Johann Sebastian Bach. The Learned Musician

* Landmark biography of J.S. Bach by leading Bach scholar
* Published to mark 250th anniversary of the composer's death
* Turns Bach inside out: brings to bear the advances of 50 years of Bach scholarship to provide a complete re-examination of his personality
* Shows how Bach's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as a musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher

Although we have heard of the music of J.S. Bach in countless performances and recordings, the composer himself still comes across only as an enigmatic figure in a single familiar portrait. As we mark the 250th anniversary of Bach's death, author and leading Bach scholar, here Christoph Wolff presents a new picture that brings to life this towering figure of the Baroque era.

This engaging new biography portrays Bach as the living, breathing, and sometimes imperfect human being that he was, while bringing to bear all the advances of the last half-century of Bach scholarship. Wolff demonstrates the intimate connection between the composer's life and his music, showing how Bach's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as a musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher. And throughout, we see Bach in the broader context of his time: its institutions, traditions, and influences. With this highly readable book, Wolff sets a new standard for Bach biography.

CONTENIDO:

Preface
Prologue: Bach and the Notion of Musical Science
1- Springs of Musical Talent and Lifelong Influences - Eisenach, 1685-1695
2- Laying the Foundation - Ohrduff, 1695-1700
3- Bypassing a Musical Apprenticeship - From Lüneberg to Weimar, 1700-1703
4- Building a Reputation - Organist in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, 1703-1708
5- Exploring 'Every Possible Artistry' - Court Organist and Cammer Musicus in Weimar, 1708-1714
6- Expanding Musical Horizons - Concertmaster in Weimar, 1714-1717
7- Pursuing 'the Musical Contest for Superiority' - Capellmeister in Cöthen, 1717-1723
8- Redefining a Venerable Office - Cantor and Music Director in Leipzig: The 1720s
9- Musician and Scholar - Counterpoint of Practice and Theory
10- Traversing Conventional Boundaries - Special Engagements Highlight the 1730s
11- A Singing Bird and Carnations for the Lady of the House - Domestic and Professional Life
12- Contemplating Past, Present, and Future - The Final Decade: the 1740s
Epilogue: Bach and the idea of 'Musical Perfection'
Notes
Music Examples
Appendices:
Chronology
Money and Living Costs in Bach's Time
Movable and Fixed Feasts in the Lutheran Church Calendar
Bibliography
Index