author : Robert Greenberg

This is the course guidebook that accompanies the 32 lecture “Great Course” of the same name. It is essentially an abbreviated transcript of each lecture, a few pictures, and some related reading. (I watched the lectures, which is what I am reviewing here, and am using the book simply as an aide-memoire.)

This lecture series covers the life and music of Bach, in the context of other Baroque-era musicians, and of the prior Renaissance period music and earlier. I learned a lot about the topic, including some history, musical theory, and specific pieces.

Having a snippet played several times, along with explanations of what to listen to, means I can now hear some things in the music I missed before. But there were definitely times when I could not hear the distinction being illustrated. The book includes ‘word scores’, which can be read while listening, that highlight different features: repeats, inversions, variations, etc.

The series ends with four lectures on the St Matthew passion, then another four on the Goldberg Variations, both Bach pieces I was previously unfamiliar with. Here I learned some things I suspect the lecturer did not intend to be the lesson.

Having listened to bits of the St Matthew Passion, I now understand much better why I don’t like opera. The ‘recitative’ portions, sung by a single voice, have always sounded (to me) strained and unmusical (even here, when written by Bach!) Yet when Greenberg said that one should listen along with the libretto, in order to understand the story, a little light went off in my head: I feel that music should be appreciated as music, without needing to understand the words. Indeed, sometimes when I read a translation of certain pieces, I feel the meaning does not add to (and maybe even detracts from) the sounds.

Another thing Greenberg said was that Bach, moreso at the end of his career, was composing for other composers (and himself), rather than for an audience. His music is complex, polyphonic, and very clever. Listening to the Goldberg Variations, I found the cleverness maybe overriding my enjoyment. Although the sheer speed and complexity of the Tocattas in particular was extremely impressive.

Bach wasn’t appreciated during his lifetime. Much of his music was lost: the paper it was written on was sold as wrapping paper for food! And he was killed by an infection caused by a botched cataract operation, performed by the same doctor who later killed Handel in the same way. These sorts of stories make one wish that time machines existed.

This is definitely recommended. I learned a lot of history and theory, such as the structure of a fugue. I learned to appreciate some pieces better: I can now hear the ‘walking bass’ under the Air on a G String, for example. I learned why I don’t like some other pieces: I’m basically a musically-illiterate philistine. But be warned: after listening intently to the same snippets several times, I ended up with several earworms. But, if I have to have an earworm, it being Air on a G String isn’t that bad.