Tag Archives: JS Bach

Discovering the brilliant virtuoso Tony Siqi Yun

Posted on November 24, 2025 by barczablog

“I am a lucky guy.” That’s my mantra as a person seeking to live a life of gratitude: and sometimes it has proven to be true. My friends Gary & Bill left town for a family bris, giving me tickets … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged classical-music, Ferruccio Busoni, Franz Liszt, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, JS Bach, Koerner Hall, Luciano Berio, piano, Tony Siqi Yun, Tony Yun, Wasserklavier | Leave a comment

St John Passion variant for Bach Festival Finale

Posted on June 2, 2025 by barczablog

Sometimes I’m a little compulsive about dates and details. Sunday I attended the 3:00 pm performance of the St John Passion, to close the 2025 Bach Festival at Eastminster United Church. Maybe it doesn’t matter which version they present when … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Bach, Bach Festival, classical-music, Eastminster United Church, Ellen McAteer, John Abberger, John Butt, Jonathan Woody, JS Bach, music, St John Passion | Leave a comment

TSO, Angela Hewitt & Marta Gardolińska

Posted on March 27, 2025 by barczablog

I went home satisfied from tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert, a program including some items exactly as expected plus a few surprises. For an evening titled “Angela Hewitt Plays Mozart” it was a very solid collaboration between the famous pianist and … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Angela Hewitt, Anton Reicha, classical-music, Felix Mendelssohn, JS Bach, Marta Gardolińska, piano, Piano Concerto #21 K467, Roy Thomson Hall, Scottish Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

Mass in B minor from Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

Posted on March 29, 2023 by barczablog

Last night’s performance of the Bach B minor Mass by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir at Koerner Hall with a baroque orchestra led by their new artistic director Jean-Sébastien Vallée has put us on notice, that maybe Toronto Mendelssohn Choir are … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Jean-Sébastien Vallée, JS Bach, Koerner Hall, Mass in B Minor, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir | Leave a comment

Questions for Colin Eatock at 65

Posted on February 6, 2023 by barczablog

The invitation from Colin Eatock caught my eye: “I’m organizing a concert in Toronto on February 20 (my 65th birthday).The programme will include a new piece by me.Admission is by donation — I hope you can make it!” We’ve seen … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Interviews, Music and musicology, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Alison Melville, Christopher Bagan, Colin Eatock, Felix Mendelssohn, Glenn Gould, Hans Poser, Heliconian Hall, JS Bach, Louis Andriessen, St Wulfric | Leave a comment

Immortal Glenn Gould

Posted on July 29, 2022 by barczablog

I want to write something about Glenn Gould. Who is he, what is his legacy in 2022? I’m thinking about what GG means to me as I anticipate Tapestry Opera’s premiere of Gould’s Wall, a new site-specific opera opening August … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged Brian Current, Glenn Gould, Gould's Wall, JS Bach, Liza Balkan, Marshall McLuhan, Michael Mori, Richard Wagner, Royal Conservatory of Music, Ruth Abernethy, Tapestry Opera | Leave a comment

Virtual Bach

Posted on May 7, 2022 by barczablog

While I hoped to go to Tafelmusik’s presentation of the Bach B-minor Mass Thursday night in Massey Hall it was not to be. I was still testing positive for COVID. Instead Friday night I chose to watch a live concert … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Joanne Lunn, Jonathan Adams, JS Bach, Masaaki Suzuki, Massey Hall, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, Thomas Hobbs, Tim Mead | Leave a comment

Oakville Chamber Orchestra: A Baroque Festival

Posted on November 15, 2021 by barczablog

It’s so exciting to enjoy live music again. Last week I saw the Toronto Symphony. This afternoon I went with friends to see & hear the Oakville Chamber Orchestra in a baroque program featuring Vivaldi, Lully, JS Bach and Domenico … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged Alain Bouvier, Antonio Vivaldi, Charles Demuynck, David Rehner, Domenico Scarlatti, Jason Cheng, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Joseph Kerman, JS Bach, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Oakville Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Leave a comment

St Matthew Passion: Bach at 334

Posted on March 22, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight was the first of four performances of the St Matthew Passion from Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, with members of the Toronto Children’s Chorus, all led by Masaaki Suzuki. By coincidence it was JS Bach’s 334th birthday. While … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Hannah Morrison, Ivars Taurins, James Gilchrist, JS Bach, Masaaki Suzuki, St Matthew Passion, Stephan MacLeod, Tafemusik Baroque Orchestra, Terry Wey, Tyler Duncan | 2 Comments

Grainger’s rambling approach to popularity

Posted on March 3, 2019 by barczablog

There was a thread on social media not so long ago about music that gives you the shivers. It seemed like a fun topic, when I was walking along in nasty cold weather, to be able to shiver from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Tagged A Bridal Lullaby, Blithe Bells, Cakewalk Smasher, Der Rosenkavalier, Edward Johnson Building Library, Handel in the Strand, Howard's End, In Dahomey, JS Bach, Marc-André Hamelin, Percy Grainger, Richard Strauss, Schott Virtuoso Transcription Series, Sheep May Safely Graze, University of Toronto | Leave a comment