←Home Selected Bach pieces

img

This is a short list with selected Bach pieces, based on my preferences.

I’ve been listening to Bach for quite a long time, and he is by far my favorite composer. I’d say I have a pretty good idea about his overall body of work, even though I don’t play any music (and don’t know any musical theory) myself.

You might find this list useful if you want to get into classical music, or if you’ve already listened to Bach for some time but want another person’s perspective to maybe get to know about some other pieces and/or interpretations.

Note that I find interpretations to be extremely important. The same piece played by two different people/orchestras/etc. almost always sounds significantly different. One interpretation can sound like the best music ever composed and played, while another can sound like the most boring and mediocre piece ever made. As such, my general advice when it comes to Bach in particular and classical music in general, is to not judge a piece based on a single (or few) interpretation(s). You might find one that you really like, eventually, if you keep looking.

At the time of writing, if I had to keep only 16 Bach pieces in existence, I would keep these (specific interpretations), in no particular order:

  1. Gould – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria
  2. Herreweghe/Scholl – Mass in B Minor, BWV 232: 26. Agnus Dei
  3. Herreweghe – Mass in B Minor, BWV 232, Kyrie: No. 1, Kyrie eleison
  4. S. Richter – Prelude and Fugue: No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853
  5. S. Richter – The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Prelude
  6. S. Richter – The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Fugue
  7. Gardiner – St. John Passion, BWV 245: No.9 Aria: Ich folge dir gleichfalls
  8. Herreweghe/Scholl – Johannes-Passion, BWV 245: Aria: Von den Stricken meiner Sünden
  9. Herreweghe – Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244: Chorus I & II “Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen”
  10. Ross – Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826: I. Sinfonia
  11. Bernstein/Gould – Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056: II. Largo
  12. Wallfisch – Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, BWV 1041: I
  13. Leonhardt – Art of Fugue, BWV 1080: xx. Unfinished Fugue
  14. Gould – Partita No. 6 in E Minor, BWV 830: I. Toccata
  15. Bernstein/Gould – Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056: I
  16. Mields/Herreweghe – BWV 84: 1. Aria “Ich bin vergnügt mit meinem Glücke”

If you’re interested in a larger collection of good Bach pieces, see this Spotify playlist.