Bach, Beethoven And Beyond: Classical Music In Germany | Meet the Germans

Musical connoisseurs will know that Germany's classical legacy is practically unrivalled. This week on Meet the Germans, Rachel finds out how Germany built its musical reputation and how much Germans actually care about the genre today.

Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic – from unusual bans to meaty cuisine or haunted castles. This week: German classical music and composers.

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[colleenmurphy]

A world without Bach would be unimaginable.

[Mike]

I started to listen to Bach 3 months ago. since then im addicted to his music. But now it got rly hard for me to find the same joy and relief in modern music.

[performingartist]

So many thoughts....I started playing piano when I was four in the USA. My parents took me to Germany when I was seven to Bonn and I still remember being in Beethoven's house. As I progressed in my studies, eventually getting a degree in classical piano, I was steeped in Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn and yet they were in my mind 'just' the Germans. There were also the Russians I loved and the French.... It wasn't until I moved to Germany that the absolute weight of all that came from this one small country hit me. It is such an outsized legacy and really quite remarkable.
I am very honored to be a music teacher here in Germany.

[pre_instar]

'Meet the Germans' after a long time 🤩

[WCIH]

The best way for kids to get in touch with classical music is "Peter and the Wolf“. Is written by Prokofjew a Russian composer. Easy to understand and kids will love it. That’s what I learned in German "Grundschule“

[ldbarthel]

The comment about Bach being rock 'n' roll is so true. One of the Bach pieces I did in high school was "Christ lag in Todesbanden". It was so much fun to see the sopranos struggle with the boring held tones while the basses rocked out with a wildly moving melodic line that was a precursor to the syncopation of Joplin's rags.

[anuragsharma]

Another great one describing the cultural experience of Deutschland. As always, amazing to see Rachel! 😊

[jillwheeler]

A well done story. „E“ for Excellent! Vielen dank. German composers are at the Top of the Scale. 🎼 🎻 🎵

[TheSwedishRider]

Bach was an innovator who was different to other innovators. Usually in music history, a composer or a group of composers started something new which was then picked up by others who developed that further until mastery. Bach did not only start it, he developed his ideas to the edge!

[johnraggett]

Rachel, thank you. I love living in Leipzig. Most Saturday evenings at 5pm there is a world class organ recital in the Nicholai Kirche for just two Euros. Never heard one in Swindon where I used to live.

[elizabethbedon]

I really enjoyed the visit to Leipzig in this episode... having lived there, I can honestly say you fall in love with classical music there, whether a connoisseur or someone who has a very little knowledge of the topic like myself. I love these musical cities and towns 😍

[AD-zovp]

The secret of Bach: he added harmony to melody, opening up an entire new dimension. That's why it is such touching music. The well tempered piano and this polyphonic stuff is also the reason why Jazz musicians are following him.

[lmyrski]

Bach transcends time. In 2019, Bach was named the greatest composer of all time in a poll conducted among 174 living composers. There's a reason Bach's music features three times—more than that of any other composer—on the Voyager Golden Record, a gramophone record containing a broad sample of the images, common sounds, languages, and music of Earth, sent into outer space with the two Voyager probes. It is the best man kind has to offer.

[HomeMadeBow]

Meet The Germans has to be at the very top of Informative yet Entertaining presentations on YouTube. Well done to you Rachel and all who facilitate your very clever reports.

[neiladlington]

I was watching an interview video of Yuja Wang, the pianist phenom and I loved how she said, "I don't know if I should say this out loud but I most feel most at home with the Berlin Philharmonic." High praise.

[ericderami]

When I went to Leipzig for the first time, I began to wander and found the Thomaskirche. No big feat of course however I did not know about it!!!
It was weird because despite my "wandering" it was as if I knew to walk directly to it, I went directly there from the HBF!
And....in addition to what I quickly learned about it, I walked in during a choir practice!! And got to attend a Motette that night!!!
It was absolutely magical!!!

Also, from my childhood in the States, my all time favorite piece of music is "Ode to Joy". Before moving to Germany I had no idea that it was used by the EU. I think very few people are impressed when I say that its my favorite piece of music and it's probably the most over played to so many people LOL

[diegolima]

After watching Brandenburg Concertos on a Freiburger Barockorchester DVD I started researching this group and the classical music scene in Germany. Now I can't stop because it's so good!

[MsTimelady]

Hurra! Rachel ist zurück! Love Bach, especially "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire"-my parent's wedding march.

[hwantoro]

I just love classical music. Without it life is a dull.

[SimonSNB]

Haven't the foggiest idea about classical music but it still has a special place in my heart. I love watching the new year's Day concert by the Vienna philharmonic orchestra on TV, there's something special about it that you don't get anywhere else in music, something peaceful