On March 2nd, the Piano Studies program performs J.S. Bach’s complete Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, in Fulton Recital Hall. (event info) What is the inspiration behind this ambitious program?
One of the surprises as I started in the Piano Program was the curious repertoire preferences of new students, usually locked firmly somewhere between late Beethoven and late Brahms, with an occasional over-played bit of Rachmaninoff. When I suggested perhaps learning some Bach, the shocking response was often “Bach is boring”. This is just like saying “Chocolate is tasteless”! (Or waving red in front of a bull.) I must assume that the little bit of Bach taught to these unfortunates in the past was somehow misrepresented, or never properly explained… In my not-at-all nagging way, I would suggest (cajole, order, bribe) learning some Bach pieces with me, and try to illustrate why “boring” is the very last epithet one might apply to them. One after another, students would become converted, and ask for more Bach! The annual Bach project (in its third year now) is a way to convert student en masse, and to allow those already addicted a chance to enjoy lots of this music surrounded by the like-minded.
We all cordially extend an invitation to everyone in the community to come and join us. Especially to those poor souls still not certain that Bach was the greatest musical genius to have graced the Earth!