I used to listen to Dr. Greenberg’s audio courses while driving and doing housework. This summer I started back up with Fundamentals of Music. I pretty much finished reviewing that one, although I used a couple of the lectures to help me fall asleep, so I might be a bit vague on those.

Today I started up again with Bach and the High Baroque. This is a longer course than Fundamentals, but not as long as the survey of western music class. It’s 32 lectures. I plan to listen to them during the day rather than while falling asleep, so that I can be sure not to miss anything.

I listened to lectures 1 and 2 today while cleaning the aviary. One thing that struck me was the talk about Bach’s extended family of musicians – how the relatives would get together and, after singing some serious hymns, would then do spoof versions of popular songs. I think the adjective Greenberg used was “ribald”.  Bach also had a close relationship with “his prince” — he worked for him for 6 years — composing music for someone who loved his work. I tend to think of Bach as a lonely genius, and it’s nice to have that image replaced. I do remember that he loved his wife and children, and was devastated at the death of his first wife, and of one of his daughters. He created music especially for his wife and children, for them to play and learn from.

Klavierbuchlein

Look, this one actually shows the fingering notation in Bach’s own hand!