Archive
Is Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565" a work by someone else? One of J.S. Bach's most famous works is "Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565." It's known for its opening passage, "charara, chararararaara." However, since its initial publication in 1833, there have been questions about whether this "signature work," the "Toccata," is truly by Bach...
Greetings for the season once again this year. I'll be presenting Bach's Sicilienne, primarily against a backdrop of Sicilian scenery. The flutes I'm using are a Louis flute (serial number 81) made of cocoa wood in London in the 1920s, and a Tokai spinet (a small harpsichord) that I believe was made about 40 years ago. The flute underwent a thorough overhaul this year and is now in excellent condition. ...
To everyone who has supported me this year. 2020 was a challenging year for me, as I started my own business under the COVID-19 pandemic. I wondered what would happen, but somehow I managed to reach the end of the year. This is entirely thanks to all of you. While COVID-19 is still raging, I agonized over what song to choose for my New Year's greeting, but I chose J.S. Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" in the hope that you may all welcome the new year with peace of mind. This song…
Since my trip from Berlin to London was on Sunday and I had Saturday free, I went to visit the grave of my beloved C.P.E. Bach. His grave is located in St. Michael's Church (Michaeliskirche), where he served as music director. The church has a rather simple brick exterior, but the interior is a luxurious Baroque style with many curves, a stark contrast to its exterior. Upon entering, I found...
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671-1751), the Baroque composer famous for his "Albinoni Adagio," was born on June 8, 1671, in Venice, Italy. He was renowned as an opera composer during his lifetime, but also left behind many instrumental works, and today his oboe concertos are particularly frequently performed.
Ah, I've come up with another sensational title. But, this year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of C.P.E. Bach (Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach), the second son of the great Bach (J.S. Bach), and I think it's not entirely wrong to call him the father of classical music in the narrow sense—classical music. Even Mozart said, "He is our father, and we are his children."
Equal temperament is a tuning system that divides an octave into 12 equal semitones, and it became popular in the late 19th century. This allowed for the same sound regardless of which of the 24 keys was used, and also enabled free modulation. However, on the other hand, it resulted in a situation where every chord sounded muddy and unpleasant. Let's experience just how unpleasant it is by listening to Hatsune Miku's performance. Just the first minute of each performance is fine. ...
