Five Bach Pieces You Need To Know

Dec 1, 2010
Ben Beers

Fugue in G Minor - imslp.org

If you're new to erudite music, Bach is a good place to start. These are his most essential pieces, and incidentally the best ones to start with.

J.S. Bach was extremely prolific. He wrote over 1100 pieces[1], and those are only the ones we still know about. Even an experienced Bach listener can run into a piece he's never heard of; someone new to Bach can find his huge body of works daunting to sort through.

If you're new to Bach, and looking for an introductory list to get started, this list is for you. Remember, when you listen to a piece, listen at least three times through, with your full attention, before you decide whether you like it or not. If you're the kind of person who makes that decision ten seconds after you hit play, you're going to miss a lot of good music.

BWV 578 – 'Little' Fugue in G minor

Bach wrote a book of 48 fugues [2], which is impressive when you realize what a fugue is: at least two (sometimes as many as four) melodic lines, each layering over the other ones and imitating them, all while revolving around a central theme and conforming to a strict contrapuntal style.

This particular fugue begins with a powerful, commanding theme that develops and gathers power as the piece goes on. The musical effect of it is like a snowball, slowly gathering mass until it triggers an avalanche. What's remarkable, though, is how accessible this piece is. It's very short, usually taking less than four minutes to play, while its counterpoint and melodic shape are very easy to grasp.

BWV 1004 – Partita for Violin in D minor, 'Chaconne'

If you hear someone mention 'a chaconne', they're talking about a piece which uses counterpoint over a repeating bass line. If you hear someone mention 'the chaconne', they're probably talking about this. And in a technical sense, this really is 'the' chaconne. The piece used every technical trick available to violinists at the time it was written. Meaning, it demands that the performer do just about everything you can do with a violin. When a competent player is handling the chaconne, it's hard to believe that there's just one violin. At some points, it sounds like a string orchestra.

More to the point, the Partita – especially the last movement, which contains the famous chaconne – is painfully melancholic. The sound and feel of it are heartbreaking, and no wonder: Bach's first wife died while he was writing it.

BWV 232 – B Minor Mass, 'Agnus Dei'

Much of Bach's music was written for the church. The B Minor Mass is one of his more famous ecclesiastical pieces. Although it's in minor key, it certainly isn't depressing or downtrodden - in fact, it's almost therapeutic. The whole piece carries an atmosphere of gentle resignation. A word of warning, however: if you're not experienced with erudite music, it may bore you the first time around. But don't give up. Pay attention to it and listen a few times through, and you'll understand what makes it so important.

BWV 1058 – Harpsichord Concerto

Bach wrote many, many concertos, a concerto being a piece where one instrument plays lead and clashes with the orchestra. Some of his harpsichord concertos are famous, but some of the lesser-known ones like this really are diamonds in the rough.

If you're having difficulty with the B Minor Mass, this one should hold your attention a little more easily. The opening violin phrase is defiant, almost violent. Bach's quintessential Baroque style is made easier to follow in this piece by all of the different instruments. In a more dense piece, such as his D Minor Concerto for two violins, all the notes sound similar to each other because only one kind of instrument is being played. In his harpsichord concertos, however, each melodic line is carried by a distinct instrument so you don't have to pick it all apart in your head.

BWV 1007 – Cello Suite, no. 1

This is one you've probably heard before. It's based entirely around the cello, and wouldn't you know it, it reveals some things about the instrument that you don't hear in an orchestra. Cellos, being a lower-pitched instrument, tend to get swallowed in large-ensemble pieces like symphonies. Here, Bach shows us what a cello can do by itself. Musically, this is one of Bach's most gentle, sweet-sounding pieces. You hear a lot of people describe it as 'heavenly' or 'otherworldly'. Maybe it's because I grew up in the Midwestern U.S, but this piece has always reminded me of the sun rising over a cornfield. It's a very good 'morning-time' piece, if that makes any sense at all

Remember that this isn't an exhaustive list. Treat each of these pieces as a jumping-off point. If you like the Fugue in G Minor, then find some other Bach fugues to listen to. If you like the Harpsichord Concerto, then look up some of his other concertos. Understanding a composer of Bach's caliber is the work of a lifetime. Becoming 'merely' acquainted with him is a task that deserves a few weeks of your time, at least.