Carl Sagan and the rest of the Golden Record team chose three, yes three pieces by J.S. Bach. There were disagreements about this. With only 90 minutes to play with, why clog up finite space with music from just one composer? The counter argument, which won the day, was that it would prove an interesting thought experiment to include two or more pieces created by the same human brain. Plus as the records were sent space-wards without any kind of tracklist, who made the music was essentially an irrelevance. In the end, the Voyager Golden Record went with two pieces by Beethoven, and three by J.S. Bach.
I’m much more concerned that the aliens should have something to dance to. So instead I choose this instrumental by Apollo 100 based on Bach’s ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’, and featuring Tom Parker on the keys.
