Sure! When I think of why I love Bach, I often think of works where he demonstrates an ability to express often conflicting emotions at the same time. For example, in St. Mathew’s Passion, there’s a famous piece entitled “Mache Dich, Mein Herze” — it’s sung at a part where the followers of Christ are laying his body to rest, and somehow merges genuine despair with hope, representing the promise of resurrection. I think his ability to represent despair and hope at the same time is pretty extraordinary.

Other pieces I love are the 3rd and 5th Brandenburg concertos, as well as “Wachet Auf”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgXL_wrSPF0

No shade if he still doesn’t click with you. I’m just particularly ardent on the subject of Bach and baroque music!

This piece is my favorite: https://youtu.be/Piw53UPooYU?si=WJIjWDKJUJ8HrDPO Können Tränen meiner Wangen

Karl Richter’s version is my personal favorite but there’s lots of different recordings. IMO Bach’s St Matthew Passion is the best piece of musical art, maybe art in general too idk.

Here's a fantastic quality recording of suite 3 from BBC 1974

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKanXXMkz8

Amazing musicality, but the cellist never made it big cause she was a woman

I presume you know Zelenka as well, a contemporary of Bach's (both knew each other and respected each other as composers).