Liner Notes

Bach’s Greatest Hits

There’s an old business saying that goes, how do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.

In this episode we take several small bites and a couple of big ones from the incredible output of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Ahhhh Bach.

And to continue that M*A*S*H connection right now in the opening, the scene goes, “Somehow… there’s a mathematical precision about Bach, a complexity that adds up to actual simplicity. It goes beyond emotion.”

So get ready to hear some of the more popular of the more than one thousand composed pieces from this master in Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Connie Francis – Connie Francis
Label: Metro Records – M-519
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1964
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

We will hear 7 of the 10 tunes on this album.

Someone Else’s Boy
Written-By – Athena Hosey and Hal Gordon

Too Many Rules
Written-By – Don Stirling and Harold Temkin

I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter (did I hear a little flash of an Elvis impersonation?)
Written-By – Hank Hunter and Mark Barkan

We Have Something More (Than A Summer Love)
Written-By – Jennie Lee Lambert and Mickey Gentile

It Happened Last Night
Written-By – Earl Wilson, Leonard Whitcup and Slugger Wilson

Two for the road with a double shot of Francis penned tunes
Plenty Good Lovin’
Written-By – Connie Francis

Vacation
Written-By – Connie Francis, Gary Weston and Hank Hunter

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#conniefrancis #earlyrockandroll #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 219 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

There’s an old business saying that goes, how do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.

In this episode we take several small bites and a couple of big ones from the incredible output of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Ahhhh Bach.

And to continue that M*A*S*H connection right now in the opening, the scene goes, “Somehow… there’s a mathematical precision about Bach, a complexity that adds up to actual simplicity. It goes beyond emotion.”

So get ready to hear some of the more popular of the more than one thousand composed pieces from this master in Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1.

[Music: Air On The G String]

There is The Marlboro Festival Orchestra conducted by Pablo Casals with
Air On The G String

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Quite frankly, I think Bach is a lot of fun to listen to.

He is often my go to composer when I am in the mood for classical music. I own a couple of CDs with his music performed by some talented orchestras and chamber musicians.

So, I was glad to see this two-record set in my dad’s collection. It holds most of the best slash most well-known melodies written by Bach. And they are varying lengths.

By the way, the MASH episode I quoted from is season one, episode 14, Love Story.

Next up is the first of three we’ll hear from the Philadelphia Orchestra.

[Music: Little Suite (From The Anna Magdalena Notebook)]

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy with
Little Suite (From The Anna Magdalena Notebook)
Arranged By – Thomas Frost

By the way, Anna Magdalena is Bach’s second wife.

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Johann Sebastian Bach – The Greatest Hits Album
Label: Columbia Masterworks – MG 31261
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation, Stereo, Gatefold
Released: 1972
Genre: Electronic, Classical
Style: Baroque, Classical

We are listening to record one, sides one and two. We will hear 6 of the 8 tunes on this album.
The liner notes aren’t really long. Much of it has to do with some of Bach’s biography, so I’ll just read the intro paragraph.

When Columbia Masterworks launched its popular composers greatest hits series, the first composer to be honored was Johann Sebastian Bach. This master musician, whom Ludwig van Beethoven called “the forefather of harmony,” seemed the most fitting choice to introduce a series in which best known and most characteristic works of the great composers would be featured in performances by the elite of today’s solo stars and foremost musical organizations. it was anticipated that Bach would find wide acceptance among the record buying public, for the music of the baroque. continues to retain its popularity in today’s uptight world.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.
$30.00 High
$0.99 Low

$5.89 Average
$4.35 Median

Last sold on Sep 03, 2024 for $4.49

My dad’s record is in much better shape than I thought it would be because the cover looks a little worn. The first cut on this record did have some bad skips on it, so it wasn’t playable, but there were still plenty of great recordings to choose from. There isn’t much crackle otherwise the rest of the record.

The album surface is really free of markings and looks to be in really good shape.

The cover is really worn with that record outline you see so often. The front flap of the gatefold cover is torn just enough at the bottom to let the record peek through.

But the inside is still pretty good.

There is none of my dad’s usual markings on the back…or Bach…I’m sorry.

And no address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at 99 cents.

Next up is one of the many pieces where his connection to the church was evident.
[Music: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God]

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Arranged By – Arthur Harris
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy

Now let’s learn a little about this historic composer.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Germany into a family of musicians. His father taught him to play the violin, and he learned the organ from his older brother. As a young man, he worked as a church musician, writing music for choirs and playing the organ. His talent was so great that he became known across Germany as one of the best organists of his time.

He was a prolific composer. His sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the strands of the baroque genre and brought it to its ultimate maturity.

He was also prolific at becoming a father. He had 20 children, several of whom became famous musicians in their own right.

Bach’s music was deeply influenced by the composers before him, but he also added his own creativity, making his melodies and harmonies more exciting.

Some of his most famous pieces include the *Brandenburg Concertos*, *The Well-Tempered Clavier*, and the *Mass in B Minor*. Even though his music was not widely famous during his lifetime, musicians later realized how brilliant it was.

Bach’s influence on music is huge. His works taught future composers how to create rich and powerful harmonies, and his ideas shaped the way music is written even today. Great composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin admired his music and studied his techniques.

Bach was important because he perfected the way music was structured, making it more beautiful and complex. His work still inspires musicians, and his music is played all over the world.

He died of complications after a botched eye surgery July 28, 1750. Johan Sebastian Bach was 65 years old.

OK…back to church we go.

[Music: Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring]

Orchestra – The Columbia Chamber Symphony
Conductor – Zoltan Rozsnyai
With Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with the instrument this next song is played on.

The Moog synthesizer was created in 1964 by Robert Moog, an engineer who wanted to make electronic music more accessible. Before his invention, synthesizers were huge and difficult to use. Moog’s design used smaller, easier-to-control modules that let musicians shape sounds in new ways. It became famous in 1968 when Wendy Carlos used it to record *Switched-On Bach*, a groundbreaking album that reimagined classical music with electronic sounds.

The Moog changed music forever by giving artists a way to create brand-new sounds that had never been heard before. It became popular in rock, pop, jazz, and even movie soundtracks. Bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd used it to add futuristic effects to their songs.

The Moog also influenced recording studios by making electronic instruments an important part of music production. It was so important because it helped shape modern music, leading to the rise of electronic, synth-pop, and even hip-hop music.

There is one at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

So who thought we’d be talking about the Moog Synthesiser during an episode featuring the music of Bach?

So here is Wendy with help from Benjamin Folkman from that album Switched on Bach.

[Music: Final Movement From Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major]

Bach on synth.
Final Movement From Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major
Synthesizer – Benjamin Folkman and Wendy Carlos

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I listened to the choices for this episode several times through. I think it was a pretty good mix. Especially with the Moog synthesiser thrown in.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

It might be one of those that my dad picked up after I left. Usually when there’s no markings or address label, that’s usually a giveaway he bought it later.

The cover is very simple. It’s black with white lettering. The words The Greatest Hits Album is in bold gothic font.

It lists the musical groups and soloists and then one very large word centered…Bach.

Underneath that is a picture of a bust of Bach. The back cover lists all of the music. Inside the gatefold is a more detailed list of the music and who is performing it. The liner notes I mentioned and then an ad for six other specially priced albums. All of them are classical music themed.

OK…This last number was used as the opener in one of my favorite Disney movies, Fantasia.

[Music: Toccata And Fugue In D Minor]

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Transcription By – Eugene Ormandy
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy

And there you have selections from one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.