No all-Bach

[Gregory Barton <barton@mozart.inet.co.th>]

> Re, the issue below:

> One reason for the dearth of all-Bach concerts is perhaps the fact that Bach is not
> universally loved by the majority of ticket purchasing concert goers.

> I have friends who appreciate the greatness of Bach but do not like his music. It doesn't
> inspire them.

> I had a teacher who said of Bach preludes and fugues "Nobody needs them anymore". Shock!

It would be nice to find a Bach keyboard music festival. (Yes, I know that there are various
Bach Festivals in the United States and (organ festivals). But look at the programmes. A piece
of Bach here and there. Even a Bach Festival cannot rely solely on Bach.) Perhaps the Gould
Society might organize such a thing in memory of the great interpreter. It would inspire me to
attend a gathering more than the confabulation convention.

Gregory Barton



> > Oddly, I do go to piano recitals though. Why does no-one give all Bach concerts
> > these days ???
>
> That's a good question.  I think Bach is still not embraced by the classical piano
> performance crowd too much.  Part of it could be that Bach (and all of Baroque
> keyboard study) is viewed as a specialty that is really outside the realm of learning
> to play Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, et. al. on the piano.  Of course, as GG pointed
> out on one of his videos, it's interesting to note that neither Mozart or
> Chopin had
> a 9-foot Steinway model D to play their compositions on.  Yet classical
> pianists seem
> to have no misgivings about performing *those* pieces on the "wrong" instrument.
> How did he put it......"nobody I know of is arguing for a Back-to-the-Pleyel" movement".
>
> There are a few pianists doing all-Bach concerts (Feltsman, etc.) but it's pretty
> rare.
>
> cheers,
> jh