Tuesday, October 22, 2013

A Sparkling Antidote to The Dance of Death

The E-Major French Suite by J.S. Bach

Four Dances to Life, Joy and Vitality



Alicia de Larrocha, pianist

15 comments:

  1. I practiced this suite like a fiend years ago, but never achieved a level anywhere close to what this virtuosa did.

    But I still play some of the dances for myself -- even if I do limp along.

    Right now, one of my students is working on the "Minuet"; in one week, he made a great deal of progress with the first portion thereof. After a while, he'll begin working on the "Sarabande" or the "Polonaise."

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  2. "don’t be a bogger If You Can’t Stand the Heat.

    Yes. Those "boggers" that catch fire are so disappointing!

    "don’t expect your fellow blogers not to challenge you"

    So, we've got boggers and blogers. What's next? Bloogers? (Don't wipe them on you shirt)

    The moron who wrote the comment above should go to the blog he or she mentions and see just how Mr. FreeThinke gets "coddled." Perhaps she/he should take a dictionary along.

    Mr or Mrs Anon:
    Dissenting opinion and independent thinking annoys you, so you should remain safely within the boundaries of Free Republic or World Nut Daily.

    Stumbling out into the light of day of Greater Blogistan is apparently too much for your delicate constitution. So, for your own well-being, you should avoid places where thinking occurs.

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  3. Ron Russell:

    Have you always mewled like a little kitten when somebody hurts your widdle feelings?

    You're obviously a big, bwave eagle, so why not fly to those blogs that always tell you exactly what you want to hear?

    I've seen no crucifixions here, no ass bitings, and most certainly no regrets from Mr. FreeThinke.

    Mr. FreeThinke has also displayed accountability, to the truth, and to the subject at hand.

    Raving, slobbering maniacs who cannot control their vulgar rage and who cannot stay on topic get deleted. If you can't handle that to to Whirled Nut Daily or some other Right Blogistani Group Think Project that more accords with your delicate and easily offended sensibilities.

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  4. Well, thanks, "Jacques!"

    What most seem unable to understand is that I do not seek agreement so much as I do RELEVANT, POLITE, hopefully INTELLIGENT commentary.

    If that means I must live alone, so be it.

    Fortunately, there are always one or two who at least have a sincere desire to understand and contribute something positive.

    But here we are again talking about the deficiency of good manners and good sense in the blogosphere, instead of the delightful example of Bach's music, which radiates vitality, sunny warmth, buoyancy and good cheer. Every single note is infused with LOVE on the part of composer and performer alike.

    Bach's life was no picnic, by our materialistic standards. He was poorly paid, under-appreciated and had to support a wife and the twenty children he fathered in unheated rooms, often subsisting on potatoes to get through the winter. He was poorly treated by his bosses who regarded him as little more than a servant, YET every chance he had, he took time to write down thousands of pieces of many and varied kinds to supply music for his job, but PRIMARILY for his own pleasure.

    It has often been said that Bach "quietly performed miracles." And so he did! I know darned well he wasted little time in fretting, fuming, and navel gazing. He was a wellspring of creativity whose genius has never been surpassed.

    If only people would take the time to LISTEN and ABSORB the wonder and glory of what he produced, their lives would become filled with optimism and joy.

    You see, it is up to US to alter our VIEW of the world so as to make it a more agreeable place. The world will NEVER accommodate itself to OUR petty, vain, petulant concerns.

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  5. Indeed. The man was prolific, in more ways that one!

    And we still enjoy is work today.

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  6. Hard to argue about Bach. Myself I think the Classical period evolved because counterpoint had been perfected and there was no way to push it further.

    It's similar to the problem bebop faced after Coltrane's Giant Steps pretty much established how far you could go improvising on chords.

    So we try to grow.
    Unfortunately we have hit a period in the arts where growth and change just ain't happening.
    There is comfort turning to the past (and I certainly do it) but it ignores the main issue.

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  7. Unfortunately we have hit a period in the arts where growth and change just ain't happening.

    ------

    How so, Duck?
    Where exactly is the stagnation?

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  8. Jen: He probably means government is not shaking down taxpayers sufficiently and giving it to artists.

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  9. Kinda doubt it.

    I wasn't being sarcastic with my question.

    I'm seeing a lot of growth, but it does involve old techniques (photography).

    Just curious what he meant.

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  10. Hey Jock, I guess you haven't seen Zzzz's blog!

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  11. What is that? A sleeping blog?

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  12. In short Jen, we continue to lose our understanding of the intent of the nations founding.

    History had been a parade of three forms of government: monarchy, warlords and theocracy. They were all oppressive.

    Now we are back with the warlords(military industrial complex) and the theocrats trying to form a union with neo- conservatives to essentially install a populist free government. The people are being boxed out.

    Meanwhile popular culture has become a waste land and our media are mere tools of the oligarchs.

    We started losing our voice seriously in the 80's and it has just accelerated. Now you have a nation of great poverty and a struggling middle class.
    Luckily we have a militarized police force in case they decide to pull a Howard Beale.

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  13. @ Ducky: Now we are back with the warlords(military industrial complex) and the theocrats trying to form a union with neo- conservatives to essentially install a populist free government. The people are being boxed out.

    Quite a stretch, there. I assume you're never lived in a country ruled by warlords. If you had, you wouldn't be making such stupid statements.

    Unlike you, I have also lived in a theocracy. I'll cut to the chase: Amoral America ain't one.

    We are a progressive corporatocracy. You're people built this, Ducky. Own it.

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  14. Get Bach to back. It's far more edifying than Marxian dialectics.

    Bach was far too busy performing wonders to be involved in anything as petty and enervating as politics.

    "Life thine eyes unto the mountains ..." THAT is where we find our truest and best "help."

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  15. I apologize for going off-topic, but sometimes, someone says something so outrageously false and stupid that it must be countered with facts.

    Ducky is not a dumb man, so I can only conclude that spreads such lies and red propaganda on purpose.

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