Is it the "cool thing" to love Bach and say he was the greatest composer ever?

Question

Now this question isn't an attack on Bach, it's more about his reputation.

Bach came before Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler etc etc, Bach did it first, Bach inspired them all, Bach composed so much music.

Bach is the greatest of all time.

Is that how it works?

Answer 1

>>>>Is it the "cool thing" to love Bach

Absolutely. Music students who prefer Nineteeth Century music are frowned upon as sissies.



>>>>and say he was the greatest composer ever?

Probably not.

Whenever anyone writes into this forum asking for a comparison between composers of two diffeent time periods, someone sticks his nose up in the air and says "You're comparing apples and oranges."



>>>>Bach came before Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler etc etc,

The earlier the music you listen to, the less grounds anyone will have for calling you ethnocentric.

I have wanted to become more familiar with Renaissance music, but I've gotten too engrossed in studying Eighteenth Century music.



>>>>Bach inspired them all,

I think you're right.

True, in the late Eighteenth Century, the name "Bach" implied Karl Philipp Emanuel rather than Johann Sebastian for most people.

But for Mozart and Beethoven, that was an exception.

Beethoven made a pun on Bach's name, which means "brook," and said that his name should nt be Brook but Ocean.

We have Baron Gottried van Sweiten to thank. This nobleman invited Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven to his house and made sure that they got a thorough instruction in early Eighteenth Century music, including Bach's music.



>>>>Bach did it first,

Not sure I agree with you there.

Bach had numerous other strengths, but not innovativeness.

Answer 2

"Is it the ""cool thing"" to love Bach, and say he was the greatest composer ever"?



COOL? I don't know; who really cares? All of the classical music lovers I've ever known, had no interest whatsoever in being perceived as "cool". ((("Bach is the greatest of all time". Addressed in my last paragraph)))



"Bach came before Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler": a true indisputable statement(etc., etc., ???).



"Bach inspired them all": HARDLY. Bach's music after his death, fell into obscurity - not sure it was even known to Mozart or Beethoven. Didn't become widely known until Felix Mendelssohn who lived post Beethoven, rediscovered it and promoted it widely. So to say that he inspired both Mozart and Beethoven, would be dubious at best - Mahler? Most likely.



"Bach composed much music": undeniable.



"Bach is the greatest of all time". Undoubtedly to some people; but certainly not to all. The one thing that can be said about him with total and complete confidence, is that he was the greatest contrapuntist of all time. I dare anyone to dispute this statement.



Alberich

Answer 3

While it is true that Bach inspired later composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, etc. (especially in counterpoint and fugal writing), I would still love his music even if I didn't know that. I can't say whether he was the greatest or not (Beethoven is still my favorite).



What I love about Bach is the sheer genius of beauty and richness of his music. This all starts with his mastery of counterpoint. Mathematicians have found complex mathematical patterns in his composition. There was a scientist who once said that we should communicate with the universe by beaming Bach's music out into space, and I totally understand what he means. There is a sort of universality to his music. For me, Beethoven is the one who best speaks to the distinctly human condition however.

Answer 4

I think Bach is the best composer of all time. Sometimes I genuinely wonder why a few Classical Music fans are inclined to try to knock Bach down a peg. He is the Originator and Technical Master of modern progressive music (not just classical music) in my opinion, although Postmodern musicians in the 20th century moved beyond the system he worked within. Bach is a true progressive artist. He is constantly pushing boundaries and exploring. He was a musical genius along with Beethoven in my opinion.



It is Bach's progressive philosophy about music, as well as his wonderful music, that makes him amazing. Some people say Bach is not emotional, but I disagree. He is emotional, he just doesn't throw it in your face; he is emotional but subtle and intelligent about it. Bach also had the first Rigorous Mindset about advancing music - which has inspired and continues to inspire musicians to progress music themselves. He was the first great Intellectual Musician. Bach is, among other things, a mentality of greatness that begs imitation.

Answer 5

It is only "cool" if you understand his music and know more than the titles of three of his pieces. Bach was almost completely forgotten until Mendelssohn brought his music back to the public.



http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200156436/default.html



It is not "cool" to disparage other composers like Telemann, Charpentier, Handel, Locatelli, Rameau, Quantz, Couperin, Buxtehude, etc and dismiss them as not being equal to Bach.



... that is a sure sign of an uninformed and closed mind.

Answer 6

I found I didn't care for Bach when I was younger. I thought he was boring and useless! But once I began to study his music, the theory and really getting into his music, then I began to appreciate him. Musicians like him, or, at least, respect him because we've taken the time to listen, study, learn and appreciate him.



~Lisa

Answer 7

i think it is the cool thing to love Bach and I believe he did inspire them all.

Answer 8

Bach's the king of Counterpoint,

That's how it is

Answer 9

yes!!!!

Bach is great! i love all the brandenburgs! and his cello suites are amazing!!

i absolutely abhor mozart's music. bluck!

Answer 10

Nope. Never been caught and never caught anyone else