Description
Book SynopsisJohann Sebastian Bach's the "St Matthew Passion" stands as a singular expression of religious sensibility. Highlighting the inspiration Bach drew from opera, this book illuminates the hybrid forms that comprise the work, thereby clarifying many of the composer's dramatic strategies.
Trade Review'I must admit to delighting in the 129 pages of this extremly readable book ... I thoroughly recommend anybody to whom the St. Matthew Passion is a problem to spend £9.99 on this beautifully common sense book.' Musical Opinion, March 2009
"Bach's St Matthew Passion is the ultimate depiction of the torture and (attempted) murder of Jesus Christ: the most beautiful, the most harrowing and the most innovative." -Damian Thompson, The Telegraph, April 2009
"Victor Lederer's 132-page guide, the first in Continuum's Magnum Opus series, not only puts the music in historical and theological context; it also draws your attention to crucial but easy-to-miss details in the score." -Damian Thompson, The Telegraph, April 2009
"One of this book's many virtues is that it unfolds at roughly the same pace as the St Matthew Passion itself." -Damian Thompson, The Telegraph, April 2009
"a user-friendly resource for the keen novice, it is also nuanced enough for the more knowledgeable reader." "The book has the added interest of concluding with discussion of the work's performance history and the merits of various recordings. Written in clean , clear prose, this is recommended reading for anyone interested in delving into this great work" Classical Music, 11 April 2009 -- Ruth Garner
