bacchus frustratus

The Travel Channel has been airing an abridged--in some fashion--version of this American Express commercial, which uses the prelude to the Bach Cello Suite No. 1 as its soundtrack. That commercial itself edits down the prelude to fit in its one minute running-time, reshaping it to simplify the arc/momentum the piece describes and use its power, especially the power in the ending. The abridged version (can't find a link for that one--kinda glad about that), however, cuts down the music farther--cuts down the ending, is the point of this. Shortens it up, gets rid of the resolution. Chops out the ride up to the last notes, cuts it out, sews it up. It's excruciating! Gah! Interruptus! Frustratus! What an awful thing to do to that particularly sexy bit! Every time I've heard it I've had to go play the real version to get the taste out of my head.

The only thing more annoying than listening to that commercial is waiting for it to be on, by the way. I had the Travel Channel on in the background yesterday and never quite caught the visuals or beginning, but began to be consumed by knowing which one commercial was. Which meant I had to listen to way too much of that station's macho schmaltz. And how silly and masochistic and snooty am I. But still. Oooongh! Gives me musical blue balls, it does.