The new Bach reader; a life of Johann Sebastian Bach in letters and documents. Revised and enlarged by Christoph Wolff.

by Johann Sebastian Bach, Christoph Wolff (reviser), Hans T. David (editor)

Gathered in this volume are all the letters, reports, testimonials, complaints, thank-you notes, and other writings of J. S. Bach, together with a generous helping of performance and payment inventories, town council proceedings, court and archival records, letters of appointment, and other papers that document the fabric of the composer's daily life. Here, in English translations that preserve the full flavor of the originals, we encounter more than four hundred items. The book also presents a complete translation of J. N. Forkel's landmark 1802 biography, On Johann Sebastian Bach's Life, Genius, and Works; a thorough chronology of events in the composer's life and career; a detailed genealogy and family tree that Bach himself prepared; an extensive obituary written by C. P. E. Bach and J. F. Agricola; facsimiles of a dozen music manuscripts, including working drafts; Romantic-era views of Bach; and a wealth of other materials.

Genres: Music, Biography, History, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

German composer Johann Sebastian Bach of the late baroque period wrote more than two hundred cantatas, the Saint Matthew Passion , the Mass in B Minor , orchestras, such as the six Brandenburg Concertos , chamber ensembles, and numerous works for organ, harpsichord, other solo instruments and fathered noted Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, and Johann Christian Bach.

Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia arranged his works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_...

Reviews

[Jack Laschenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book! 2 full biographies of Bach, plus all his letters and contracts, appraisals by his contemporaries and the history of his resurrection in the 19th cnetury.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compendium of original documents by or relating to Johann Sebastian Bach. It is very complete and full of often interesting details. The editors have compiled everything to salary agreements, receipts for payment, and all sorts of correspondence. Admittedly, some of it can be a little tedious, but most of it is pretty interesting. At its best, this book provides lots of cool insights into the events of Bach's life, spanning both his routine work and his major milestones. I especially enjoyed all the recommendation letters Bach wrote for his students; some things haven't changed.

[Richard Pohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply the basic resource for any Bachian scholar - contains over five hundred pages of mostly authentic material, drawing an accurate picture of what the Baroque Master experienced during his hard yet fruitful musical journey. Includes also an extensive report of various accounts of Bachs contemporaries and followers concerning his legacy. Surely a volume to which I shall be returning to very often, and not only for the sake of my lectures. Indispensable by all means.

[Bob Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the primary documentation included in this book. Lots of interesting details about Bach and the musical world around him.

[J]

Finally started and finished a book that I received from John years back. Not exactly the most exciting collection of writings and documents (editors really weren't joking when they said that most of the stuff found were pretty much related to working out jobs and stuff…), but it's an interesting look into Bach's life.

Conclusion: I don't think I would ever want Bach as a teacher.

[Dorothy Caimano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to read the actual documents. I do need the editors' notes, however to understand some of this. And perhaps I'd better make up a score card to keep all the Bachs and all the Johanns straight. Ayayay! Did everyone name one or more of their children Johann in 17th century Germany?

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a printed Bach wikipedia but with more personality.