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Paul Graham's essays discuss how the most exciting work in many media was done by the generation that invented them. For example, the most interesting painting
by thisrod 12y ago
Paul Graham's essays discuss how the most exciting work in many media was done by the generation that invented them. For example, the most interesting paintings were done centuries ago, when oil paint was new. Bach is like that. When he was writing, the piano was a new invention, and a system of musical scales had been found that allowed you to change key mid piece, without retuning your instrument. Those things are old now, but Bach lets you feel the thrill they gave when they were new.
- VLM 12y agovon Bulow said something along the lines of Bach being the old testament of piano music and Beethoven being the new testament. Bach for the first stage of development and Beethoven for the end of the development stage. Maybe an answer to OP could be Beethoven is a reaction to, or maybe, completion of, Bach's work. Or Beethoven is a bit more playful and experimental than Bach in general? Or TLDR is physical development of the instrument didn't end with Bach it ended with Beethoven. So its kinda hard to talk about one without talking about the other.