J O H AN ft -E B A SHAN THE STORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GREAT
PERSONALITY BY C. HUBERT H. PARRY MUS. DOC., OXFORD, CAMBRIDGE, AND
DUBLIN mRKCTOR OF THE HOYAL COLLEGE OK MUSIC, AND KORMRKLY
PKOFEKSOK OK MUSIC OF TK UNIVaRSZTY OF OXKOKD ILLUSTRATED G. P.
PUTNAMS SONS NEW YORK AND LONDON Gbe ItnfcltetbocFtet preea 1010
COPYRIGHT, 1909 BY G. P. PUTNAMS SONS Published, September, 1909
Reprinted, March, 1910 Vbe Hitfcfcerbocker Pre, few U IHfi, MEMORY
OF E. W. H. PREFACE THE exhaustive researches of Philip Spitta in
every quarter which could afford even remote illustrations of the
life and work of John Sebastian Bach, and the voluminous and
comprehensive work which embodied their results, might seem to
render any further efforts in the same direction superfluous. His
devotion and ingenuity in unearthing such facts as were attainable
after more than a century of public . indifference, and his
shrewdness in suggesting surmises when facts were not to be found,
seem to leave little for those to do who come after, but to confess
their obligations and to acquiesce in the arguments discussed and
re-discussed without stint. But Spitlas position, as the first
thoroughgoing explorer, was inevitably specialised, as he could not
take anything for granted, and had to set down every insignificant
detail of fact and inference which bore upon his argument. He felt
himself bound to give in the utmost fulness the births, deaths, mar
riages, and careers of remote relations, to discuss the interesting
and valuable evidence of the water-marks in the paper used by Bach
at different times in his career, and the technicalities of
ecclesiastical usage which throw light on the schemes of his Church
Can tatas, andmany other matters which are rather beyond the
requirements of any but specialists. His work is VI Preface
inevitably rather confused through the vast array of evidence which
has to be marshalled, and it is difficult to derive from it,
without great effort, any clear idea of the personality of the
composer, as a composer, or any clear impression of his work as a
whole. More over, as the writer endeavours to supply technical
analyses of most of the works he refers to, especially of works
which are hardly ever, if ever, performed, and as musical analysis
is, as a rule, quite unprofitable without the actual Music
analysed, it is necessary, in order to get even a limited
understanding of the book, to have all Bachs works in the huge
forty and odd volumes of the German Bach Society, and possibly a
few other editions and it would also entail several years of ample
leisure, and a devotion which is prac tically inexhaustible. Under
these circumstances a more condensed survey of Bachs life-work and
his unique artistic character may seem excusable. Too copious a
presentation of details is apt to obstruct that understanding of
the works of any great composer or artist, and the manner in which
human qualities are manifested in them, which is the object of all
scrutiny of their lives. In Bachs case the mere events and facts of
the life apart from Art are insignificant, and in consequence of
the lack of public interest which he inspired in his own time even
myths and legends are but scanty, so there is but little temptation
to dwell upon matters of secondary im portance. His life was
unified by the persistence of strong and decisive qualities of
character and tempera ment, which happened to be verycharacteristic
of the race and period to which he belonged and the unity is
emphasised by the fact that he had very little help Preface vii
from outside in developing his powers, and that he went on
educating himself and expanding his re sources from beginning to
end...
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