Some people like Bach, some people love Bach, and some just want to be
invited to William F. Buckley's house.  There's no question that you all
love Bach, and your replies were as positive as they were helpful.  (Some
of the take-no-prisoners responses of late have been so extravagantly
venomous that I am constantly reminded of Barbara Stanwyck in the throes
of one of her mad-scenes in the old Big Valley episodes)

Mimi Ezust:

>Bach is full of what you say you have missed.  Look carefully and you will
>always be rewarded.  You can trust me.  Would I lie to you?

I am listening to the first unaccompanied Violin Sonata as I write.  Thank
you for such a detailed reply--I printed it up.  (Reminds me of the days
when my friend Tom Davey gave me "tours" through Strauss' "Solome," and
"Elektra.")

Steven Schwartz, discussing the Cantata 106:

>Those two descending lines nevertheless have far different effect - one
>submissive, the other electrifying.  In the background, the *choral* altos
>intone the chorale "With peace and joy, I come to Thee." There's an awful
>lot going on here, musically, symbolically, and emotionally, but it is an
>approach that seems to me fundamentally different from those of composers
>from Beethoven on.

Though it does sound like Strauss pulling together different emotional
strands during the orchestral outburst in Oreste's Recognition Scene in
Electra--will be interesting to compare.  Thank you for your detailed
response--with Bach's output being probably as large as everything I own
from Adams to Zemlinsky, this definitely helps.  Who would think to buy the
unceremoniously-titled: Cantata #106 without recommendation? (105, maybe
and 107, but I would have missed 106.)

Bob Draper:

>It is interesting that you link these two composers, (Bach and Mozart),
>because I find Mozart not so much mono-emotional as zero-emotional.

Zero-emotional?  I even like it, (and there's not an off-stage brass choir
or gong in sight.)

>Your piano teacher's statement, (that only people over 50 should play Bach
>or Mozart), is another variation on the theme of trying to use perverse
>logic to back the received idea that these composers are endowed with some
>magical quality that the average Joe just doesn't understand.

I think I know where my teacher was coming from.  There's no where to hide
when you are playing this music, and the slightest weakness will break the
spell.  As a piano student who chose what music to play by counting up
the number of arpeggio's a piece had, I had a heck of a time bring out
individual voices when it came time to let go of the pedal.  I was very
angry when my piano teacher made me set aside my beloved Debussy and learn
the WTC Prelude and Fugue in Cm.  (darn measures from 28 to 34) When my
nerdy Bach-playing friends had to set aside Bach for the Romantics and
Impressionists, their ability to bring out voices and the clean technique
they possessed made me more than a little envious.

Thank you also Felix Delbrueck and William Hong for your input.  I'm
keeping it all for my next shopping trip.  (I guess I'll put off buying
that CD of Glazunov piano juvenalia for awhile)

John Smyth