"George Stauffer takes us on a compelling journey through Bach''s life and the organs he played, providing a rich and fascinating context for his organ music. The author discusses each work, incorporating information from recent discoveries that broaden our understanding of how the iconic compositions were disseminated and performed. Stauffer''s study is a must-read for anyone interested in Bach''s music for the organ!" --Kimberly Marshall, Goldman EndowedProfessor of Organ, Arizona State University"Stauffer''s fascinating introduction to Bach''s Organ Works combines decades of familiarity with Bach''s organ music as a practicing organist with the deep erudition of a music historian. The book sheds new light on the musical and social contexts of Bach''s organ music and provides a unique perspective of the place of the organ works in Bach''s own artistic development. The book will be indispensable for performers, listeners, and music historians." -=-MarkusRathey, Yale University"George Stauffer has been at the forefront of researching Bach''s organ music for about fifty years. His new book on all the composer''s organ works not only provides an up-to-date and useful chronological overview but also many new details and insightful observations." --Christoph Wolff, Adams University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University"The style of writing balances the twin strands of analysis and performance, clearly coming from an author that has been studying and playing the music of Bach for many decades.
As I read through the book, I almost felt that Stauffer was standing beside me at the console offering guidance on how best to convey Bach''s intentions. The book complements the many books by Williams and Wolff and should be on your physical and/or digital bookcase as soon as possible"-- Martin White, Manuals and pedals - an organist''s odyssey"Bach emerges from Stauffer''s study as someone we understand, a musician who traversed professional and personal successes and setbacks to develop a transformative body of work." -- Kimberly Marshall, The American Organist"In this monumental study Stauffer (Rutgers Univ.), a renowned organist and expert on Bach''s organ music, discusses in detail Bach''s vast and lasting contribution to organ literature. Bach was reputed to be the greatest organist in existence during his life. This book is organized in chronological order, covering the five main portions of Bach''s life and career from beginnings at Eisenach to the culmination of his career in Leipzig.This book is essential foracademic libraries with music research collections and public libraries with significant music collections." -- Choice"George Stauffer''s book will undoubtedly attract a broad and diverse readership.
Scholars will appreciate the robust and up-todate bibliography, with long-standing as well as recent research results woven seamlessly into every chapter. Practicing organists will be fascinated by the wealth of organological information. Enthusiasts and even newcomers to Bach''s music and biography will certainly be drawn in by the cogent, engagingly written topical introductions.But above all, Stauffer''s greatest contribution is the compelling, panoramic chronological narrative that shapes the entire study. It is indeed a fully integrated "history of Bach''s organ music." --James A. Brokaw II, BACH: Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute"George B. Stauffer''s newly released J.
S. Bach: The Organ Works is a true tour de force." -- James A. Brokaw II, BACH: Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, Puritan Reformed"This is an intelligently conceived and brilliantly executed projectthat fills a tremendous need. It is also remarkably affordable and should have wide appeal to individuals as well as libraries. It will quickly join many of Stauffer''s other publications as a standard reference and may well come to be viewed as a landmark work of Bach scholarship." -- David Crean, Notes: the Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association.