The social and religious designs of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg concertos / Michael Marissen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Marissen, Michael.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. Brandenburgische Konzerte.

Bach, Johann Sebastian.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (163 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton : Princeton University Press, 1995.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

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.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION. Bach's Musical Contexts

CHAPTER ONE. Relationships between Scoring and Structure in Individual Concertos

CHAPTER TWO. The Six Concertos as a Set

CHAPTER THREE. Lutheran Belief and Bach's Music

Appendix 1. Text-Critical Notes on Early Copies of the Sixth Brandenburg Concerto

Appendix 2. Notes on Bach's Notation of the Gamba Parts in the Margrave of Brandenburg's Dedication Score

Works Cited

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 135-144) and index.

ISBN:

9786612752209

9781400805099

1400805090

9781400805105

1400805104

9781400821655

1400821657

9781282752207

1282752200

9781400812608

1400812607

OCLC:

700688646