music clip of the day

Thursday, December 27th

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin; Bella Hristova (violin)

first four movements, live (studio), Boston, 2012

fifth movement (Chaconne), live, Philadelphia, 2013

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lagniappe

radio

WKCR’s Bach Festival (until midnight New Year’s Eve)

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musical thoughts

On one stave, for a small instrument, the man writes a whole world of the deepest thoughts and most powerful feelings. If I imagined that I could have created, even conceived the piece, I am quite certain that the excess of excitement and earth-shattering experience would have driven me out of my mind.

—Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), on Bach’s Chaconne, in a letter to Clara Schumann (translated from German)

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Wednesday, December 26th

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II; András Schiff (piano), live, London, 2018

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lagniappe

radio

WKCR’s Bach Festival continues through midnight New Year’s Eve.

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musical thoughts

If there is anyone who owes everything to Bach, it is God. Without Bach, God would be a third-rate character.

—Emil Cioran (1911-1995)

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Monday, December 24th

never enough

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor; Hidemi Suzuki (cello), live, Netherlands (Amsterdam), 2017

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lagniappe

radio

One of my favorite musical events begins today: the annual Bach Festival on WKCR-FM (Columbia University), where it’ll be all Bach, all the time, until midnight New Year’s Eve.

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musical thoughts

It may well be that some composers do not believe in God. All of them, however, believe in Bach.

—Bela Bartok (1881-1945)

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Sunday, December 23rd

sounds of Chicago

Pastor DeAndre Patterson, “To God Be the Glory,” live (Rev. Clay Evans’ 92nd birthday celebration, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church), Chicago, 2017

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)

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Saturday, December 22nd

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Erik Satie (1866-1925), Sonneries de la Rose+Croix (No. 2); Reinbert de Leeuw (piano), live, Netherlands (Utrecht), 2011

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lagniappe

random sights

last night, Oak Park, Ill.

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Friday, December 21st

what’s new

Bon Iver, “Woods” (J. Vernon), live, Paris, 11/3/18

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)

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Thursday, December 20th

sounds of Turkey

Özgür Baba (cura, voice), “Dertli Dolap” (words by Turkish poet Yunus Emre), live, Turkey, 2018

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago

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Erik Satie (1866-1925), Ogives (4) (00:00-), Pieces froides (6) (12:29-), Gnossiennes (6) (25:02-), Sonneries de la Rose+Croix (3) (44:51-), Gymnopedies (3) (58:59-); Reinbert de Leeuw (piano), live, 1982