This is the only English translation of this important book by the world's most distinguished Bach scholar. This work is widely regarded as the most authoritative and comprehensive treatment of the Bach cantatas. It begins with a historical survey of the seventeenth-century background to the
cantatas, and performance practice issues. The core of the book is a work-by-work study in which each cantata in turn is represented by its libretto, a synopsis of its movements, and a detailed analytical commentary. This format makes it extremely useful as a reference work for anyone listening to,
performing in, or studying any of the Bach cantatas.
All the cantata librettos are given in German-English parallel text. For the English edition the text has been carefully revised to bring it up to date, taking account of recent Bach scholarship.
List of illustrations
Abbreviations
Part 1 Introduction to Bach's cantatas
1. History of the cantata before Bach
2. Development of the Bach Cantata
3. Performance pratice in Bach's cantatas
Part 2 Church Cantatas
1. Cantatas for the church year: Advent to
Trinity
2. Cantatas for the church year: First to Twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity
3. The Marian Feasts
4. The Feast of St John the Baptist
5. The Feast of the Archangel Michael
6. The Reformation Festival
7. Church and Organ Consecration
8. Council Elections
9.
Weddings
10. Funerals
11. Various occasions
Part 3 Secular Cantatas
1. Festive music for the courts of Weimar, Wessenfels, and Cothen
2. Festive music for the Electoral House of Saxony
3. Festive music for Leipzig University celebrations
4. Festive music for
Leipzig council and school celebrations
5. Leipzig music of homage for nobles and burghers
6. Weddings
7. Various occasions
Appendix: Doubtful and spurious cantatas
Bibliography
Indices
There are no Instructor/Student Resources available at this time.
Alfred Dürr 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.
