Interpretations of Bach: The Greatest Western Composer.

Comments (3)

Johann Sebastian Bach
-Lived 1685 - 1750 (65 Years)
-Composed during the Baroque Period.
-Arguably the most influential composer of all-time and composed over 1,100 pieces.
-Father of 20 children.

•About:
This list compiles every interpretation I have heard of Bach's work.
Releases are segmented by composition, however these compositions are not in any order.
-Exception: All compilations of many pieces are placed at the very end of the list, this includes some of my favorite releases.

•Note:
For a release to be considered under a specific composition, that piece (or at least parts of it) must take up a majority of the full release or be the focal point.
*This list isn't perfectly accurate, but I have done my best. There may be a few overlooks.

•Prologue:
Although "beautiful" may be one of the most accurate words to describe Bach's compositions, it is perhaps the greatest understatement one could possibly make. Bach's works transcend humanity, they tap into something much more powerful than us. I find it impossible to not make a deep personal connection with each piece he created.

1.

Pierre Hantaï

Bach: Variations Goldberg BWV 9882003

100

Composition BWV988:
Goldberg Variationen or "Goldberg Variations"
Composed:
1741

Interpreter: Pierre Hantaï
Instrument: Harpsichord

2.

Pascal Dubreuil

Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations2016

80

Interpreter: Pascal Dubreuil
Instrument: Harpsichord

3.

Evgeni Koroliov

Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 9881999

80

Interpreter: Evgeni Koroliov
Instrument: Piano

4.

Bob Van Asperen

J.S. Bach: Goldberg-Variationen1991

70

Interpreter: Bob Van Asperen
Instrument: Harpsichord

5.

Gustav Leonhardt

Goldberg Variations2004

70

Interpreter: Gustav Leonhardt
Instrument: Harpsichord

6.

Kenneth Gilbert

Variations Goldberg1986

70

Interpreter: Kenneth Gilbert
Instrument: Harpsichord

7.

Helga Ingólfsdóttir

Goldbergtibrigðin BWV 9881999

60

Interpreter: Helga Ingólfsdóttir
Instrument: Harpsichord

8.

Tatiana Nikolayeva

Bach: Goldberg Variations1992

60

Interpreter: Tatiana Nikolayeva
Instrument: Piano

9.

Zhu Xiao-Mei

Variations Goldberg2007

60

Interpreter: Zhu Xiao-Mei
Instrument: Piano

10.

Wanda Landowska

Goldberg Variations1945

60

Interpreter: Wanda Landowska
Instrument: Harpsichord

11.

Keith Jarrett

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations1989

50

Interpreter: Keith Jarrett
Instrument: Harpsichord

12.

Murray Perahia

Bach: Goldberg Variations2000

40

Interpreter: Murray Perahia
Instrument: Piano

13.

Trevor Pinnock

Goldberg-Variationen1980

50

Interpreter: Trevor Pinnock
Instrument: Harpsichord

14.

Glenn Gould

The Goldberg Variations1982

30

Interpreter: Glenn Gould
Instrument: Piano

15.

Salagon Trio

Goldberg Variations2023

20

Interpreter: Salagon Trio
Instrument: Ensemble

16.

András Schiff

Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 9882003

30

Interpreter: András Schiff
Instrument: Piano

17.

József Eötvös

Goldberg Variations1997

30

Interpreter: József Eötvös
Instrument: Guitar

18.

Bernard Lagacé

Goldberg Variations1999

30

Interpreter: Bernard Lagacé
Instrument: Organ

19.

Lang Lang

Bach: Goldberg Variations2020

20

Interpreter: Lang Lang
Instrument: Piano

20.

Catrin Finch

Bach: Goldberg Variations2009

20

Interpreter: Catrin Finch
Instrument: Harp

21.

Mahan Esfahani

Bach: Goldberg Variations2016

20

Interpreter: Mahan Esfahani
Instrument: Harpsichord

22.

Glenn Gould

Bach: The Goldberg Variations1956

20

Interpreter: Glenn Gould
Instrument: Piano

23.

Canadian Brass

Goldberg Variations2000

20

Interpreter: Canadian Brass
Instrument: Various Brass Instruments

24.

Julie Ventoura

Goldberg Variations2023

10

Interpreter: Julie Ventoura
Instrument: Harpsichord

25.

Albert-Jan Roelofs

Goldberg-Variationen2021

10

Interpreter: Albert-Jan Roelofs
Instrument: Harpsichord

26.

Pi-hsien Chen

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations1988

10

Interpreter: Pi-hsien Chen
Instrument: Piano

27.

Evgeni Koroliov

Die Kunst der Fuge1990

100

Composition BWV1080:
Die Kunst der Fuge or "The Art of Fugue"
Composed:
1742-1746

Interpreter: Evgeni Koroliov
Instrument: Piano

28.

Gustav Leonhardt

Johann Sebastian Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge1970

80

Interpreter: Gustav Leonhardt
Instrument: Harpsichord

29.

Tatiana Nikolayeva

Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge1992

80

Interpreter: Tatiana Nikolayeva
Instrument: Piano

30.

Kenneth Gilbert

J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge1989

70

Interpreter: Kenneth Gilbert
Instrument: Harpsichord

31.

Zhu Xiao-Mei

J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge2014

70

Interpreter: Zhu Xiao-Mei
Instrument: Piano

32.

Helmut Walcha

Johann Sebastian Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 10801956

60

Interpreter: Helmut Walcha
Instrument: Organ

33.

Célimène Daudet

L'art de la fugue2013

60

Interpreter: Célimène Daudet
Instrument: Piano

34.

Keller Quartett

Die Kunst der Fuge1998

60

Interpreter: The Keller Quartett
Instrument: Violin, Viola, Cello

35.

Angela Hewitt

Bach: The Art of Fugue2014

50

Interpreter: Angela Hewitt
Instrument: Piano

36.

Grigory Sokolov

Bach: Die Kunst Der Fuge BWV 10802001

40

Interpreter: Grigory Sokolov
Instrument: Piano

37.

Emerson String Quartet

The Art of Fugue2003

50

Interpreter: Emerson String Quartet
Instrument: Various Strings

38.

Bob Van Asperen

J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuga2018

50

Interpreter: Bob Van Asperen
Instrument: Harpsichord

39.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard

The Art of Fugue2008

40

Interpreter: Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Instrument: Piano

40.

Musica Antiqua Köln

J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge1984

30

Interpreter: Musica Antiqua Köln
Instrument: Various

41.

Tini Mathot / Ton Koopman

J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge1994

20

Interpreter: Tini Mathot & Ton Koopman
Instrument: Harpsichord

42.

Akademie für Alte Musik, Berlin

Die Kunst der Fuge2011

20

Interpreter: Akademie für Alte Musik
Instrument: Orchestra

43.

Kenneth Gilbert

Das Wohltemperierte Klavier 1 & 21984

100

Composition BWV846-893:
Das Wohltemperierte Klavier or "The Well-Tempered Clavier"
Composed:
1722-1740

Interpreter: Kenneth Gilbert
Instrument: Harpsichord

44.

Gustav Leonhardt

J.S. Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier 1.+2. Teil1973

80

Interpreter: Gustav Leonhardt
Instrument: Harpsichord

45.

Gustav Leonhardt

J.S. Bach: Das wohltemperierte Klavier 11989

70

Interpreter: Gustav Leonhardt
Instrument: Harpsichord

46.

Gustav Leonhardt

J.S. Bach: Das wohltemperierte Klavier 21989

70

Interpreter: Gustav Leonhardt
Instrument: Harpsichord

47.

Evgeni Koroliov

The Well-Tempered Clavier I BWV 846-8692000

80

Interpreter: Evgeni Koroliov
Instrument: Piano

48.

Evgeni Koroliov

The Well-Tempered Clavier Vol. II BWV 870-8932002

70

Interpreter: Evgeni Koroliov
Instrument: Piano

49.

András Schiff

The Well-Tempered Clavier2012

60

Interpreter: András Schiff
Instrument: Piano

50.

Sviatoslav Richter

The Well-Tempered Clavier: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier1991

60

Interpreter: Sviatoslav Richter
Instrument: Piano

Comments

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calup

5mo

tristan are you ok. I miss u

Tristan

9mo

@calebmullings54
So glad to help! I'd definitely recommend the Goldberg Variations as a good starting piece, it isn't super long and is fairly digestible for a newcomer. I'd suggest Pierre Hantaï if you want harpsichord or Evgeni Koroliov if you want piano :-). Hope you get some enjoyment from it! The Baroque period was fascinating.