[Dixielandjazz] Was Bach really Bach?

[Janie McCue Lynch]

HI, Larry....



Interesting and thoughtful response and comments, and I suppose we could go
back and forth indefinitely but I don't want to bore the heck out of the
rest of the folks who may not have an interest in this line of thought. 



Why do you specify that Bach would be like Elton John or Bernstein rather
than any number of other composers?  I see him as being brilliant, and
all-encompassing "within" the regimentation of the times.  Not revolutionary
THEN, it is true...but he was never wealthy and had to "earn a living."  
And as you say, the church was very powerful and wielded great influence. 



If he had been born in the late 19th or early 20th century, my bet is that
he would have been a master at Ragtime and moved on into Dixieland. 



But, as you say, we will never know! 



Best Regards, 



Janie Lynch





 

Bach was of course a master of improv which were called Inventions. Using
figured bass left the player the freedom to "compose" the other several
parts within the piece. The question is did Bach sound like Bach. Today we
assume, because of all the harmonic rules that were in force at the time
that nothing else could have been done. We do know from musical history

that when innovators came along there were sometimes riots. I don't think we
will really ever now if Bach sounded like we suppose Bach sounded like.

 

I have often compared Dixieland as being a modern from most like Mozart. I
say that because Mozart used intricate intertwining contrapuntal lines
exactly in the same way that the clarinet plays against the cornet line and
the Trombone is doing something entirely different. I think that if there is
a modern form that Mozart would like the most it would be Dixieland.

 

Yes I think if these guys lived today they would be composing music in
contemporary modes but they wouldn't be like the composers we know, they
would be like Elton John or Leonard Bernstein.

 

So far as Bach's 23 kids. That was a sanctioned activity in his day.
Obviously he swung in the  bedroom but I don't think the church would have
allowed him to deviate on the keyboard. I say that because I teach music at
a Lutheran school. I hope I don't offend anyone but their music is the
antithesis of swing. Extrapolating back I think he (Bach)was pretty straight
at least in public.

 

Without modern birth control, many of us on this list would also have 23
kids too.

 

Larry Walton

St. Louis

----- Original Message -----

From: "Janie McCue Lynch" <janie51 at socal.rr.com>

To: "LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing" <sign.guy at charter.net>

Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>

Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2005 4:59 PM

Subject: Swing those songs was NEW TUNES FOR OKOM?

 

 

> From Larry:

>

> "Speaking of the masters. I do think they would like the different

> interpretations of their work. To be copied is a form of flattery. The

only

> two that I think that might not like changes were Bach and Beethoven. Bach

> because he came from a very straight laced society and Beethoven because

he

> was generally mad at everything and I really don't think he liked his life

> outside of music much. Mozart on the other hand was I think a lot like

Elton

> John and would have gotten a kick out of it and then suggested changes to

> make it better."

>

> I agree with you about Beethoven and Mozart, Larry, but disagree regarding

> Bach. Bach did, indeed, live in an externally circumscribed time, but

> remember that he had three wives, with whom he sired twenty six children!

>

> I read a recent article in Piano Today magazine regarding Bach's

Three-Part

> Inventions, in which the author quotes theorist FW Marpurg (1760) in

> discussing Bach's passion for "keeping the materials and their

relationships

> constantly fascinating" when composing so much fugal or canonic music.

> Marpurg notes that "Bach pronounced the works of a fine old contrapuntist

> dry and wooden, because that composer stuck continuously, without any

change

> to his principal subject; and certain fugues by a more modern

contrapuntist

> pedantic, because he had not shown enough fire in the episodes to

reanimate

> the theme."

>

> I think if JSB could inject such passion into works that were regimented

by

> the era and also by the necessity of his earning a living by pleasing

those

> of that era, that if he were around now he would compose some wonderful

jazz

> and it would definitely swing! That being impossible, my bet is that he

> would love to hear other takes on his works.

>

> Thank you, Larry, for your always interesting posts!

>

> Jane Lynch

> janie51 at socal.rr.com

>

 

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