While some people may dream about meeting Chopin, Scriabin, or maybe Granados, I sometimes muse about the idea what I would say when I had the opportunity go back in time and meet JS Bach in person.

There is no human being I revere more than Bach, it comes as near to being religious as can be. It seems likely he would be a small, rotund, probably slightly impatient man, maybe a bit unkempt, smelling of smoke, unwashed clothes, and what not. I guess I would probably be too overcome with awe and emotion to utter a single word, and would have to resist the urge to hug him, instead maybe dropping down to kiss his feet. While JSB would in all probablity be thinking 'I wish all these suckers would leave me alone', as he was just putting together next sunday's Cantata and a couple of fugues in his head.

If only things like that could happen.... It's a silly but entertaining fantasy. I am sure some of you have similar ones.

Oh yes I often have those kinds of fantasies. But unlike reality, I don't resist doing anything to Chopin or Granados!

I like the above description of how Bach would look, and even smell.

After doing a lot of research in order to best determine how Debussy himself would want his music played, I found myself exasperated at the "experts" who adjudicated the Debussy portion of our annual local competition. They were "out to lunch" but so confident about all of the misinformation that they were giving. I often fantasized about an impeccably-dressed Debussy suddenly making an appearance in the competition hall. I would be grinning in the back row while he told the modern experts just how wrong they all were, in broken English with a heavy French accent. Perhaps he would rip or throw a few of the written music scores to dramatically make his point. And rattle off a few French swear words.

I am not the only one to have such fantasies about an original source showing up out of the blue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBtXfBdE ... re=related

Chris, I thoroughly enjoyed every word, every expression you selected on your post
I haven't been so addicted to any composer so far, as you guys are... Actually I envy such an enthusiasm.

I had to reread the author's name of this post twice! I never heard such emotion from you Mr. Techneut; I thought Ms. Monmon was the creator of this thread.

Bach would be a character to talk to. Would his personality be as mathematically and musically perfect as his compositions (bearing in mind the saying: you are what you eat--we could very well say 'You are what you compose')?

I'd like to meet Schubert, Liszt, Tausig or Alkan (just to hear with my own ears if they could play their own bombastic compositions)

-me

p.s. Or Antonio Soler and I would take my camera along just so we could a picture of him on the website

It was never a surprise to me. Mr. Techneut has been always so (This emoticon is a new feature of the new forum format, I just found that!)

The more you immerse yourself in Bach's music (not restricting yourself to keyboard output, that's only a small part) the larger he becomes, and unavoidably you'll find yourself in ever more awe.


Duh... Ms. Monmon has no truck with Bach.
And just because I tend not to wave my emotions around, doesn't mean I have none !
Last week I was driving in the car and as it was Easter they had the Mattheus Passion on the radio (surprise). As always, the aria 'Mache dich mein Herze rein' brought tears to my eyes. As can do the B minor mass, some organ works, and assorted arias from the passions and cantatas.

That aria is my favorite, too! The Matthäus Passion has indeed a number of heavenly beautiful arias...

I have fantasies about Bach and Chopin meeting each other.

Yes, I'm weird.

Oh, I saw this topic just now. What a splendid fantasy to meet Bach, Chris. I would have the same awe like you! I think, he was a realistic man, who loved his family like a true father could do. And he had to fight for surviving with his family in a world of ingratitude and incomprehension concerning his ingenious music, which only few persons of his time really knew to appreciate.
He was a realistic and human person as he is described by several biographs, but his inspiration and genius was devine, coming from a higher world!

I recommend the biographies by Spitta (1993) and Forkel (1802). The biography-film by Lother Bellag (Regie), DDR 1985, with Ulrich Thein as Johann Sebastian Bach is also a quite good description from my view. There the awe concerning his person shines through. (It´s a german film, which I have on DVD, don´t know, if it is availabe in English.)

And not to forget the excellent book by Albert Schweitzer, which he wrote in 1908.

I would also like to meet Bach. I'd also like to have witnessed the Beatles' last performance (Abbey Road rooftop).

The danger in meeting Bach, or any great artist, of course, is that the great artist may not necessarily be a great man. I imagine Socrates (in the Apology) was right: "I went next to the poets, but they could not explain the source of their inspiration, etc." Beethoven admitted as much in one of his letters: "as to where I get my melodies, I honestly cannot say ... they simply come to me." In person, they just might be the least interesting (and the most preoccupied) of men. Probably it would be much more interesting to meet Casanova, for example, or the Comte de Saint Germain.

Jim Abraham

Yes, you got a point there. Chances are that ole Bach would be too pre-occupied with his music to be nice company. He probably would not talk about anything else, without giving you the chance to get a word in sideways. Even if you did, he would most probably know better. Or maybe he would not talk much at all, just be getting on with his next sunday's cantata and half a dozen other projects.

Even so ! Fans want to meet their idols don't they ! In that respect we are not as different from the younger generation as we think we may be.

Good thing you don't have a fancy to meet Brahms, he'd might insult you From what I understand Johnny Boy easily offended those around him. Is this true or just gossip? I don't know.

Yep. I think we'd get along just fine