On another thread, Mr. Smyth indicated that the power of Bach's music was based on his use of polyphony. I took this as representing Mr. Smyth's "big picture" of what makes Bach great. I was listening last night to vol. 9 of the BIS/Bach cantata series; in particular, I was finding a few of the fast/powerful choral passages quite thrilling. All of a sudden, I realized that Mr. Smyth might have only been referring to those parts of Bach works where intense power dominated. Concerning those parts, I definitely agree that the polyphony is the cornerstone of the power. Bach utilizes it so masterfully, as he mazimizes the music's intensity. Much of the thrill I felt was a direct result of the polyphony. I don't want to leave the impression that I find no significance in Bach's polyphony in other genres. It's a major facet of his solo keyboard works, and the Art of the Fugue and Musical Offering benefit greatly through its use. Don Satz [log in to unmask]