The Brandenburg Concertos represent a pinnacle in the history of the Baroque concerto. This analysis places the concertos in their historical context, investigates their sources, traces their origins and discusses the changing traditions of performance.

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.

Great masterpieces of intense, appealing originality, complex textures and development, and unprecedented instrumentation. Scores include No. 1 in F Major, No. 2 in F Major, No. 3 in G Major, No. 4 in G Major, No. 5 in D Major, and No. 6 in B-flat Major. Reprinted from definitive Bach-Gesellschaft edition.

J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos arranged for piano duet (one piano, four hands) by Max Reger. Titles: * Concerto No. 1 in F Major * Concerto No. 2 in F Major * Concerto No. 3 in G Major

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.

Originally published in 1963 and with a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin, this book begins with a study of the historical scene and the conditions under which Bach and his player colleagues lived, wrote and worked. It discusses the instruments then in use and required by Bach in these compositions and why certain passages in consequence took the shape or form they did. The book analyses Bach’s music and demonstrates how he built up whole movements from a single 3 or 4-note germ, and at the same time shows how the composer developed his own powers. How, for example, in addition to making any necessary changes to overcome technical deficiencies, he began to think about the musical suitability of passages given to certain instruments instead of just giving the same passage to any of the instruments he happened to have included in his concertante group. When it was first published the book was believed to be the only one in English to deal with the subject in such detail.

Offering comprehensive coverage of classical music, this guide surveys more than eleven thousand albums and presents biographies of five hundred composers and eight hundred performers, as well as twenty-three essays on forms, eras, and genres of classical music. Original.