Bach

[jcop]

Hi everybody,

I'm looking for a great version of Toccata & Fugue by Bach, I've heard this on a violing instead as normal organ and now I'm looking for performances of this piece but by (Violins/Cello)
Can you point me in the right direction?

regards

 

[Robert Newman]

There is of course the famous arrangment by Leopold Stokowski for orchestra.

 

[dll927]

That was on the sound track for "Fantasia". He takes quite a few liberties with tempi, etc. But it is a nice rendition.

 

[jcop]

Thanks for the feedback, so when I visit the library again I can check these to see if they have recording.
regards

 

[dll927]

About transcriptions -- Lest we forget, many composers have been known to borrow from themselves. In "Messiah", the "Lift Up Ye Gates" is almost a re-hash of a movement from one of Handel's own concerti grossi. Listen to Franck's "Symphonic Variations" and see how close some of it sounds to the slow movement of the "Symphony in D Minor". They were written not too far apart in time, but the "Symphonic Variations" was before the symphony.

And borrowing themes from elsewhere is not unheard of. How many places has the "Dies Irae" theme showed up? A few, and Berlioz' "Symphonie Fantastique" is just one.

 

[mathetes1963]

The orchestral arrangement of BWV565 by Sir Henry Wood is less well known that the Stokowski one, but seems to me to be closer in character to the original. In any case, judge for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTWzzDGkdK8

 

[jcop]

Hi all,

Been a while since I dropped in, I must admit that I still find it astonishing how many different versions (the way a piece is being played) they are for basically the same work.
Again thanks for all the feedback.

regards,
Johan