In discussing Bach's musical beginnings Wolff stresses the role of Bach's brother Christoph in teaching him clavier, and mentions two manuscript anthogies of keyboard music compiled by Christoph, now known as the Andreas Bach Book and the Moller Manuscript. Wolff keeps his subject matter approachable.Ĭhristoph Wolff's biography of Bach has just been published in paperback in England, and I am reading it with great interest. This is a subject that can get very long-winded (if the author wanted to) and Mr. I've had the book since last December and find it very readable. The only remark I'd like to do: you also should 'The New Bach Reader' as a companion to it - it is very important. I have it - it seems a really good book containing a lot of information - it, as I understand, in many ways reflects some last investigations on JSB, too. It's the best musicological read in twenty years.įirst, thank everybody for advices conserning my question on buying Complete JSB Cantatas.

I did read his previous book of essays with some considerable enthusiasm.

Has anyone on the list read Christoph Wolff's (fairly) new book, 'JS Bach: The Learned Musician'? I am considering buying it, but thought I would see if could rustle up an opinion or two here. I left the book dissatisfied, still hungry, but quite unable to tell anyone what of substance I had just consumed. Reminded me very much of food from a so-so Chinese restaurant. So as not to appear too fawning, I can't say the same about the still available first volume (and which apparently will be the only volume available in English) of The World of the Bach Canatas, which Dr. And I'm glad he was the one to point out diplomatically that the emperor has no clothes. A real shame, I believed, since the erudition and sense of scholarship of Dr. Wolff's rather traditional interpretation of the use of multiple voices in what purport to be HIP recordings/performances. For the most part, the nay sayers could not abide Dr. The Bach-Newton analogy was a bit strained fortunately, it does not permeate the book.

If my memory serves me correctly, a number of list members panned this text on several grounds. I am so glad to see someone else on the list (especially someone of Mr.Braatz' knowledge) opine that this is a definitive biography. Just some comments from a very timid lurker The Bach biography entitled 'Johann Sebastian Bach - The Learned Musician' by Christoph Wolff is now available at a lower cost (paperback c. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musicianĭefinitive Bach Biography now in Paterback Johann Sebastian Bach - The Learned Musician

Bach the learned musician