Counter-Clock Bach

I have been reading science fiction novel Counter-Clock World, written by Philip K. Dick.
It's about a future in which time has started to move in reverse, resulting in the dead reviving in their own graves.

Let us suppose that it really happens. Can you prove that it won't happen? It could start any day. Maybe the recent natural disasters indicate that it has begun.
So. let's be prepared.

My understanding is that Bach's music sounds especially good when played reversed.

But which instruments, which artists? I think I shall start with Walcha on the organ - the earlier mono recordings, of course. I am afraid that harpsichord is out of the question - the sound will be too weird.

Any better suggestions?

 

hcaB ataccoT

In 2001 a German organist (Johannes Matthias Michel) released a CD (Christophorus CHE 0112-2). After some Buxtehude, Bach and Clérambault works among which are a fine Bach Passacaglia, he concludes the CD by playing the Toccata BWV 565 reversed, calling the piece ataccoT. I am not kidding.

 

If this Michel-disc is called Universum Bach: Einfluß & Auswirkung, then I just ordered it at the library.
Just asking, because in the track-list at the library's website no ataccoT nor llom-d ni 565 VWB is mentioned.

 

Yes, this is the one.
PS: He plays on a Marcussen organ.

 

Being a Marcus myself, I think I can handle that.
Ordered it at the central library, so it will last about 7 to 10 days until I will be able to listen to this .... I'm curious!

Makes me think of my teenager years again: listening with friends to the Beatles alio modo in reverso , to convince ourselves that Paul McCartney already died in a carcrash, Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock as the day begins, november 9th, 1966.

 

It is a pity it is the toccata in d, as I am firmly convinced it is not Bach's. But I would like to listen to the big prelude in c (the one with the chords) in reverse. Theoretically it would perhaps still make harmonic sense.

I am not going to buy such a record. But how does it sound?

 

I would like time to move in reverse for me, now hat I am past 52 :JPS: Also, I don't very much like the world as it is now, but then I never really liked it as it then was.

 

Remember "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!", Napoleon XIV's 1966 hit?
The B-side of the single was called "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" and the singer billed as "NOELOPAN VIX".

 

Probably one of the Lennon/McCartney favourites that year.

 

Dear me.
Rodrigo, would you please explain yourself in the Bach organ thread?
BTW: I understand your opinion, though my doubts might be as firm as your conviction.

I just reversed the prelude of BWV 546 in the Audacity Sound Editor and was quite disappointed whilst listening to it: the sound sucks, and the entire experience drove me rather crazy. :crazy:

 

Marc, when you get Michel's recording of Toccata BWV 565 played reversed,
please reverse it in your sound editor. Then tell us the result.

In a way, Bach' legacy is twice as big as previously thought.
In addition to the 'normal' compositions he left us the reversed ones too.
The reversed ones are cleverly hidden in the manuscripts. You only have read them from end to beginning.
Bach really was a genius !!

 

Will do.

Yeah!
Number symbolism, Kabbalah, reversed composing!
Bach was a rocking brilliant Enigma!

 

Well, here is Michel's recording of the reversed Toccata BWV 565. The file is relative large (wav-file). He plays the reversed version first and concludes with the "normal version. To demonstrate that Michel is an outstanding musician I have also uploaded his recording of the Passacaglia BWV 582. Enjoy.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/zdmrzntzjno/ataccoT.wav

http://www.mediafire.com/file/j1n24iwd0yw/Passacaglia.wav

 

Thanks! Nice gesture!

I understand that Michel didn't play the aguF?

 

Yes, he only plays the atoccaT 565 VWB / Toccata BWV 565.
He probably realised that
the play must be cut short, while it is still good
(in Danish: holde op mens legen er god.
I Google oversættelse: te stoppen, terwijl het gaat goed).

 

I see .... terwijl het goed gaat, as in German: während es gut geht.

Like athletes stopping after a gold rush at the Olympics.
Stoppen op je hoogtepunt, they call it.

Quiet Marc, hush, I'm reaching the hoogtepunt of the Passacaglia right now.

(Oops: hoogtepunt (= peak, climax, highlight) also has a [censored] meaning. :shame