The Bach Hour

Sundays 6-7am, Mondays midnight-2am

Hosted by Brian McCreath

The virtually limitless well of music by J.S. Bach has always had a prominent place on radio airwaves in Boston. Whether it’s an iconic work like the Toccata and Fugue in D minor or a rarely heard but emotionally riveting church cantata, Bach’s music is a touchstone, returning listeners to a foundation on which so much subsequent music has been built.

Hear The Bach Hour each Sunday at 6am on 99.5 WCRB, as well as Mondays, midnight-2am. And listen on demand for two weeks after broadcast.

Bach's Cantata 62, for Advent

Full Moon — Andrew Choy / Wikimedia Commons

An ancient, haunting hymn tune is the foundation of three musical expressions of the quiet, contemplative anticipation of the season of Advent on The Bach Hour.

Bach and Family Ties

The deep connections that can only be forged through a family are at the foundation of a performance by violinist Janine Jansen and her father, Jan Jansen, on The Bach Hour.

Bach's Partita No. 3, from Jeremy Denk

One of today's most insightful pianists channels both the organized logic and sheer emotional beauty inherent in Bach's music for his instrument on The Bach Hour.

Ozawa Conducts Bach

On the program:

Two-Part Inventions: No. 4 in D minor, No. 5 in E-flat, and No. 6 in E, BWV 775-777 - Till Fellner, piano

Missa Brevis in G, BWV 236 - Cantus Cölln, Konrad Junghänel

Chaconne, from the Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 (arr. Hideo Saito) - Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa, conductor

The Sun and Shield of Bach's Cantata 79

"Vision," a sunlight reflection — By Anagoria (CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

On the program:

French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 - Murray Perahia

Cantata BWV 79, Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild (translation) - Sandrine Piau, soprano; Bogna Bartosz, alto; Klaus Mertens, bass; Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman, conductor

Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F, BWV 1046 - American Bach Soloists, Jeffrey Thomas, conductor