Bach Edition: Complete Works (155 CD Box Set) | Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, ...

Bach Edition: Complete Works (155 CD Box Set) | Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, ... | Review of Works of Bach

classical music:

Bach Edition: Comp...

	Bach Edition: Complete Works (155 CD Box Set) Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, ... Brilliant Classics, 2006 average customer review:based on 59 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Spend a few months with Bach

Currently available from Amazon's French site for about $100 with shipping, this is simply an amazing collection. I agree with the consensus view that it is a smashing success, both artistically and economically.

As you'd expect the quality of the performances is somewhat uneven, but it's generally quite high, often as definitive as you will find for certain individual works. Most of the interpretations are historically informed, and most are on period instruments or copies of period instruments. The closer you can get to the timbres, performance techniques, ensemble sizes and intonation systems for which this music was written, the more listenable it is.

During my musical apprentice days, I naturally learned Bach's "canonical" masterpieces. But working my way through these complete surviving works over four months allowed me to discover a number of gems for the first time: some of the early experimental keyboard works, the lute music, the occasional jewels among the hundreds of arias and choruses comprising the church cantatas, the remarkable proto-minimalist BWV 922 keyboard Prelude, etc. To make the experience even more interesting, I assembled my favorites along the way into 22 CDs worth of highlights to which I've been putting myself and the kids to bed for the past several weeks. Sweet.

If you're a fan of Bach or Baroque music, do yourself a favor and indulge in this set. It's also a great gift for a music lover (at least at current Amazon France prices).

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Review of Works of Bach

The item arrived on time and the music is excellent, as advertised. Both the playing and recording are quite good, though the small size of some of the groups playing the music is apparent from the sound. This, however, is not a criticism. I am well satisfied.

Good performances and sound

Most of performances are great. The sound is also excellent, especially Cellos.

Great at Any Price, but Incredible Bargain

If you enjoy Bach's music and do not already have a big library, get this set. The performances, recording, and packaging are all very good. At the price, you can't go wrong.

good selection but uneven quality