Zeev Schor asks:

>The term "Musical Offering" has created for me quite a lot of confusion.
>I would appreciate if a member of the list would explain to me if there are
>more than one "Musical Offering" by J.S.Bach, and how they ar catalogued?

There's only one Musical Offering and it's BWV 1079.  I think Zeev is
getting a little confused because of the 'trio sonata' designation.

The Musical Offering has two Ricercari, many Canons, and one four-movement
trio sonata.  It is specificially the trio sonata from the Musical
Offering.  Bach wrote many other trio sonatas including for organ, and
some trio sonatas attributed to Bach are likely not composed by him.
Regardless, each of these trio sonatas, except for the one from the Musical
Offering, has a BWV number different than 1079.

The Florilegium disc from Channel Classics can only add to the confusion.
The bigger lettering on the cover states - "A Musical Offering".  The
smaller letters state - "The complete instrumental trio sonatas".  But this
disc only has the Ricercar A 6 and the Trio Sonata from the Musical
Offering; there are no Canons nor Ricercar A 3.  It's definitely either
deceptive or dumb presentation on the part of Channel Classics.  As for the
'complete instrumental trio sonata' statement, that's pure bull.  The six
Trio Sonatas for organ alone take up an entire disc, and the last time I
investigated the matter, the organ was still considered an instrument to
be reckoned with.

As an aside, some of these cd covers defy worthy explanation.  On the
Channel Classics release, the cover art is a war-horse used picture of
a bunch of angels praying to an elevated lamb representing you-know-who.
It's the same cover as on Gardiner's Mass in B minor, although in darker
shades.  Actually, it looks like they just might cut off the lamb's head
after praying to it; give it a look.  Unless I'm mistaken, there's a guy
behind a set of trees on a grassy knoll who appears mighty hungry.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]