The best of Bach

Bach, Johann Sebastian

1. Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041: III. Allegro assai 00:03:50
2. Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Part II: Sinfonia 00:05:59
3. Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Chorale: Jesus bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) (arr. for piano) 00:03:19
4. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048: III. Allegro 00:03:29
5. Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor, BWV 1060: II. Adagio 00:06:34
6. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria 00:03:19
7. Overture (Suite) No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: II. Air, "Air on a G String" 00:05:22
8. 18 Chorales, BWV 651 - 668, "Leipziger Chorale": Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 00:04:44
9. Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056: II. Largo 00:02:50
10. Overture (Suite) No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067: VII. Badinerie 00:01:25
11. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046: II. Adagio 00:05:19
12. Violin Sonata No. 3 in C major, BWV 1005: III. Largo (arr. for guitar) 00:03:24
13. Violin Concerto E major, BWV 1042: II. Adagio 00:07:28
14. Overture (Suite) No. 4 in D major, BWV 1069: V. Rejouissance 00:02:31
15. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047: III. Allegro assai 00:03:23
16. Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non tanto 00:06:50
17. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (arr: for orchestra) 00:05:50
18. Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565: Toccata 00:02:58 
    
    Total Playing Time: 01:18:34

Almost 79 minutes of the essential Bach in some of the best performances on disc. From the simple joy of Dame Myra Hess's Jesu Joy, to the pulsating Toccata in Wolfgang Rübsam's thought provoking reading, the great instrumental and orchestral music is all heard on this superbly compiled disc.

The juxtaposition of music also makes the issue one to enjoy as an introduction to Bach, and at the same time shows how adaptable his music has become to transcriptions, the solo violin sonata here played on the guitar.

Which Compact Disc wrote "it is good to see the excellent organist, Wolfgang Rübsam, back on record", when we issued the Toccata and Fugue, while Penguin Guide described the Brandenburg Concerto as "very well played", and of Chen Pi-Hsien's account of the Goldberg Variations the Penguin Guide says "an artist of refined musical intelligence and taste". We could go one throwing accolades at you, but you already know that if its on Naxos it has to be good.