At Last Bach Really Hits the Spot

Three more:

The Well Tempered Claveir,Books One and Two. Ralph Kirkpatrich,DG
((Each book includes a prelude and fugue in each of the 24 major and minor keys.))

Musical Offering.((Late in his life,Bach wrote these for Frederick the Great,as an introduction to get his son CPE Bach a job))

***The Brandenburg Concerti. ((Written as an audition of the Margrave of Brandenburg)

Now don't make fun of me - but I like some of the Canadian Brass' stuff and I'd definitely recommend their perfs of both Art of the Fugue and the Goldberg Variations. You wouldn't want them as your primary versions but they are quite refreshing and interesting to hear done in brass after hearing them the "normal" way a zillion times.

You can listen to track samples at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00003OP6H/qid=1132344074/br=1-2/ref=br_lf_m_2//002-8619240-9594456?v=glance&s=classical&n=42313

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000026NK/qid=1132344074/br=1-8/ref=br_lf_m_8//002-8619240-9594456?v=glance&s=classical&n=42313

With the holidays coming, it seems like the right time to pick up a copy of the Christmas Oratorio. It's a long vocal work, and one of my favorites. There's a version available on SACD, too.
If you find yourself liking the Oratorio, then go on and try the St. John Passion, which might be my very favorite work of J.S. Bach.

Cheers.

Chuck, I ceratinly look into those recommendations.
Here are a few of mine:
Bach violin concertos, Arthur Grumiaux Heinz Holliger Herman Krebbers on Philips 420 700-2 (just beautifull)
J.S. Bach Cello-Suiten Mstislav Rostopovich EMI CLASSICS (WARNING this is closed miked, you will hear nose hair blowing)
Bach Secular Cantatas DOR-90199 (serious fun)

The Rostopovich suggestion reminds me to suggest Bach's solo cello suites by Pierre Fournier on DG in addition, if you can find it. (419 361-2).

For Bach's solo violin sonatas/partitas, those by Milstein, Szeryng, and Grumiaux are all outstanding in their own ways.

All of the above are old recordings, but fairly good sounding re-releases. If shear musicality is your interest, rather than recording technology and historically informed performance standards, you simply can't do better than these old guys. Late night listening, for sure.

Oh, and let me cast my dissenting vote in favor of Glenn Gould's 1981 rendition of the Goldberg Variations, which over the years I have grown to much prefer compared to the famous 1955 recording. But no need to quibble: get them BOTH (and more) on the 3 disc "State of Wonder" release from Sony.

Beautiful Gould quote in the wonderful liner notes: "The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity." Amen. Certainly explains his preference for Bach!