“Johann Sebastian Bach” (Volumes I-III), by Philipp Spitta

688 pages, Dover Publications, ISBN-13: 978-0486274126 (Volume I), 736 pages, Dover Publications, ISBN-13: 978-0486274133 (Volume II), 432 pages, Dover Publications, ISBN-13: 978-0486274140 (Volume III)

Philipp Spitta was a German music historian and musicologist, and his Johann Sebastian Bach, originally published in 1873, was his best known work; this edition, originally translated by Clara Bell and J. A. Fuller Maitland in 1884, was reissued by Dover Publications in 1952 and, later, in 1992, which is the edition I have. This is a monumental biography of one of the greatest composers of all time (certainly one of the big three – Bach, Mozart, Beethoven – if you ask me. And I know you did) and by monumental I mean Teutonic: thorough, organized, relentless, uncompromising and ruthless…well, maybe not ruthless, but you get the idea. Spitta’s account is a straight-up chronological account of the life of JS that includes a discussion of Bach’s compositions at the time they were composed. No bells or whistles here, just a Life of Bach with one long paragraph after another, with very few divisions or subsections; I mean, really Phil, couldn’t you give me a break or two so I could at least catch my breath? Or take a nap? Or invade Poland?

Still, Spitta had to have done something right, as this 140+ year old book remains the go-to work for Bach biographers to this day. As it should, considering all of the info to be had within: his ancestry, his immediate family, his associations, his employers and the many occasions when his musical genius shown forth for all to see. German that he is, Spitta makes sure to document and record all of this biographical material with quotations from primary sources: JS’s correspondence, family records, diaries, official documents and so much more, besides. But, or course, it is the music that remains the focus of this titanic brick of paper, and Spitta’s analyses of all of Bach’s most important works – Over 500 pieces of music! More than 450 musical excerpts! A 43-page musical supplement! – is, it must be said, penetrating and scholarly, to say nothing of enjoyable. No, really.