Die Letzte Stunde

Only from the mid-1730s does Bach seem to be concerned with composing songs to contemporary lyrics. We find such a small series especially in the second piano booklet for Anna Magdalena Bach. He and his wife composed some "new songs" that certainly enriched everyday life in the family, such as making music together in the evening or prayers at home with their children. Among these six songs, there are especially those whose lyrics provide comfort.

The ultimate collection of the complete music of J.S. Bach. Having all of Bach's music at my fingertips is a dream come true. This astonishing collection of music is a historic event. Teldec has compiled an excellent collection of all the works of J.S. Bach, from well-known to the obscure, performed by a wide variety of highly respected musicians. There are many, many treasures included in this collection, for example: the cello suites performed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt now on cd for the first time. And the 4-cd set of chorales is stunning.

This is an excellent and bargan-priced collection of mainly late Schumann, none of which is frequently encountered in the concert hall. With some of the pieces this is with good reason: in the Requiem, and especially the Mass, Schumann's genius flickers barely at all - clearly his heart wasn't in religious music, and the result is dull and worthy, at least by his usual standards. Much better are the delightful secular oratorios, Der Rose Pilgerfahrt and Paradies und die Peri, both of which breathe the sweet springlike air of Romanticism which for most listeners is the true Schumann.

German band Electra was formed in 1969 by 5 students from the Dresden School of Music in what was then the eastern part of the divided Germany. They made a name for themselves by reinterpreting classical symphonic music using contemporary, electronic instruments as well as producing original compositions of elongated, progressive rock with a firm emphasis on elongated instrumental solos. They made their debut as Electra-Combo in 1974 with the album Electra Combo. From 1975 and onwards they decided to stick with the shorter Electra band name. A string of critically acclaimed productions followed in the next few years, but in the 1980's the creative spirits of the band appeared to dwindle…