Wolff’s work resonate well beyond the scope of his subject, and while it may seem off-topic to begin with a discussion of this wider context, his perspective and achievement will come into much clearer focus if we look briefly at some of these other issues first. Wolff has taken a great risk, one which ultimately pays off handsomely, leaving the thoughtful reader both enlightened and, more importantly, able to listen to some of Western civilization’s greatest music with fresh ears. He frankly admits in his preface that a thorough discussion of Bach’s evolution as a composer and a detailed consideration of the music itself lie outside the scope of what he modestly terms a “biographical essay.” Nonetheless, in emphasizing the “learned” aspects of his subject Dr. True, there are a few moments when Wolff seems to find the need to write for a general audience slightly inhibiting. His compendious knowledge, not just of his subject, but also of Bach’s political, artistic, intellectual, and geographical environment allows him to demystify and explain crucial aspects of the great composer’s life and art without “dumbing down” or oversimplifying. Harvard professor and eminent Bach scholar Christoph Wolff’s new book Bach: The Learned Musician belongs in the library of anyone who enjoys reading musical biography.
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