Arachnophonia: Young Bach

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Nikoloz (class of 2026) and features a book on the life, times, and influence of German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Thanks, Nikoloz!

Young Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach: Life, Times, Influence edited by Barbara Schwendowius and Wolfganng Domling

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most influential and well-known composers in the world. But some don’t know about the roots of his musical career. Young Bach, orphaned at 10 years old, moved in to live with his oldest brother, Johann Christoph Bach. The older brother was an organist at the Church and thus cared for many musical scores, tucked away in one of his cabinets. Not only was manuscript paper expensive back then, but also the writings were to be kept secret from the general public.

It follows, that young Bach was forbidden from reading and copying this music. However, young Bach was captivated by music, and could not resist. Disobeying his brother, he would wake up late at night, unlock the locked cabinet, and take a couple of manuscripts out. Then he would sit at a high place in the house, where the moonlight would shine upon some surface he used for writing. He would copy the scores for hours at night, and stash them somewhere. Eventually, his brother caught him, but upon seeing the limit that young Bach was willing to go to, he finally agreed to teach his younger brother more. That decision gave the world J. S. Bach as we know him today.

JS Bach organist

Parsons Playlists: Emotional Classical Music

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Amy (class of 2025) which explores how classical music can convey many emotions.

Emotional Classical Music

When people hear I enjoy listening to classical music, they often assume it’s the soft repetitive music most associate with studying. However, classical music is much more than just something to put on in the background. It is compelling storytelling, music I am not able to listen to while working because I am too enthralled by the story unfolding in my ears to pay attention to anything else. This is why I created this playlist: to show new classical music listeners that classical music is not a one-size-fits-all genre, it can convey anything you want it to.

Richard Wagner – Die Walkure, Act II: Ride of the Valkyries

Dimitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110: IV. Largo

Dimitri Shostakovich – Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93: II. Allegro

Gustav Holst – The Planets, Op. 32: 1. Mars, the Bringer of War

Carl Orff – Carmina Burana, Introduction, Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: O Fortuna

Johann Sebastian Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565: 1. Toccata

Johann Sebastian Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 2 in No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067: VII. Badinerie

Giuseppe Verdi – Requiem, Dies Irae

Sergei Prokofiev – Romeo and Juliet Op. 64, Act 1, Scene 2: Dance of the Knights

Antonin Dvorak – Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 “From the New World”: IV. Allegro con fuoco

Pyotr IIyich Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23, TH 55: 1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Requiem in D Minor, K. 636 Sequence: VI. Lacrimosa Dies Illa

Pyotr IIyich Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 2: No. 10, Scene. Moderato

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwAwMtTLDwg9SWLgHg8b8oTYudIv8wSu&si=_wDnpCg7fHAYvRkS

And here it is on Spotify:

New CDs added in October!

New CDs for October 2017

Orchestral Music

Dimitri Shostakovich – Under Stalin’s Shadow : Symphonies Nos. 5, 8, 9
Dimitri Shostakovich – Under Stalin’s Shadow : Symphonie No. 10

Shostakovich - Under Stalin's Shadow

Concertos and Chamber Music

J.S. Bach – The Cello Suites According to Anna Magdalena
J.S. Bach – Solo Works for Marimba — Kuniko
Ferio Saxophone Quartet – Flux : Original Works for Saxophone Quartet
Joseph Haydn – Flute Sonatas

Haydn - Flute Sonatas

Eunmi Ko – She Rose, and Let Me In
Isang Yun – Chamber Music
Isang Yun – Chamber Music : World Premier Recordings

Isang Yun - Chamber Music

Electronic Music

Various artists – Space, Energy & Light: Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88

Space Energy & Light

Jazz

Bill Evans – Another Time : The Hilversum Concert
Gary Smulyan Quartet – Royalty at Le Duc: Live at Le Duc des Lombards
Harry Allen’s All Star New York Saxophone Band – The Candy Men
Fred Hersch – Open Book
Junior Mance – The Complete Albums Collection, 1959-1962

Junior Mance Collection

Jeremy Rose – Within & Without
San Francisco String Trio – May I Introduce To You
Triocity – I Believe In You
Chris Washburne – Rags and Roots

San Francisco String Trio Cover

Opera, Opera Excerpts and Art Songs

Jamie Barton – All Who Wander
George Frideric Handel – Rinaldo

Dimitri Hvorostovsky – Dimitri Hvorostovsky sings of war, peace, love and sorrow
Louis Karchin – Romulus

Louis Karchin - To The Sun and Stars

Louis Karchin – To The Sun And Stars
Franz Schubert – Schubert Songs — Thomas Meglioranza & Reiko Uchida
Franz Schubert – Winterreise — Thomas Meglioranza & Reiko Uchida
Pretty Yende – A Journey

Pretty Yende - A Journey

Choral Music

Henricus Isaac – Nell tempo di Lorenzo de’Medici & Maximilian I, 1450-1519
ORA – Many Are The Wonders: Renaissance Gems and Their Reflections

Henricus Isaac

World Music

Trio Da Kali and Kronos Quartet – Ladilikan
Various Artists – Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africa

Sweet As Broken Dates

Musicals

Brenda Russell – The Color Purple : New Broadway Cast Recording

The Color Purple

Ameriana, Bluegrass, and Country Music

Arthur Alexander – Arthur Alexander
Rhiannon Giddens – Factory Girl

Rhiannon Giddens - Freedom Highway

Rhiannon Giddens – Freedom Highway
John Reischman and the Jaybirds – On That Other Green Shore
The Sweetback Sisters – King of Killing Time

John Reischman - On That Other Green Shore

Pop and Rock Music

Raspberries – Pop Art Live

Raspberries - Pop Art Live

New CDs added in April / May!

New CDs for April / May 2017

Classical

Catalyst Quartet – Bach/Gould Project / J.S. Bach
Antal Dorati – Antal Dorati Conducts Satie, Milhaud, Auric, Francaix, and Fetler
Alberto Ginastera / Heitor Villa-Lobos / Jose Evangelista – Concerto for Strings / Suite for Strings / Airs d’Espagnes for String Orchestra

Catalyst Quartet - Bach/Gould Project

Franz Xaver Mozart / Muzio Clementi – The Classical Piano Concerto
Carl Nielsen – Aladdin Suite / Pan and Syrinx / Saga Dream / Maskarade Overture / Helios Overture
Rachel Barton Pine – Capricho Latino

Rachel Barton Pine - Capricho Latino

Rachel Barton Pine – Testament: Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin / J.S. Bach
Louis Spohr – Violin Concertos Nos. 6, 8, and 11
Alberto Williams – Musica para piano Volume 1

Louis Spohr - Violin Concertos 6, 8 & 11

Jazz

Pat Metheny – The Unity Sessions

Pat Metheny - The Unity Sessions

Pop / Rock / R&B

Drake – Views
The Killers – Hot Fuss

Drake - Views

Miramar – Dedication to Sylvia Rexach

Miramar - Dedication to Sylvia Rexach

Adriano Viterbini – Film [O] Sound
Various Artists – Boombox 1: Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap, 1979-1982

Boombox 1

Vocal/ Choral Music

Ian Bostridge – Shakespeare Songs
Thomas Lloyd – Bonhoeffer: A Choral-Theater Piece

Thomas Lloyd - Bonhoeffer:  A Choral-Theater Piece

New CDs added in April!

New CDs for April 2016

Classical

Johannes Brahms – Sonatas for Clarinet and Piano
Karen Gottlieb – Music For Harp
Mitchell Lurie – Mitchell Lurie, Clarinet

Mitchell Lurie, Clarinet

Mozart/Beethoven – Quintets for Piano & Winds
Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach – Genius – Music of Johann Sebastian Bach & Antonio Vivaldi

Quintets for Piano & Winds

Pop/Rock/R&B

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn – Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Big Sean – Dark Sky Paradise
Tamar Braxton – Calling All Lovers

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn

Death Cab For Cutie – Kintsugi
Aretha Franklin – Aretha Sings The Blues
Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free

Aretha Sings The Blues

Jazz

Karrin Allyson – Many A New Day
Louis Armstrong – Blow Satchmo Blow
The Bad Plus – The Bad Plus Joshua Redman
The Bad Plus – The Rite Of Spring

The Bad Plus - The Rite of Spring

Terence Blanchard – Breathless
Michael Dease – Decisions
Chris Dingman – The Subliminal and the Sublime
Gil Evans Project – Lines Of Color

Michael Dease - Decisions

John Fedchock – Like It Is
Marshall Gilkes – Ko¨ln
Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio – Live In Bern
Lionel Hampton – 50th Anniversary Concert – Live at Carnegie Hall

Lionel Hampton - Live at Carnegie Hall

Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band – Eleven
Joe Magnarelli – Three On Two
Matt Ulery’s Loom – Music Box Ballerina
Matt Ulery’s Loom – Wake An Echo

Matt Ulery's Loom - Music Box Ballerina

Marcus Miller – Afrodeezia
Sun Ra and his Arkestra – In The Orbit Of Ra
Matt Ulery – By A Little Light
Matt Ulery – In The Ivory
Matt Ulery – Themes And Scenes

Sun Ra - In the Orbit of Ra

World Music

Andy Lau – Love: Special Edition
Amira Medunjanin – Silk & Stone

Amira Medunjanin - Silk & Stone

Electronic Music

Qluster – Tasten
Jane Rigler – Rarefactions: Compositions via Improvisations
Madeleine Shapiro – Sounds Nature: Works for Cello and Electronics

Jane Rigler - Rarefactions