Christoph Wolff Livres

An expansive tour of the instruments that Bach knew

"'When was the score of the Requiem completed?' is a question that everyone has asked; . . .but Wolff goes on to ask: 'Where do the technical and stylistic premises for the Requiem lie, and to what extent could these be taken into account after Mozart's death?' This question is rich in implications, central to the uniqueness of the work, and virtually undiscussed in the Mozart literature."--Thomas Bauman, co-author of Mozart's Operas

Published to mark the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death, this landmark biography by the leading Bach scholar presents a new picture of the composer that brings to life this towering figure of the Baroque era. Throughout, Christoph Wolff demonstrates the intimate connection between Bach's life and his music, showing how the composer's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as a musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher.

The noted Bach scholar Christoph Wolff offers in this book new perspectives on the composer's life and remarkable career. Uncovering important historical evidence, the author demonstrates significant influences on Bach's artistic development and brings insight on his work habits, compositional intent, and the musical traditions that shaped Bach's thought. Wolff reveals a composer devoted to an ambitious and highly individual creative approach, one characterized by constant self-criticism and self-challenge, the absorption of new skills and techniques, and the rethinking of riches from the musical past. Readers will find analyses of some of Bach's greatest music, including the B Minor Mass, important cantatas, keyboard and chamber compositions, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. Discussion of how these pieces "work" will be helpful to performers--singers, players, conductors--and to everyone interested in exploring the conceptual and contextual aspects of Bach's music. All readers will find especially interesting those essays in which Wolff elaborates on his celebrated discoveries of previously unknown works: notably the fourteen "Goldberg" canons and a collection of thirty-three chorale preludes. --From publisher's description

A comprehensive and fascinating study of the overall creative output of Johann Sebastian Bach, capturing the essence of his art.

A fresh look at the life of Mozart during his imperial years by one of the world's leading Mozart scholars.

»Das ist Bunga-Bunga in Schalkes Hintermannschaft«. Spontane, authentische Sprüche wie dieser sind das Markenzeichen des Fußballkommentators Wolff-Christoph Fuss. Im Jahr der Fußball-EM 2016 erzählt einer der beliebtesten Livereporter Deutschlands aus der verrückten Realität (s)eines Traumberufes. Anekdoten über epische Spiele, bizarre Menschen und unvergessliche Pannen – daraus entsteht ein Spieltagebuch mit unfassbaren Ergebnissen und unglaublichen Erlebnissen. Wenn die Umstände wild werden, läuft Wolff-Christoph Fuss heiß. Denn: »Langweilig wird‘s nur, wenn alles glatt läuft.«

Glücklich am kaiserlichen Hof und mit neuen Plänen. Aus dieser Sicht heraus, beginnend mit den drei Sinfonien des Sommers 1788, zeigt Wolff in Mozarts Werken und Fragmenten neue Ansätze und schlägt einen neuen Blick auf den Komponisten vor.