1746 Hildebrandt organ at the Wenzelskirche, Naumburg, Germany

Michael Barone reviews a summer selection of recent recordings of music by and related to Johann Sebastian Bach.

Our annual reflection on world happenings, with highlights of instruments, young artists, and exceptional recordings.

There’s no denying his place as one of music’s grand masters. Even his name provides a motive for further exploration. On our next Pipedreams broadcast, we celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach with some adventuresome early works, several colorful arrangements of his works by other composers and a few pieces in modern mode which were inspired by his example. In his own time, he was a prime mover and has been an inspiration for musicians ever since. From Alice Tully Hall to Saint Wenzel’s Church in Naumburg, Robert Clark, Catharine Crozier, Barbara Harbach, Anthony Newman, and friends sweep through the workshop and find Chips off the Old Bach, this week on Pipedreams.

What’s past was yesterday’s future. In this week’s program we take look in both directions by summing up happenings in the year 2002 and projecting our future into the new year. We’ll have snapshots from a European tour, birthday celebrations for some noted composers, a few highlights from superb concerts we’ve attended, and reflections on important personalities who have gone to their reward. Trumpets sound forth, ancient pipes sing out, and persuasive personalities make the case for the King of Instruments as we celebrate the New Year and savor highlights from the Old. This week we take our annual look back & forward by pondering the pages in An Organist’s Yearbook.

Although we’ll never be able to find a definitive Bach organ, we do know where he played and the sorts of instruments which influenced him. On this week’s show, we’ll visit the church in Arnstadt, Bach’s first important job, drop in at the Castle Church in Lahm, where he helped a cousin with the organ design, and at Altenburg Palace where, later, his best pupil, Krebs, was employed. We’ll hear an instrument by Silbermann, who Bach respected but with whom he did not see eye-to-eye, also the new organ at Saint Thomas Church, Leipzig, modeled after one in Bach’s hometown, and the extraordinary Hildebrandt masterpiece in Naumburg, which we think Bach designed. Bach traveled the countryside as Germany’s foremost recitalist, and we follow his footsteps to hear the sounds he knew and the organs which were important in his growth as an artist. Come with us to Arnstadt, Altenburg, Naumburg, Leipzig and Lahm, as we revisit history and celebrate Bach’s Royal Instruments.

A reminder of the variety of Bach’s own music, and the instruments, playing styles, and compositions that he inspired.

A four-century survey of organ music and a review of some resplendent recent recordings.

…music beyond the standard repertoire, some of it recently discovered, some of questionable authenticity, but all sounding splendid on an international collection of ‘Bach’s Royal Instruments’.

…celebratory music for choirs and instruments in observance of the springtime Christian Easter.

…with hymns, chorales, chants and organ solos, we reflect on spring's rebirth at Easter.

…a tri–centenary salute to Bach's favorite and most prolific student, Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713–1780)

…an exploration of the many sorts of composition that you find under the generic, historic title "Ricercar".

…with so many intriguing items slipping between the cracks of our awareness, we thought we might share some overlooked treasures here.

…the immeasurable treasure of Bach’s compositions for organ provides perpetual pleasure.

…in anticipation of the upcoming Pipedreams Tour in Germany, we sample various interpretive approaches of Bach’s music played on instruments in Bach Country.

…in original works and transcriptions, the irrepressible Red Priest continues to deserve our applause.

…the immeasurable treasure of Bach's compositions for organ provides perpetual pleasure.