Johann Sebastian Bach

Donald Macleod journeys through Johann Sebastian Bach’s relationship with the organ.

Johann Sebastian Bach is often acknowledged as one of the greatest composers of all time and yet, during his lifetime, he was often more famous as an organist. Bach became very much in demand as a performer and a teacher. He was often asked to advise on the design and renovation of expensive church instruments. He composed a great deal of music for organ and was particularly productive during his twenties and early thirties when working at the court in Weimar. All this week Donald Macleod examines Bach’s life and music through the lens of his life-long fascination with the organ, focusing particularly on his time in Weimar and exploring his role as performer organist, teacher, servant, entrepreneur and composer.

Music Featured: Brandenburg Concerto No 3, BWV 1048 (ohne Satzbezeichnung) Sonata No 2 in C minor, BWV 526 Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 550 Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63 Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 Concerto for Harpsichord in G minor, BWV 1058 Cantata No 162 ‘Ach, ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe’, BWV 162 Concerto in A minor, BWV 593 Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 Concerto for two violins and strings in D minor, BWV 1043 Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Dorian), BWV 538 St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564 Brandenburg Concerto No 2, BWV 1047 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Prelude and Fugue in C major), BWV 867 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Prelude and Fugue in C minor), BWV 847 Lute Suite in E minor, BWV 996 Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (Vivaldi Violin Concerto Op 3 No 11) Mass in B minor, BWV 232 (Osanna in excelsis, Agnus Dei, Dona Nobis Pacem) Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for J S Bach https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l1dm

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z