A conductor, harpsichordist, and organist, Masaaki Suzuki stands as a towering figure in Baroque music, renowned for his comprehensive and top-tier recordings of Bach's works, including all of Bach's sacred and secular cantatas. Suzuki's unparalleled dedication extends beyond Bach, with significant contributions to the works of Mozart, Handel, and other 18th-century composers. He is the founder of the Bach Collegium Japan, an artist in residence at Yale, and conducts orchestras and choruses around the world.
Tyler sat down with Suzuki to discuss the innovation and novelty in Bach's St. John's Passion, whether Suzuki's Calvinist background influences his musical interpretation, his initial encounter with Bach through Karl Richter, whether older recording of Bach have held up, why he trained in the Netherlands, what he looks for in young musicians, how Japanese players appreciate Bach differently, whether Christianity could have ever succeeded in Japan, why Bach's larger vocal works were neglected for so long, how often Bach heard his masterworks performed, why Suzuki's favorite organ is in Groningen, what he thinks of Glenn Gould’s interpretations of Bach, what contemporary music he enjoys, what he'll do next, and more.
Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video.
Recorded November 1st, 2023.
Other ways to connect
Brad DeLong on Intellectual and Technical Progress
Glenn Loury on the Cover Story and the Real Story
Paul Salopek on Walking the World
Rick Rubin on Listening, Taste, and the Act of Noticing
Katherine Rundell on the Art of Words
Conversations with Tyler 2022 Retrospective
John Adams on Composing and Creative Freedom
Jeremy Grantham on Investing in Green Tech
Ken Burns on the Complications of History
Mary Gaitskill on Subjects That Are Vexing Everybody
Reza Aslan on Martyrdom, Islam, and Revolution
Walter Russell Mead on the Past and Future of American Foreign Policy
Byron Auguste On Rewiring the U.S. Labor Market
Vaughn Smith on Life as a Hyperpolyglot
Shruti Rajagopalan talks to Daniel Gross and Tyler about Identifying and Predicting Talent
Cynthia L. Haven on René Girard, Czeslaw Milosz, and Joseph Brodsky
William MacAskill on Effective Altruism, Moral Progress, and Cultural Innovation
Leopoldo López on Activism Under Autocratic Regimes
Matthew Ball on the Metaverse and Gaming
Barkha Dutt on the Nuances of Indian Life
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall
The No-Frills Teacher Podcast
Heal, Survive & Thrive!
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast