Bach for sleep…
During the past week, I have decided to end my day by listening to Johann Sebastian Bach. I am hoping that this move will improve my troubled sleep quality these days…
As such, I came to enjoy and study this DVD of Andras Schiff playing the Bach French Suites numbers 1-6. The setting is a tiny church in Germany. It is an intimate way to perform Bach’s music in a venue that is quite different than, say, Carnegie Hall.
I am a “Bach Freak” anyway. I love so many of this man’s creations that have been enjoyed by folks for the past 315 years or so…
András Schiff has received much praise for his playing of Bach. He plays the suites in numerical order, and his playing is marked by smoothness and total clarity of the polyphonic musical line. There is no romantic stretching or dramatic altering of phrases, no major variation of dynamics, but the tone is varied beautifully and sensitively in support of the music.
The concert ends with Schiff playing Bach’s Overture in the French Style in B Minor, BWV 831, and finally also the Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971.
Repertoire:
• J.S. Bach: French Suites Nos. 1–6, Overture in the French Style in B minor, Italian Concerto in F major, BWV 971
• Bonus:
Documentary “Schiff explains Bach”
Here is a brief extract from this DVD; note that the sections are speeded up at certain points to show highlights of other movements…
If you’d like to purchase this DVD at amazon, please click on the image below:
Tags: Johann Sebastian Bach, French suites, Andras Schiff