Why do composers love Bach so much?
Bach is a steady presence throughout our lives as musicians. In my own experience, which is shared, Im certain, by many composers, Bach (and Mozart) represented my first introduction to serious music for the keyboard. Later, I had the life-changing opportunities to sing the greatest choral music ever written Bachs Magnificat, for example, and the motet Jesu Meine Freude and the incomparable Mass in B minor. We all learn about four-part harmony through Bachs chorale harmonizations, and we learn tonal counterpoint by studying his fugues. I admire the music of Bach for its clarity, precision, and inventiveness. I love it for its beauty and daring, and for the breadth of its emotive landscape. I can be just as moved by Bach as I am by Mahler! What was it like writing for basically the same ensemble as Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No. 4? This was a true challenge, especially at first! The anatomy of this ensemble is orchestral in nature, yet each section of players is quite small by modern st
