Best Christian Guebert Podcasts (2024)

1
Du Hirte Israel, höre (BWV 104): bass aria 15:36

4d ago15:36

15:36

Just after Good Shepherd Sunday, we settle in to this comforting pastorale. Not the famous opening movement -- no, this is another beautiful sicilienne-type dance, a bass aria, in which Bach gives a masterclass on melodic writing in just 5 seconds of music. Melodic shape, sequence, pedal point, and effective parallel motion in triads -- these are a…

1
Goldberg Variations: 7 (canary jig) 13:41

11d ago13:41

13:41

In our second look at the monumental Goldberg Variations, Christian selects the beginning of the sprightly and innocent "gigue" (jig), a particular dance set here for an interplay between two hands. The jaunty rhythm of the dance is rather uneven; this leads us into a discussion about how music is naturally not even in this way (and when it is, it'…

1
Chorale: Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (BWV 469) 13:58

19d ago13:58

13:58

Just as the three wise men brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the young Christ, so also this trio brings their soprano voice, viola da gamba, and theorbo (a lute variant) as musical gifts.... and we, the listeners, are the ones who are lucky enough to receive these gifts. Here we discover the plain serenity of this original hym…

1
Mass in B minor: Sanctus ("Pleni sunt coeli...") 21:29

26d ago21:29

21:29

The Mass in B minor is a well which never runs dry; we return to it year after year, and this time to celebrate Easter Monday we jump into the splendid "Sanctus" section. Christian uses the fugue subject on the text "Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus" (heaven and earth are full of thy glory) to describe one of the best text paintings in history…

1
St. Matthew Passion: "O Mensch, bewein" chorale fantasia (mvt. 29) 28:01

1M ago28:01

28:01

Here we do a full "Bach-n-talk" runthrough of the famous "O Mensch, bewein" chorale fantasia which ends the first half of the St. Matthew Passion, which happens to end on Alex's favorite moment. Join us as we unpack a moment of mode mixture here, at the choir's closing cadence. The borrowed minor modality gives the necessary spice to give a more co…

1
VIVALDI — L'inverno (Winter), RV 297: I. Allegro non molto 20:54

1M ago20:54

20:54

Welcome to a moment of something different for once! We take a momentary diversion from our regular programming to give you a "moment of Vivaldi." In Shunske Sato and the Netherlands Bach Society's rendition of Vivaldi's "Winter" of the "Four Seasons," Sato stuns with innovative solo violin timbres which embody the icy cold themes of the season. We…

1
Sonata No. 1 for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027): mvt 3 24:47

2M ago24:47

24:47

In this gem of a sonata, played on an original instrument, Bach hides the simplest musical theme in plain sight: one note. Alex looks at the end of movement 3, where Bach gives a pedal point E to the viola da gamba, asking for over 30 seconds of one sustained note on this instrument. Simple, yes, but perfectly aligned with the notes around it. It's…

1
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 61) recit.: ”Der Heiland ist gekommen” 20:32

2M ago20:32

20:32

At the beginning of our podcast seasons, we always look at a new part of BWV 61. This week Christian chooses an unusual bass trill from the sparkling tenor recitative. For this moment Bach opens up the narrating voice and enters a half-aria section so that the singer can repeat the words "You come and let your light shine with full blessing." The l…

1
Nun danket alle Gott (BWV 192): opening chorus 27:04

2M ago27:04

27:04

Welcome to Season 4! Thanks so much to all our listeners! Today we give thanks -- not just for all of you wonderful listeners, but for Bach's creativity in the opening chorus of this cantata, which he based on the classic Lutheran chorale "Now Thank We All Our God". We explore the origin of the poetry by Martin Rinckart, a man who, like Job from th…

1
BONUS: Post-concert chat: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (BWV 147) with soprano Emily Wood (BACHTOBERFEST bonus 1 of 2) 11:57

6M ago11:57

11:57

In this bonus episode, we have a chat with soprano Emily Wood, a featured soloist in the recent concert performance of BWV 147 at Alex's church. We hear about Emily's personal experience singing this wonderfully challenging solo which is nestled in the very heart of this cantata; we also reflect on the whole 10-movement masterpiece. Audio recording…

1
BACHTOBERFEST season closer & ”So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife” (BWV 515) 30:37

7M ago30:37

30:37

Listeners! Thank you for 100,000 episode downloads! It's Bachtoberfest, which means we talk about a silly piece by Bach -- this year's is a little parable about a tobacco pipe. We also read some of your comments and suggestions, we drink some Hefeweizen, and we talk about our plans for season 4, coming in 2024. TWO MORE BONUS EPISODES are on their …

1
Prelude From BWV 998 for lute (with Giovanni Piacentini) 24:51

7M ago24:51

24:51

Composer and guitarist Giovanni Piacentini joins us today with guitar in hand and an enthusiasm to share with us one of Bach's most surprising moments. Bach's "Prelude, Fugue and Allegro" is designated for lute or harpsichord. Classical guitarists have long enjoyed the work, which is successfully adapted to the guitar. Near the end of the prelude, …

1
Trauerode (BWV 198): tenor aria 21:35

7M ago21:35

21:35

Today we take a suggestion from listener Dave, and dive into the wonderfully rich "Trauerode", which was written for the funeral of a princess. Bach put some extra effort into the instrumentation and orchestration. Here we have an aria with not just one complex obligatto instrument line, but three separate obligatto instrument lines (flute, oboe, v…

1
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (organ chorale prelude, BWV 664) 17:31

7M ago17:31

17:31

Closing out this set of three chorale preludes on its Trinitarian hymn tune, this sparkly trio (of angels?) dances up and down the organ console. The Three-ness is evident in this piece meant to evoke the third part of the Trinity, the breath-giving Holy Spirit. Three bars by three bars make up the first nine, and three bass notes begin the prelude…

1
Ricercar a 3 from The Musical Offering (BWV 1079) 23:37

8M ago23:37

23:37

When the King of Prussia requested Bach's presence for a visit, Bach probably expected to be asked to improvise some complex music on the king's prototype fortepiano. But did he expect the king to give him such a twisty, chromatic theme? And, after he played an extemporaneous 3-part fugue successfully, was it then even more unfair for the king to a…

1
Fugue in D major (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2) 26:56

8M ago26:56

26:56

In this episode we concern ourselves with the inner workings of the fugue. The fugue of the D major set from Book 2 of the Well-Tempered Clavier makes for an excellent study. It is made of a pliable, connectible subject which Bach treats as two small motives. These lend themselves to layering, overlapping, and echoing of all kinds. The atomic build…

1
Ihr werdet weinen und heulen (BWV 103): opening chorus 37:10

8M ago37:10

37:10

Listening to this, perhaps Bach's weirdest opening chorus (and that's saying a lot!), Alex and Christian get tangled up in the forest of the complexities of this music. We untangle some, but we also sit in and admire the thorniness of this piece of music, which perfectly portrays its text. And we talk about how Bach can make us feel existential fea…

1
Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (BWV 40): ”Christenkinder” aria 14:10

8M ago14:10

14:10

Bach's Christmas cantata "Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes" is resplendent with the joy of the season with its festive horns throughout. But in the tenor aria, Bach offers a more delicate excitement from the horns. In dialogue with the oboes, the horns offer the child-like wonder and excitement of the "Christenkinder" (Christ's children). A mid…

1
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (organ chorale prelude, BWV 663) 20:56

9M ago20:56

20:56

Bach's organ chorales are some of his best-known works for the instrument. He had a way of clothing the simple hymn tunes with layers of heavy material. The final product becomes something almost unrecognizable, and yet you can feel the essence of the tune hiding in there somewhere... When you look for it, it's woven into the fabric of the work. If…

1
Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht (BWV 105): opening and closing 22:54

9M ago22:54

22:54

Sir John Eliot Gardiner writes about this cantata: "[Bach] recognized that small lives do not seem small to the people who live them." Bach had an interest in portraying the ordinary anxiety of the guilt-ridden person. Nowhere is this more evident than in Cantata 105 where he focuses on the human rather than the divine. Voices plead "Lord! Lord! En…

1
Fugue no. 23 in B major (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2) 17:01

9M ago17:01

17:01

Bach the composer, Bach the educator, Bach the church music director, Bach the scholar, Bach the instrument inventor... Johann Sebastian Bach was so many things. In this episode, we focus on Bach the innovator of keyboard technique -- specifically, a style of playing which facilitated the complexities of the music he put on the page. Familiar with …

1
Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (BWV 150) (part 2 of 2) 33:05

9M ago33:05

33:05

Bach's first church works were anything but plain and dull. Untouched by Italian style, firmly in German Lutheran tradition, this very first known Bach cantata shines and surprises at every turn through its mazy passages. This is the second part in a two-part miniseries on the masterwork BWV 150 (Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich). See the previous po…

1
Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (BWV 150) (part 1 of 2) 35:05

10M ago35:05

35:05

Grab a score (or open the link) and follow along with us in an exploration of Bach's first known cantata. This straightforward psalm setting keeps us on our toes as it changes with almost every line of text, including the sublime and ancient sound of the "Leite mich" (lead me) chorus moment. Why doesn't Bach follow the rules of harmonic progression…

1
Mass in B minor: Confiteor/et expecto (part 2 of 2) 22:04

10M ago22:04

22:04

Welcome back -- this is Part 2 of our 2-part series on a pivotal moment during the "Et expecto" section of the Mass in B minor. If you haven't caught Part 1 yet, which was released last week, we suggest you start there. In this episode we go more in-depth with harmony than we ever have on this podcast. If you want to follow along with the twists an…

1
Mass in B minor: Confiteor/et expecto (part 1 of 2) 18:52

10M ago18:52

18:52

Always know where you're going. Today is part 1 of a 2-part series on one of the famous moments of Bach -- the transition from "Confiteor" to "Et expecto" at a dramatic moment in the Mass in B minor. Rather than jump right into the final, festive section that describes the eternal joy of the resurrection of the dead, Bach first gives us a slow, sea…

1
BONUS: J.S. Bach-Stiftung BWV 61 ”Amen, amen!” recording review and comparison 13:19

10M ago13:19

13:19

In this bonus episode, we return to the transcendent joy of the final chorale of BWV 61 "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" to review a recording from the J. S. Bach Foundation (J.S. Bach-Stiftung). The lightning speed pleads for Jesus the "Crown of Joy" to return without delay in this performance directed by Rudolf Lutz. Thank you to the J. S. Bach Fou…

1
Coffee Cantata (with Emily Wood) 27:49

10M ago27:49

27:49

Our guest Emily Wood shares her Bach fandom with us as we explore the unexpectedly funny "Kaffeekantate." Though Bach never wrote an opera, this was perhaps the closest he got. And though accused by contemporaries for being stuck in the old heavy contrapuntal style, Bach absolutely could write in the newer, lighter Italian style. Emily shares with …

1
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (organ chorale prelude, BWV 662) 23:46

10M ago23:46

23:46

The Baroque era was defined by eloquent sophistication. All art from this period aimed to adorn and decorate the subject. Bach's music is no exception -- this chorale prelude is based on a simple hymn tune, but he loads it up with ornaments, creating something completely unique. If Bach were a baker, hymn tunes would be his flour -- the all-importa…

1
Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit: soprano solo ending 30:30

11M ago30:30

30:30

"Es ist der alte Bund: Mensch, du musst sterben!" (It is the old covenant: humankind, you must die!) What force could stand against this? A lone soprano prays "Yes, come, Lord Jesus, come." The old covenant is absolved and fulfilled by the coming of "Herr Jesu." Death is silenced. We explore Bach's stunning single musical setting of these two oppos…

1
Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf (BWV 226) 21:03

11M ago21:03

21:03

An outlier of a piece in an outlier of a category -- Bach didn't write very many motets compared to his other types of works, and this is the only one which is fully scored for choirs throughout AND had specific instrument parts written which all double the choral parts. It's also a double choir, which adds to the uniqueness -- 8 separate choral pa…

1
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5: movement 3 11:24

11M ago11:24

11:24

In our final episode in the miniseries on Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, we use the wonderfully resplendent recording of the last movement by the Netherlands Bach Society to explore three key moments. The music is a festive jig with an aggressively happy character. The twists and turns are rapid and numerous. Recording link…

1
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5: movement 2 19:11

11M ago19:11

19:11

In the middle episode of our Brandenburg 5 series, we explore the ponderous and affectionate-sounding second movement, scored for an intimate trio of violin, flute, and harpsichord. The harpsichord again takes a role of heightened importance, though it's more subtle here than it was in the first movement. And here, in Alex's favorite passage, anoth…

1
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5: movement 1 20:04

12M ago20:04

20:04

Welcome to our traditional yearly miniseries, where we take moments from the three movements of one of the six beloved Brandenburg Concerti. In this first of three episodes, we look at the grand, gallant opening movement. We explore the exuberant refrain theme (ritornello), and the wild and bizarre harpsichord solo. We also follow and hunt for a ro…

1
Three beautiful melodies in 12/8 32:59

12M ago32:59

32:59

It's almost unfair to other composers that Bach was not only the greatest fugue writer to ever live, but he also was... maybe one of the very best melodic writers to ever live? And he wrote... (checks notes)... HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of absolutely perfect melodies, like it was no big deal? Come on, Bach. Leave some for the rest of us. Today Alex bri…

1
Mass in F major: Qui tollis 22:33

12M ago22:33

22:33

A host of wonderful surprises are in store for the listener of the lesser-known mass in F major. Bach's giant mass in B minor overshadows all of his other Latin choral works, but we should not miss out on this one. Christian and Alex take a listener suggestion from Riley for this week's episode where we explore the pained pleading of the interweavi…

1
Prelude no. 15 in G major (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2) 17:17

1y ago17:17

17:17

Today we talk about clever twists, whether in music or in stories, and how these twists can be delightful in their subversion of our expectations -- when done well. In this less-than-famous little prelude from the famous compilation The Well-Tempered Clavier, Bach uses deceptive cadences to add flavor to the music without sacrificing the form, in s…

1
Cello Suite no. 6: Allemande 15:08

1y ago15:08

15:08

Sergey Malov, who plays all six cello suites on his violoncello da spalla (shoulder cello), gives us the inspiration to look at the suites in a new way. They "transcend" the instrument itself, as by the last one, it's clear that you are meant to be using an instrument with a higher fifth string. The allemande of the sixth suite also transcends its …

1
Bleib bei uns (BWV 6): opening chorus 33:52

1y ago33:52

33:52

Stay with us, for night is falling. On this Easter Monday, we return to Bach's Easter Monday cantata Bleib bei uns ("Stay with us"). We talked about this cantata in Season 1, but here we can't help but return to the captivating opening chorus, which reminds us of the closing choruses of the St. Matthew and St. John Passions. Ever the pictorial comp…

1
St. Matthew Passion: three transitions 32:11

1y ago32:11

32:11

Sometimes the most meaningful moment is the in-between. After learning that one of them would betray Jesus, the disciples (Choir 1 in the St. Matthew Passion) all clamor to exclaim: "Lord, is it me?" We pause. Christ doesn't answer immediately. We know the answer. Both choirs admit: "It is me whose sin binds you." This chorale response which follow…

1
Ich elender Mensch (BWV 48) 26:04

1y ago26:04

26:04

Sometimes things are hidden in plain sight. In today's cantata, if you look past the "main" music happening in the voices and string instruments, a hidden gem can be found in the form of a simple melody played on the trumpets and oboes. This tune, though unassuming, actually answers the central question that is at the heart of the cantata text. Bac…

1
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 61) chorale: ”Amen, amen!” 24:47

1y ago24:47

24:47

A 45-second masterpiece: the ecstatic joy bursts forth from this hurried chorale, begging Jesus, the Crown of Joy, to return. Amen, amen! The urgency becomes part of the musical structure; Bach doesn't even have time for the whole hymn stanza as he sets the mystical text from only the last bit of the last stanza of Philipp Nicolai's hymn Wie schön …

1
The Art of Fugue (BWV 1080): Final (unfinished) fugue 20:02

1y ago20:02

20:02

The Requiem by Mozart, Schubert's unfinished symphony, the incomplete Beach Boys album Smile... ever since the biblical story of the Tower of Babel we humans have been fascinated by the idea of an unfinished work of art. The reconstruction by Netherlands Bach Society of the ending of Bach's Art of Fugue gets us very close to what the master himself…

1
The Art of Fugue (BWV 1080): Contrapunctus I 22:58

1y ago22:58

22:58

After writing the Goldberg Variations, what was left to write? Welcome back to A Moment of Bach! We embark on our third season by celebrating the recent release of the Netherlands Bach Society's "Die Kunst der Fuge" -- a brilliant new arrangement of the towering masterwork. The expressive and unusual instrumentation makes this recording unlike any …

1
BONUS: Jim Meredith, Sonos Handbell Ensemble director (BACHTOBERFEST bonus 2 of 2) 35:30

1+ y ago35:30

35:30

One more BACHTOBERFEST festivity: a conversation with a wonderful guest. Does Bach's music work on modern instruments which were designed after his time? Our guest, conductor and composer James Meredith is the long-time Artistic Director of the top-tier Sonos Handbell Ensemble. Jim talks about his love of Bach, his avenue toward handbells as an ins…

1
BONUS: Blooper reel Season 2 (BACHTOBERFEST bonus 1 of 2) 8:39

1+ y ago8:39

8:39

As promised, here are the silly bloopers that we both collected throughout this year! Stay tuned for one more bonus episode: the interview about Bach and the handbell ensemble with James Meredith, artistic director of Sonos.By Christian & Alex Guebert

1
BACHTOBERFEST season closer and Quodlibet BWV 524 52:06

1+ y ago52:06

52:06

Thanks so much to our listeners for being a part of our second season! On this second BACHTOBERFEST, we answer questions and read some great stories from listeners. We also listen to the hilarious "Quodlibet", a piece that seems too silly for Bach, but it is indeed by the master himself, and gives us a glimpse of his sense of humor. We also try a c…

1
Concerto in A minor for four harpsichords (BWV 1065) 27:08

1+ y ago27:08

27:08

A Moment of Vivaldi! This week, we look at Bach's transcription of Vivaldi's concerto for 4 violins. The crisp and elegant style of Vivaldi gets magnified by Bach here. 4 violins become 4 harpsichords, and the snapping and clicking of the harpsichord strings become a delightful metaphor for the clockwork precision of the composition and the structu…

1
Invention in A major (BWV 783) 26:46

1+ y ago26:46

26:46

Beloved by pianists, piano teachers, composers, and theory instructors, the Bach Inventions hold a special place in many of our hearts. Why are they called "Inventions" when nothing else is? Why did he include an ornamentation performance guide for them in the "Klavierbüchlein" where he wrote them, when he never did this for anything else in his li…

1
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (BWV 99) 23:02

1+ y ago23:02

23:02

Is this a cantata? Is this a chorale fantasia movement of a cantata? Is this a concerto? What is this thing? The answer is: all of the above! By now, it shouldn't surprise us that Bach was not satisfied with simplicity. Here, he combined the chorale fantasia and concerto forms together into this unique first movement of a cantata, achieving some de…

1
Widerstehe doch der Sünde (BWV 54): opening 30:59

1+ y ago30:59

30:59

Gift!! (That is..."poison" in German.) Put up your guard and resist the curse and poison of sinning -- this is the admonition which Bach gives us in this cantata for solo singer, strings, and continuo. The very first chord with its unstable harmony hits us with this force. We explore how Bach achieves this and other shocking dissonances even a few …

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