Product Description

A work-by-work commentary on the Bach cantatas by one of the world's most famous Bach scholars, now available in English and in paperback for the first time. It includes all the cantata libretti in German-English parallel text. An indispensable reference book for anyone listening to,
performing, or studying any of the Bach cantatas.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #320828 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-14
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 984 pages

Review

"Du rr's text is intented for non-specialists and interested listeners, providing a well-informed and unpretentious description of each cantata. His focus is on the text and music, but his concise account of the occasions and recipients of these performances should stimulate thought about how Bach
cultivated favour with local academics and with the Saxon electoral family."--Stephen Rose, Early Music

About the Author
Alfred Durr is one of the principal editors of the Neue Bach Ausgabe in which he edited 'Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier'. He holds honorary doctorates of music at Baldwin-Wallace College, Ohio and at Oxford University. Richard Jones is a Bach scholar who has been a music editor, writer and teacher since 1980. He studied at the University of Oxford and has taught at the universities of Cardiff and Sheffield. In 1997 he became the editor of the piano grade exam pieces for the Associated Board.

Customer Reviews

Essential resource for sacred musicians, Bach scholars
Alfred Durr, co-editor of the Neue Bach Ausgabe, shares his wealth of knowledge of this vastly varied and enormously rich repertoire in this large, expensive, but excellent book.

The first section of the book traces the development of the sacred cantata as a genre through 1750. Durr here defines important terms and places Bach's works in historical context.

The bulk of the text is a presentation of the cantatas in the order of the liturgical calendar. For each cantata Durr provides the text, its English translation, and the circumstances surrounding the piece's composition. He also offers analyses/descriptions which vary from half a page for some of the briefer, simpler works, to ten pages for works of particular depth (BWV 106 comes to mind).

This book is an invaluable resource to Bach scholars, singers, and conductors. Also consider Marvin Unger's book on Bach's Cantata Texts for an intertextual look at Bach as theologian.

BMN

contains original German alongside English translations
This is a dense and rewarding book for classical music fans as well as those interested in the German language. Worth the price.

Outstanding Resource
Alfred Durr's The Cantatas of J.S. Bach is the "bible" for any conductor, artistic director, church musician or music performer and listener that is interested in performing or understanding Bach's canon. Hi give it my highest recomendation.