Bach's St. John Passion for the Twenty-First Century
Musical and Theological Perspectives
Michael Fuchs author Bradley Jenson author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:22nd Sep '23
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Since its composition and first performance in 1724, Bach’s St. John Passion has captured the spiritual and musical attention of musicians, audiences, and congregations. This bookexamines this monumental work from a twenty-first century perspective, providing a new and comprehensive examination of the music and libretto.
Michael Fuchs and Bradley Jenson explore the historical context of the work as well as its performance history and practice. They address important questions regarding the Gospel of John, Martin Luther’s theology, and anti-Judaism and antisemitism in the libretto. Combining expert theological and musical analysis, as well as a new English translation, this bookis a useful resource for students, musicians, and scholars while being accessible to general audiences with a strong interest in the music of J.S. Bach, highlighting the composer’s compositional creativity.
Michael Fuchs and Bradley Jenson offer a thoughtful, original, and updated perspective of the relevance and both the historical and contemporary importance of this enduring work. The scholar, amateur, and lover of J.S. Bach’s music will find this book fulfilling. -- Earl Rivers, professor emeritus of conducting, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music
“An excellent discussion of the continued role and importance of this seminal work. It is an engaging mix of musical, historical, and theological information, thorough enough to please the serious Bach aficionado, while still remaining approachable to those who simply wish to know more about the topic.” -- L. Brett Scott, Professor of Ensembles and Conducting, UC College Conservatory of Music
“This is a responsible and detailed cross-disciplinary study around Bach’s St. John Passion. In addition to an analysis of the Passion itself, it weaves together history and legacy; interpretation in the twenty-first century; performance practice; musical, theological, textual, and Biblical discussions; and questions about anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism.” -- Rev. Paul Westermeyer, emeritus professor of church music, Luther Seminary
ISBN: 9781538179963
Dimensions: 239mm x 159mm x 18mm
Weight: 481g
218 pages