Bach

by Marc Leboucher

«Le but de la musique devrait n'être que la gloire de Dieu et le délassement des âmes.» On n’a longtemps vu en Johann Sebastian Bach, en français Jean-Sébastien Bach (1685-1750), qu’un organiste virtuose, voire un protestant bigot ou un fonctionnaire du culte composant à marche forcée. Pourtant, cantates, Passions, concertos, sonates, fugues, canons, passacailles, rien ne résiste à la boulimie de ce musicien complet qui maîtrise parfaitement la facture des instruments, la technique instrumentale, la composition, l'improvisation, la pédagogie, et la gestion d'une institution musicale. Homme aux multiples facettes et père de vingt enfants, l’auteur de L’Art de la fugue, qui ignore la cassure habituelle entre musique profane et religieuse, est considéré aujourd’hui comme un des plus grands musiciens de tous les temps.

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 15, 2013

Reviews

[Richard Koerner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about two-thirds of this book and I decided to throw in the towel. I find that despite wanting to know about Bach that I still don't feel I have a true sense of his personality and character. The book reads like a list of facts that are well documented but it is done in a cold, almost clinical way and that is why I am giving up on it.

[John McNulty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite frankly, the life of Bach is not as exciting as I thought it was going to be. Don't ask me what I was expecting. He had a lot of kids so he couldn't be that rock and roll with his decision making. I guess all the energy came out in the music. That being said, the approach to this biographical writing is fresh enough.