Donald Satz wrote:

>Does anyone think one or other composers wrote instrumental music at a
>higher level than Bach?

Respectfully I have to disagree with you.  In much of Bach's instrumental
music, but not all, I hear a composer merely exercising his craftsmanship,
with very little musical inspiration behind what to me is often just a
demonstration of pure mechanics.  Don't get me wrong, Bach is a genius at
invention and construction but, to coin a phrase:  "Where's the music?"

The eminent critic of Bach, W.J. Turner, once wrote:  What makes it
difficult to evaluate Bach's music correctly is Bach's virtuosity; but
while the prodigious technical skill may interest and amaze the academic
musician "with the score in his hands and his soul long defunct," it is
valueless as music "unless it is as expressive as it is accomplished."

John Dalmas
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