# Which are your three favorite works by J.S. Bach?



## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

The works are ordered by date of composition/publication.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

I chose the Mass in B Minor and the Art of Fugue. But there are multiple canidates for the third spot. I chose WTC Book II, but I could have chosen The Musical Offering, St. Matthew Passion, or Goldberg Variations.


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

Goldberg Variations, St. Matthew Passion and double violin concerto (hence “Other”).


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

I chose the SMP, WTC II, and Goldbergs, but I would probably rather listen to 15-20 cantatas before the latter two.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

I like all the 5 lutheran masses. Even better than say, the christmas and easter oratorios


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## Guest (Nov 24, 2020)

I presume you all know about this site, All of Bach, from the Netherlands:

https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/allofbach


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Christabel said:


> I presume you all know about this site, All of Bach, from the Netherlands:
> 
> https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/allofbach


I didn't. Thanks for sharing!


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2020)

hammeredklavier said:


> I like all the 5 lutheran masses. Even better than say, the christmas and easter oratorios


I listened again last night to Netherlands Bach Society's "*St. John Passion*". I posted their _All of Bach_ website here earlier. The performers are all under 35 (except conductor and leaders) and what splendid musicians they are. This work has increasing appeal to me and I'm now thinking it's a more varied and dramatic work than the "*St. Matthew Passion*". I absolutely love this: a story of betrayal and guilt - a shining light for humanity and a profoundly moving narrative. *32:53* here, and following:

https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-245/

Does anybody know if Bach set entirely new texts to the Chorales used here? Those melodies would have been familiar to the Lutheran congregations of the time. Possibly still so today.

The incredible complexity, counterpoint and melismas in this work are just phenomenal.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Brandenburg concertos, Magnificat, Easter Oratorio


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Mass in b
B'burgs

other = Orchestral suites


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2020)

Heck148 said:


> Mass in b
> B'burgs
> 
> other = Orchestral suites


That's wonderful shorthand for people in the know.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

My other is the Gambe sonatas and lute suites. I had to put on St. John Passion now though. Bach is my #2 favorite composer (after Mozart). What I call my favorite pieces are the ones I've listened the most to, but I always love to hear any music by Bach!


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

It's impossible to narrow it down to any small number. All of them.


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2020)

consuono said:


> It's impossible to narrow it down to any small number. All of them.


Absolutely gold comment!!!


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Strange that no one voted for the Clavier-Übung III yet. I wonder if there are any organists among us.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

WTC 1 and 2 and Goldberg Variations. Keyboard Bach is best Bach.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

TwoFlutesOneTrumpet said:


> WTC 1 and 2 and Goldberg Variations. Keyboard Bach is best Bach.


Not really. There's probably not a "best Bach", to me anyway, but Bach's style of writing is such that there's no big difference among genres. If there *is* a "best Bach", it would be his choral music.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

consuono said:


> Not really. There's probably not a "best Bach", to me anyway, but Bach's style of writing is such that there's no big difference among genres. If there *is* a "best Bach", it would be his choral music.


It is my subjective opinion, as all opinions tend to be, that Bach wrote his best music for the keyboard. I am biased, though, as I dislike religious music and choral music in general and I love Bach played on the piano.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

The Coffee Cantata
The Brandenburg Concerti
The Violin Concerti


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## musichal (Oct 17, 2020)

Clavier/Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D-minor, BWV1052 is my favorite.
Cello Suite No. 1 in G-Major, BWV1007.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F-Major.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

...... *comment deleted*


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

For me it's impossible to narrow it down to any small number, so no vote


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Fantasia & Fugue for keyboard in A minor (after Giuseppe Torelli)
I used to practice this


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## Gallus (Feb 8, 2018)

I'm maybe a bit of an oddball in that I listen to the keyboard suites the most: the English suites first for it's pure joy and dance and virtuosity. Then the cello suites have some of the deepest, most profound music ever written, plumbing emotions that I can't even express. And finally something from the cantatas, which is the third genre of Bach's that I explore the most, perhaps BWV 140 "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" with its mystical, gorgeous, utterly gorgeous chorales.


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## Fredrikalansson (Jan 29, 2019)

Saint Matthew Passion
Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin
Goldberg Variations 
...and almost every thing else he wrote


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## Musicaterina (Apr 5, 2020)

I like most the Cello Suites, the Brandenburg Concertos and the Orchestral Suites.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

My favourite _single_ Bach piece is probably the Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor. Otherwise, the two Passions (joint first) and the Violin Sonatas/Partitas... although what I put in the "bronze medal" position was a really tough call!


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Love Cello Suites and voted other because I love the two violin concertos


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I voted for the Brandenburg Concertos (especially love #4). the _Goldberg Variations_, and that wonderful Keyboard Concerto in C-minor, one of my very favorite concertos.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

So many great works very difficult choice. I like to see both books of WTC grouped together, but if forced to choose between books I'm in the minority that prefers book I - more gravitas! Hard to beat the perfection of the C major prelude, a priceless gift to all the unvirtuosic pianists of the world to be able to play such a masterpiece. Listen to that monumental fugue in C# minor, or compare the concluding B minor preludes and fugues from both books, the B minor pair from Book I is so much more substantial in my view. Book I starts and concludes in a more convincing fashion, I think. 

That said over all both books are very close. I also chose the organ trios and 'other' because I can't really decide which other work I like best.

All of the works on the list are amazing.


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