J. S. Bach and his German contemporaries

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This provocative addition to the Bach Perspectives series challenges the notion of J.S. Bach as an isolated genius by examining the works and reputations of his contemporaries in Germany, such as Georg Philipp Telemann, Christoph Graupner, Gottlieb Muffat, and Johann Adolf Scheibe. Contributors contextualize Bach's music alongside that of his peers, exploring different compositional approaches and the resulting legacies. By analyzing how Bach's contemporaries addressed the challenges of their time, the volume offers a nuanced view of the musical landscape during Bach's era and sheds light on why his music remains compelling today. Wolfgang Hirschmann proposes an ethnographic approach to Bach's works, highlighting aesthetic paths he explored and those he did not. Steven Zohn discusses Telemann's contributions to the orchestral Ouverture genre and his unique integration of national styles. Andrew Talle compares the settings of Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust by Bach and Graupner, while Alison Dunlop provides primary research on Muffat, a prominent keyboard composer in Vienna during Bach's lifetime. Lastly, Michael Maul examines the Scheibe-Birnbaum controversy, offering context to the critique of Bach's style by discussing other composers targeted by Scheibe.