The True Life of Johann Sebastian Bach

by Klaus Eidam

Book Overview

In this new biography of Johann Sebastian Bach, Klaus Eidam brings the icon of Baroque music into focus as never before. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465018610
• ISBN13: 9780465018611
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

a wonderful read and necessary corrective

This is the only biography of Bach to create a three dimensional figure out of him. Eidam's style is engaging, lively and (despite the over finicky qualms of an earlier reviewer) splendidly translated. Eidam necessarily chides earlier scholarship which has tended to leech the humanity out of Bach's story. He creates a portait built out of careful reading of sources, original scholarship, coupled with (and here lies Eidam's real contribution) an intelligent understanding of artistic creativity and its endless struggle against bureaucracy; which lies at the core of Bach's 'passion'. It is no exaggeration that virtually all other biographers over the years have tended to sympathize in some way with Bach's tormentors: be they philistine provincial town councils, jealous colleagues, or bullying autocrats. Their message being that a genius of Bach's stature should have exhibited Job-like patience when all of his artistic drives where being delibrately subverted. Most other biographies are so desperate to read him as a product of his time that they inadvertantly attempt to minimize his originality and unique voice. Eidam corrects these misconceptions. His description of Bach's end and his widow's struggles may well move the reader to tears. This comes from clear scholarship and good writing, as well as a unique, genuine sympathy with the subject of the biography. Bach deserves as much.

Less Pretense Than Wolff and Spitta

Having played hundreds of works of Bach's throughout my life as a professional musician, and having pored over the stilted prose of Christoph Wolff's and Phillip Spitta's pretentious attempts at pigeonholing the great master, this pianist found Klaus Eidam's biography both refreshing and eye-opening. Not only do his revisited renditions of certain incidents of Bach's life read far more credibly than previous glossed-over attempts would have us believe, but there is a tenderness that comes across--even in the rather poor English translation--that makes us understand that Bach was susceptible and vulnerable, as well as seemingly-supernaturally gifted. His like doesn't come along often, and Mr. Eidam's book lets us into Bach's world FAR more personally and immediately than any other of which I'm aware. One area of research that bears note: Klaus Eidam bothered to research the individuals for whom Bach worked at his various places of employment, as well as taking the time to look into the motives of those who have seemed all-too-ready to paint that picture of Bach we've all come to idolize: the humble, obedient, religious (though often irascible) servant of the church. Eidam questioned the validity of that picture, and presents a more realistic one, and in the process, shows the reader what Bach had to endure for his entire life.

Finally, Bach as a real person

Although I do not have a musicological background, I have loved the music of Bach for years and have read many of the extant biographies: Boyd, Wolff, Spitta, etc. Of all the biographies, I found Mr. Eidam's to be the best at creating an understanding of the man who created such divine music without perpetuating myths or attempting to explain Bach's personality based upon his musical art. Mr. Eidam admirably highlights the irony inherent in the fact that Bach produced such sublime art in the face of continual opposition from lesser intellects.I did not find the language of the english translation to be distracting and found the work to be refreshingly free of musical theory that while interesting does not increase one's understanding of the man himself. Instead, the reader is left with a deep and abiding appreciation for Bach's untiring efforts, in the face of incredible opposition, to share with the world a miraculous music that only he could hear.

Eccentric revisionism, entertaining

This comprehensive biography clears up 250 years' worth of legend with a new reading of the documentary evidence around Bach's life as uncovered through the author's extensive research. Engagingly and eccentric in opinion it makes us wonder that much of what we think we know of the composers and their music is more fiction and fancy that biography and social history, enough so that I wonder along with the author about the lives of other composers. The picture of Bach is one of a struggling musician who made some serious career move mistakes which if it did not noticeably affect his art at least cause injury to his social standing and livelihood. Well worth a read for the context it puts the creation of his music in to.