Oxford Composer Companion: J.S. Bach
Organized alphabetically, this reference includes over 1000 entries by 28 scholars and performers on every conceivable subject even remotely relating to J.S. Bach: his compositions, family, era, musical instruments of the period, and past and present interpreters. Appendixes include a list of Bach's compositions (including BWV numbering, date of composition, scoring, first publication date, location of the autograph score, and page in the complete works publications), text incipits, chronologies of lives and compositions, a glossary of terms, a map of Bach's Germany, and a family tree. The entries vary in length from a hundred words to several pages, and some subjects are singled out for more extended essays, for example, fugue, number symbolism, reception, and revival. Most entries are clearly written, although the analytical material can be quite technical. Editor Boyd was on the editorial team of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1995). This is an excellent first volume of a new series of extensive composer-based reference books from Oxford.ATimothy J. McGee, Univ. of TorontoCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.