Classical Uncovered with Graham Abbott: What makes Bach 'great'‪?‬ Melbourne Recital Centre Podcasts

Welcome to Classical Uncovered – a podcast designed to demystify corners of the classical music world.

All areas of human endeavor have their special terms which are normal and natural to those in the know. But for those unfamiliar with that language, it can appear strange or even alienating. Classical music is no different.

Over 10 episodes, classical music expert Graham Abbott breaks down the concepts and terms used in classical music, with the aim of helping you better understand and enjoy your music experiences.

In the previous episode, Graham spoke about the idea of a composer or a piece of music being "great", and the habit we sometimes have in classical music of assuming there's an accepted canon of great composers or great works. Using this lens, we looked at one of the biggest names in classical music, Beethoven.

In episode seven, we subject another of the really big names in European classical music to this scrutiny: Johann Sebastian Bach.