Bach’s Music Explored in DVD “Bach and Friends”
REVIEW…
Johann Sebastian Bach wrote hundreds of works of music in every idiom, for just about all the instruments of his day, and in fact he could—and did, perform on all of them. His first job was as a violinist. These are factoids revealed in an appealing documentary on the life of Bach that explores the meaning of his music in today’s world from a musical and scientific perspective. Using star musicians and academicians, the DVD, “Bach and Friends”, is a quick-paced enjoyable trip that finally allows a chance to hear the musicians individually perform.
This DVD is an absolute must-have for classroom use in any Musical Appreciation course. Others who want to know about music, the workings of composition, the math/music connection, the artist’s approach to performing great works, and science’s musing about how the brain perceives music, should also grab a copy. The material is well-organized and each presenter is brief and to the point. Among the presenters are violinists Joshua Bell and, Hilary Hahn; clarinetist Richard Stoltzman; and violinist Eugene Drucker of the Emerson String Quartet.
Pieces of information on Bach’s life and the impact of his music on several leading musicians of today is the subject of the 2-disc DVD produced, directed and edited by long-time
Producer-director Michael Lawrence films 12 year-old Hilda Huang for "Bach and Friends"
documentary filmmaker Michael Lawrence. One of the DVD discs is a two-hour documentary on Bach with information and musical ideas presented by 21 top musicians of our day plus an assortment of academicians and technicians who take a stab at explaining why Bach’s music continues to hold a prominent spot in classical music five centuries after they were composed. Others involved in the film are Composer Philip Glass and game pioneer with “Civilization”, Sid Meier, who also give their thoughts on Bach. The second disc, a bonus disc, provides individual full performances of the samples seen and heard during the documentary.
The film gives an accounting of Bach’s life as told in easy to understand terms by pianist and educator Mike Hawley. There is a fascinating section on pianist Glenn Gould,who was a hit in the 1950’s with his recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, demonstrating Zenph Studios’ work to computerize his piano playing. Pianist John Bayless subjects himself to an MRI under the direction of Dr. Charles J. Limb, an Otolaryngologist at Johns Hopkins who also studies the effects of music on the brain as a faculty member at the university’s Peabody Conservatory of Music. But, musicians and the music are central here and include banjoist Bela Fleck, ukulelist Jake Shimabukuro, double-bassist Edgar Meyer and composer Peter Schickele appearing as his
Cellist Zuill Bailey
alter-ego, PDQ Bach, composer Bobby McFerrin and cellist Zuill Bailey. Organist Felix Hell (23 years-old) and pianist Hilda Huang (12 years-old) are indicative of the general youthfulness of the production. Ward Swingle of the Swingle Singers may not be young, but Bach in scat is pretty cool.
Shot in Hi-def, the camera is fluid, something that keeps the visual interest high throughout. The 2-disc DVD Bach and Friends is available from Michael Lawrence Films for $39.95 for private use and $80.00 for library or classroom use. Shipping for either class is $4 by USPS. Copies can be ordered at mlfilms.com.
By Bill Peters
