Jeremy Ewen Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Looking at the cartoon in the recent OR, it occurred to me that western music might have worked out a whole lot differently if Buxtehude's daughter had been better looking. Just supposing Bach's trip to Lubeck had been one-way, and he ended up being the organist at St Mary's, would he still have composed the same works (the few of which have been left to us) or would life have been different? Would he have had 20 children, and was Miss Buxtehude musical (the cartoon gives her dainty fingers after all), in which case would we have had the "Anna Magdalena" book and the other easy introductions to his keyboard music? Would we have the English Suites? Would we have the cantatas? Would he have written in tablature? Would his organ music have been even better/worse? If the answer is "no" to the above, who would be the most revered organ composer? (Imagine Lizst trying to compose "Fanatasia on B-u-x-t-e-h-u-d-e" !!!!!) What do you think? JE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cynic Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Looking at the cartoon in the recent OR, it occurred to me that western music might have worked out a whole lot differently if Buxtehude's daughter had been better looking. Just supposing Bach's trip to Lubeck had been one-way, and he ended up being the organist at St Mary's, would he still have composed the same works (the few of which have been left to us) or would life have been different? Would he have had 20 children, and was Miss Buxtehude musical (the cartoon gives her dainty fingers after all), in which case would we have had the "Anna Magdalena" book and the other easy introductions to his keyboard music? Would we have the English Suites? Would we have the cantatas? Would he have written in tablature? Would his organ music have been even better/worse? If the answer is "no" to the above, who would be the most revered organ composer? (Imagine Lizst trying to compose "Fanatasia on B-u-x-t-e-h-u-d-e" !!!!!) What do you think? JE Miss Buxtehude was also offered to G.F.Handel, wasn't she? We might have missed out on a lot of great scores if he had settled down with Miss Lubeck 1700! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Miss Buxtehude was also offered to G.F.Handel, wasn't she? We might have missed out on a lot of great scores if he had settled down with Miss Lubeck 1700! Rumour has it that this would have been extremely unlikely to happen in a year of Sundays, even if Miss B had looked like Linda Lusardi. Me, I think it's all just a malicious slur on GFH's character - but possibly true. Not that I'm at all a fan of Ms Lusardi, I hasten to add, but some people here seem to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justadad Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Handel did OK though. He borrowed part of Buxtehude's G minor Praeludium for "And He shall purify" in his Messiah. Best wishes J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cynic Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Handel did OK though. He borrowed part of Buxtehude's G minor Praeludium for "And He shall purify" in his Messiah. Best wishes J And Cesar Franck* borrowed part of Jesus Christ, Superstar by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. This sort of thing happens, sometimes unintentionally. [*End of Panis Angelicus] The one that gets me is the Graham Kendrick 'Worship Song' that quotes from There once was an Ugly Duckling. Once you spot this, there's no hope of keeping a straight face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Carr Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 And Cesar Franck* borrowed part of Jesus Christ, Superstar by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. This sort of thing happens, sometimes unintentionally. [*End of Panis Angelicus] The one that gets me is the Graham Kendrick 'Worship Song' that quotes from There once was an Ugly Duckling. Once you spot this, there's no hope of keeping a straight face. And the hymn tune Guiting Power's first phrase is surely "Bob the Builder"... This is SO off topic, unless of course Miss Buxtehude did look like Bob! (The builder) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Clark Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 And Cesar Franck* borrowed part of Jesus Christ, Superstar by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. This sort of thing happens, sometimes unintentionally. [*End of Panis Angelicus] The one that gets me is the Graham Kendrick 'Worship Song' that quotes from There once was an Ugly Duckling. Once you spot this, there's no hope of keeping a straight face. Please, which GK song.....!!!!!????? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Morley Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Please, which GK song.....!!!!!?????Peter All I once held dear (end of refrain) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyorgan Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I think we need a new thread for this, otherwise Buxtehude's daughter is looking far too popular! A Lloyd-Webber; how about Mend Vln conc middle movement and I don't know how to love him, and Bolero and Memory. I think we're allowed to say there are similarities withoout being PM'd by Mr LW's libel lawyers, aren't we? If we include Handel, he 'borrowed' so much from others he must have had a 'girl in every loft'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Fairhurst Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 That's a splendid comparison for 'All I Once Held Dear'. Though it always reminds me more of Abba, or maybe Alan Partridge - because 'Knowing you, Jesus...' simply has to be followed by 'AHA!'. 'Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart' sounds awfully like 'Go West', and 'I Am A New Creation' has more than a touch of 'Birdhouse In My Soul' about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Looking at the cartoon in the recent OR, it occurred to me that western music might have worked out a whole lot differently if Buxtehude's daughter had been better looking. Just supposing Bach's trip to Lubeck had been one-way, and he ended up being the organist at St Mary's, would he still have composed the same works (the few of which have been left to us) or would life have been different? Would he have had 20 children, and was Miss Buxtehude musical (the cartoon gives her dainty fingers after all), in which case would we have had the "Anna Magdalena" book and the other easy introductions to his keyboard music? Would we have the English Suites? Would we have the cantatas? Would he have written in tablature? Would his organ music have been even better/worse? If the answer is "no" to the above, who would be the most revered organ composer? (Imagine Lizst trying to compose "Fanatasia on B-u-x-t-e-h-u-d-e" !!!!!) What do you think? JE =============================== I was thinking much upon the same lines when I compiled the programme of Eastern European organ-music, due to the fact that Bach unsuccessfully applied for the position at St.Mary's, Gdansk. Imagine the Passions in Polish! In place of the Coffee Cantata, we would have the "Spitz Cantata," due the strength of the coffee in Poland. (They just out the grounds in a cup, and when you get to the bottom.......yuk!) Tablature was certainly very common in Poland Imagine the Preludes & Fugues for short-compass organ As for "Spiritus"....that is a type of Polish liquer, which the Poles give to foreigners just to see what happens. (At 95% alcohol, it is actually very, very dangerous, and the Poles mix it with half-water and still manage to fall into gutters) I don't know how Miss Linda Lusardi managed to get into this thread, but I read somewhere that the Poles have this story about young lovers being smeared in honey and tied to ant-hills. MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cynic Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 'Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart' sounds awfully like 'Go West', and 'I Am A New Creation' has more than a touch of 'Birdhouse In My Soul' about it... Oh yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now