The Social and Religious Designs of J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos

Author:   Michael Marissen
Publisher:   Princeton University Press
Edition:   New edition
ISBN:  

9780691006864


Pages:   168
Publication Date:   21 July 1999
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   Manufactured on demand   Availability explained
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The Social and Religious Designs of J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos


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Overview

"This new investigation of the Brandenburg Concertos explores musical, social, and religious implications of Bach's treatment of eighteenth-century musical hierarchies. By reference to contemporary music theory, to alternate notions of the meaning of ""concerto,"" and to various eighteenth-century conventions of form and instrumentation, the book argues that the Brandenburg Concertos are better understood not as an arbitrary collection of unrelated examples of ""pure"" instrumental music, but rather as a carefully compiled and meaningfully organized set. It shows how Bach's concertos challenge (as opposed to reflect) existing musical and social hierarchies. Careful consideration of Lutheran theology and Bach's documented understanding of it reveals, however, that his music should not be understood to call for progressive political action. One important message of Lutheranism, and, in this interpretation, of Bach's concertos, is that in the next world, the heavenly one, the hierarchies of the present world will no longer be necessary.Bach's music more likely instructs its listeners how to think about and spiritually cope with contemporary hierarchies than how to act upon them.In this sense, contrary to currently accepted views, Bach's concertos share with his extensive output of vocal music for the Lutheran liturgy an essentially religious character."

Full Product Details

Author:   Michael Marissen
Publisher:   Princeton University Press
Imprint:   Princeton University Press
Edition:   New edition
Dimensions:   Width: 19.70cm , Height: 1.00cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.227kg
ISBN:  

9780691006864


ISBN 10:   0691006865
Pages:   168
Publication Date:   21 July 1999
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand   Availability explained
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Language:   English

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Reviews

The field of Bach studies has been greatly enriched by the appearance of [this book]... [It] is full of significant insights into the nature of the [Brandenburg Concertos]... [It] offers a fascinatingly fresh approach to these masterworks. -- F. Ellsworth Peterson, Notes For anyone who is interested in exploring the remarkably rewarding challenge Bach lays down for the human family, this is a careful, helpful, plausible, and perceptive analysis. -- Paul Westermeyer, Church History Full of important and closely argued discussions of individual aspects of chronology, source criticism, musical structure, and [Bach's] biographical background... [Marissen] is very informative on analytical and historical points, effectively demolishing many received beliefs, especially regarding chronology and source filiation. -- Michael Talbot, Music and Letters


The field of Bach studies has been greatly enriched by the appearance of [this book]... [It] is full of significant insights into the nature of the [Brandenburg Concertos]... [It] offers a fascinatingly fresh approach to these masterworks. -- F. Ellsworth Peterson Notes For anyone who is interested in exploring the remarkably rewarding challenge Bach lays down for the human family, this is a careful, helpful, plausible, and perceptive analysis. -- Paul Westermeyer Church History Full of important and closely argued discussions of individual aspects of chronology, source criticism, musical structure, and [Bach's] biographical background... [Marissen] is very informative on analytical and historical points, effectively demolishing many received beliefs, especially regarding chronology and source filiation. -- Michael Talbot Music and Letters


Author Information

"Michael Marissen is Assistant Professor of Music at Swarthmore College. His most recent book is Lutheranism, Anti-Judaism, and Bach's ""St. John Passion."""

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