Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565 Toccata’ opens a three-disc set of Bach’s Organ Works played by Karl Richter that I have been listening to. As far as pieces of classical music go, this is as famous a piece that you could find even if its full title may not be naturally tripping off the tongue, you can be certain that everyone has heard it at some point. It has drama, a suggestion of horror and whether presented as an attention-grabbing opener or an explosive interlude, this is music that leaves its mark. I would recommend a deep dive into Bach’s organ music; it will realign your audio head with its interweaving complexities and mind mashing progressions that somehow make sense of the confusion and in time resolves into a satisfying immersive experience. You do not need to unpick the mathematical nuts and bolts of how this music was put together, or played so fluently, to wash yourself with its wonder and magnificence. Yes, it demands the attention of the listener but that is no bad thing, music is relegated to background wallpaper too much as far as I’m concerned.

The last time that the more intellectual and long form sounds of classical and jazz sat with acceptance as part of the mainstream audio menu was probably the late sixties and early seventies. This was the time when prog bands would routinely dip into the classical canon to fuse and reimagine the music in a louder, electric context. Today prog rock has mutated into something that holds very little resemblance to the early ambitions of the much-derided form. New forms of prog sound to me closer to a darker, often gothic, heavy metal; still conceptual and open to long form ideas but nevertheless unrecognisable to the prog rock bands that gave the format its name. People like Genesis, Pink Floyd, ELP and King Crimson had classical music, even if only in their schooling, as a natural part of their DNA and so lengthy compositions where the singer would disappear through instrumental fugues and reprises were far more commonplace. The fusing of these more ambitious ideas in parallel to merging of the jazz worlds improvisational and far-out excursions was central to the new ground being broken in music of the period.

Even John Peel, as part of his journalistic sideline, would be seen writing about Proms concerts at the Albert Hall, enthusing about the expression of a violin solo as much as he noted with discomfort the elitism and tangible snobbery in attitudes. That is most likely the reason so much that happens in the classical world can seem disconnected from the mainstream, that feeling of requiring a degree of musical education to get inside can be off putting, I guess? Yes, there are always attempts to make the two compatible; in recent years Pete Tong has been, I assume successfully as it is still going, presented modern dance music in an orchestral setting but personally, I do not hear enough happening in much of the EDM style to reel me in. Go back and listen to a gorgeously pastoral flute or piano solo on a Caravan album for example, or a Bach referencing lightning fingered guitar pattern by Robert Fripp and you can see the pathways and sense the doors opening to the centuries of other musical progressions that have gone before. It is such an exciting world to dive into, but you must not do it casually. Go all in and free your mind. Similarly, this playlist starts with Bach before driving through pop, rock, indie, alt, soul, r&b, folk, psych and prog before ending over four hours later in jazzier realms, think of it as a long form journey in sound…