Smits on Bach Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 | Netherlands Bach Society

[@GilbertoGuarino]

Reise Smits plays the most beautiful Bach's Passacaglia I have ever heard. A superb rendition of this masterpiece.

[@wolkowy1]

Aside his superb performance (heard in the previous upload of the whole Passacaglia), organist Reitze Smits gives us in this interview his deep insight and inner almost philosophical thoughts about this piece. It is not only the Baroque style and Bach he knows and understands so well, but also Bach's sources of influences (like Buxtehude). Thanks NBS for this amazing upload.

[@SandInSloMo]

I always enjoy these explanation pieces that you publish. Really fascinating.

[@briscaba]

A very precious piece of high musical culture. Thank you so much. It is really moving to hear Smits play AND explain the incredible depths of Bach.

[@velocirapture89]

The genius of Bach never ceases to amaze me.

[@HerrrTantris]

Thank you for the marvelous lesson!

[@DocVulkan]

superb discussion of a master piece

[@andrezkamotu]

Fantastic lesson from Master!

[@ginadutschke7102]

Fantastic analysis and performance: thank you.

[@tomowenpianochannel]

Very interesting explanation. Smits recording of this masterpiece is really outstanding, correct and heartfelt as day, inexorable flow, minimal flex on timing for technical difficulties, unbelievable organ sound and superb acoustic.

[@Tt73780]

Toujours un plaisir d'entendre ces explications qui mettent en lumière la magie cartésienne des oeuvres de JSB.

[@roseliajs908]

Grande Bach... Obrigada!! ✨🎼✨🎼✨👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@PrimaSiPensaDopoSiFa]

I would like to listen the Buxtehude one too. I love that piece.

[@mulligatawnysoup6722]

Ton Koopman has a recording of that on the Norden Schnitger organ

[@carlosmelgar]

El hombre es increíble... Tiene una sensibilidad especial

[@FrJarelRB]

Theme: 21 times in the prelude 12 times in the fugue = 33 times, 33 years of Jesus Christ's life.

[@thomasdastillung4097]

Great explanation.

[@ValentinaSmirnova9]

Wonderful!

[@marilacastrovillarroel2695]

El genio Bach es único en sus composiciones para órgano música muy bella te transporta a lo más,profundo de tu ser interior es algo inexplicable toca todos tus sentidos haciendo comunicarte con tu yo interno muchas bendiciones a todos que les gusta la verdadera música desde mi país Chile 🇨🇱 felicitaciones

[@cosmofoxgaming1268]

Thank you Smits!

[@mateuszandrzejewski3616]

But Mr. Smits didn't mention, and it's improtant feature, that the theme of the Passacaglia was probably taken from the French organist Andre Raison (Christe: Trio en passacaille/ Messe du deuxieme ton/ Premier livre d'orgue).

[@ancienbelge]

The first four bars, yes.

[@aimilios439]

Just yes...

[@engelbertschoormans]

6:05 Yes - 7 is the number of 'fullness, completeness'...

[@brucekuehn4031]

And half of 14 which he also theorizes upon.

[@paulwilson4738]

Yes, and also of blessed relief from all the tension and all the complex difficulties that the composition piles up (just like human life itself, which is full of questions and decisions to be made). But Bach's whole composition of this piece, along with that luminous conclu- sion, surely was from a heart and intellect of a man who proclaims "Soli deo gloria"!

[@engelbertschoormans]

@@paulwilson4738 What do you think in the number 6, linked to the devil: the chord is full of diabolical in musica!

[@timothyszabo3320]

REITZE SMITS WAS BORN IN THE SAME DECADE AS MY GREAT UNCLE RON!

[@henkkelderman4182]

Veertien was ook het rugnummer van Johan Cruyff.

[@aboringfart413]

Zwei der größten Johan(n)s! Bach hätte definitiv auch die 14 als Rückennummer gewählt. :-)

[@georgesotiriou7051]

Marc Maron is so talented.

[@timothyszabo3320]

REITZE SMITS REMINDS ME OF MY UNCLE PETER SZABO AS WELL!

[@timothyszabo3320]

HEY, ORGANIST REITZE SMITS REMINDS ME OF MY FATHER, MATTHEW THOMAS SZABO!

[@iczerman]

I would have to respectfully disagree with Dr. Smits about his comment regarding the Neopolitan 6th that he comments on at 5:00. With the same piece of music different people can hear different things. As a person of faith I view this piece as a metaphor for life. Life can be full of pain as the piece is written in C minor. To me....that Neopolitan 6th is our soul crying out in anguish. We are beating the air with our fist's and crying out " Why,WHY?!"" In my opinion it should be held for 4 counts followed by an acoustical fermata before the beginning of the "resolution." The C Major chord at the conclusion I find myself raising my arms in Victory.. At the end of all things..it will be okay.

[@DynV]

3:20 I think it's not necessary to insert numerology propaganda.

[@ericray7649]

I agree. It seems to me unlikely that Bach was thinking in terms of numerology. The insertion of highly detailed numerology often seems like a stretch to me. But, I suppose it’s interesting to think about. If only we could ask Bach!

[@keescanalfp5143]

think it could have made sense in the case we could see, or hear, at first two variations forming a couple, then one standing on its own, followed by three belonging together and then eight with some clear kind of connexion. in such a case you'd gain some more believers.

[@ru99414]

Gregory Butler clearly stated we don't know if Bach even knew about it, we know it existed. The speculation is also very unachieving, and only theoretics can study it and it's their job to do. The fact that no one can know Bach did in fact use it actively, and that Smits clearly shows us that in Netherlands they still see it as a possibility (or maybe they know it better than others), doesn't give any answer or confirmation, and it remains a possibility that is not certain nor confirmed. It's not our place to speculate, and I agree with other authors who means it is not honorable for the music and composer for us to focus on such dry theories of not great importance

[@kazimierzwielki2349]

Thank you for great performance and explanations.