(Amadeus). The Worlds of J.S. Bach offers both traditional and new perspectives on the life and work of the man who is arguably the central figure in the Western musical tradition. It appears at a time when, because of the fall of the Iron Curtain, extraordinary new discoveries are being made about Bach and his family at an increasing rate thus this book is able to incorporate important information and images not available even in the recent anniversary year of 2000. After making the case for the universality of Bach's art as an epitome of Western civilization, The Worlds of J.S. Bach considers in broad terms the composer's social, political, and artistic environment, its influence on him, and his interaction with it. Renowned specialists in history, religion, architecture, literature, theater, and dance offer the perspectives of these disciplines as they relate to Bach's milieu, while leading Bach specialists from both the U.S. and Germany focus on the man himself. The book is an outgrowth of the "celebrated" ( Boston Globe ) multidisciplinary Academies sponsored by the Aston Magna Foundation for Music and the Humanities with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Describes how Johann Sebastian Bach survived the sorrows of his childhood and composed the music the world has come to love.

Now available in paperback, this landmark biography was first published in 2000 to mark the 250th anniversary of J. S. Bach's death. Written by a leading Bach scholar, this book presents a new picture of the composer. Christoph Wolff demonstrates the intimate connection between Bach's life and his music, showing how the composer's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as a musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher.

A singular resource, Exploring the World of J. S. Bach puts Bach aficionados and classical music lovers in the shoes of the master composer. Bach scholar Robert L. Marshall and veteran writer-translator Traute M. Marshall lead readers on a Baroque Era odyssey through fifty towns where Bach resided, visited, and of course created his works. Drawing on established sources as well as newly available East German archives, the authors describe each site in Bach's time and the present, linking the sites to the biographical information, artistic and historic landmarks, and musical activities associated with each. A wealth of historical illustrations, color photographs, and maps supplement the text, whetting the appetite of the visitor and the armchair traveler alike.

Johann Sebastian Bach was a musical genius, an intellectual giant and a gracious man. His achievement in the area of music is one of the greatest tours de force in history - on a par with or surpassing that of Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Dante, Rembrandt, or Aquinas. Bach worked at a crucial time in history. He combated the ideas of the Enlightenment with its elevation of human reason as the ultimate authority of everything. His struggles, musically and professionally, are those of a man seeking to maintain a high view of worship, academics, and the grounding of all life on the Word of God. As a man valiant in his convictions, he stood against the trends and fashions of his day and succeeded as a witness of the Gospel to the generations who followed him. While his name conjures many images, musical phrases, and half-remembered stories, the life of this colossal genius provides practical lessons in leadership for both artists and anyone who strives to serve others with excellence and integrity.

Highlights the life and achievements of the eighteenth-century German composer and musician, and examines the development of his most important compositions.

The 16 essays collected here of two kinds: stylistic and historical inquiries, and studies of the original sources. The articles deal with the music and shed new light on the composer's life. Part 1 reconsiders Bach's historical position and assesses the cultural significance of his achievement; Parts 2, 3 and 4 draw upon the original sources to explore the compositional process, questions of authenticity and chronology, and controversial issues of performance practice.

More than two centuries after his lifetime, J. S. Bach's work continues to set musical standards. Noted Bach scholar Christoph Wolff offers new perspectives on the composer's life and remarkable career.

The Aesthetic of Johann Sebastian Bach (L’Esthéthique de Jean-Sébastien Bach), by the celebrated French musicologist André Pirro (1869‒1943), was originally published in 1907 and reissued in 1973. It is offered here for the first time in English, as translated by Joe Armstrong. Pirro’s work is based primarily on an examination of the close relationships between language and music in Bach’s vocal works and provides us with an extensive and well-researched “lexicon” of the expressive resources of Bach and his contemporaries. Pirro’s study thus serves as a still sound basis for understanding and interpreting Bach’s instrumental works. Pirro’s engaging analysis that has informed and even moved discerning readers for more than a century. This translation introduces his work to a new audience of performers, music teachers and their students, composers, musicologists, and all who wish to have a greater understanding of the expressive import of Bach’s music.

For more than 100 years now, the name of Johann Sebastian Bach has been considered among the most highly regarded of all composers. The “holy cantor” church musician has been written about in many books. So, it might be difficult for some of us to imagine, but for several generations after his death, Bach had been forgotten. What remained of his vast number of works gathered dust in private collections or distant archives. Many of his works were discarded; in fact, some found their way to a butcher shop and are reported to have been used as wrapping paper. It took a twenty-year-old musician, who would become as well known as Bach, to bring about an interest in his works. In 1829, Felix Mendelssohn performed the St. Matthew Passion, and revived interest in the long-forgotten composer. The genius of Bach was finally recognized by the world. In this delightful story, young adults are introduced to one of the greatest composers of all time. Combining music, history, and culture with biography, this story is as entertaining as it is educational—a musical journey back through time.