coltrane. like them, he was a force of nature, complicated personally, and a man who left so much music behind i've listen to him every week -- sometimes every day -- for years. part of what first interested me about pianist glenn gould (1932-82) is that he was a classical musician who rockers, … [Read more...]
Celebrating — and Fearing — J.S. Bach
THIS may jar some, but i think it's fair to say that the greatest composer in the history of western music -- all due respect to beethoven, mingus, lennon/mccartney, etc -- was johann sebastian bach... the old man's birthday -- born in 1685, you dont look a day over 300! --- is today.those with a good memory for interplanetary expeditions recall that bach's music played a prominent role on the … [Read more...]