大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores the criticisms levelled at Bach during his time in Leipzig.

Johann Sebastian Bach, who is now almost universally recognised as one of the giants of classical music, was not always so celebrated. In his own lifetime he received some public recognition but this contrasted with his regular complaints of unjust humiliations at the hands of his contemporaries and his employers. Was the composer hard done by or were these problems of his own making? In this week of programmes, Donald Macleod tries to get to the heart of Bach鈥檚 character, warts and all, through five different periods in the composer鈥檚 life. We鈥檒l be hearing from some of Bach鈥檚 most glorious music, as Donald ponders what the composer鈥檚 character might mean for our understanding of the man and his art.

In this final programme, Donald examines Bach鈥檚 time in Leipzig where despite a slightly better relationship with his employers, he still found himself under attack and labelled as outdated and old-fashioned. Donald also explores the intriguing meeting between Bach and Frederick the Great.

Ach Herr, mich armen S眉nder, BWV 135 - 鈥淲eicht, all鈥檌hr Ubeltater鈥�
Stephen Varcoe (bass)
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)

Fantasia in G, BWV 572
Simon Preston (organ)

Orchestral Suite No 3 鈥� Air
Concerto Italiano
Rinaldo Alessandrini (conductor)

Mass in B minor, BWV 232 鈥� Gloria in excelsis & Et in terra pax
Taverner Consort & Players
Andrew Parrott (conductor)

Musical Offering , BWV 1079 - Sonata for Flute, Violin and Continuo
Ensemble Sonnerie

The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080 - Contrapunctus XIV
Joanna MacGregor (piano)

Producer: Sam Phillips