Who in the right mind starts writing about music, and then writes about a relatively unknown transcription of a piece by none other than Schoenberg ? I must tell you that I do not like reinvented Bach. Then why start the series with a Bach transcription ? Because this one is Dazzling. This one deserves to be the first. Before we go to Schoenberg’s version, it’s important to talk about the original Prelude and Fugue. In his typical way, Bach has weaved Christian numerology and Symbolism into the structure of the piece.
The prelude is distinctily different - from other chorale preludes in [Clavier-Übung III] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavier-%C3%9Cbung_III)
Schoenberg never leaves Bach, infact he lets Bach’s themes grow into a magnificient orchestral tapestry.
Some Great Recordings -
- https://www.bach-cantatas.com/NVP/Ozawa.htm#T2 (Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra)