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Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment - Hardcover
Synopsis
In one corner, a godless young warrior, Voltaire’s heralded ‘philosopher-king’, the It Boy of the Enlightenment. In the other, a devout if bad-tempered old composer of ‘outdated’ music, a scorned genius in his last years. The sparks from their brief conflict illuminate a turbulent age.
Behind the pomp and flash, Prussia's Frederick the Great was a tormented man, son of an abusive king who forced him to watch as his best friend (probably his lover) was beheaded. In what may have been one of history's crueler practical jokes, Frederick challenged "old Bach" to a musical duel, asking him to improvise a six-part fugue based on an impossibly intricate theme (possibly devised for him by Bach's own son).
Bach left the court fuming, but in a fever of composition, he used the coded, alchemical language of counterpoint to write A Musical Offering in response. A stirring declaration of faith, it represented ‘as stark a rebuke of his beliefs and world view as an absolute monarch has ever received,’ Gaines writes. It is also one of the great works of art in the history of music.
Set at the tipping point between the ancient and the modern world, the triumphant story of Bach's victory expands to take in the tumult of the eighteenth century: the legacy of the Reformation, wars and conquest, the birth of the Enlightenment. Brimming with originality and wit, ‘Evening in the Palace of Reason’ is history of the best kind – intimate in scale and broad in its vision.
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Review
'Gaines has a keen eye for colour, and enjoys himself greatly regaling us with anecdotes ...Evening in the Palace of Reason is a wonderful work of popular history, intelligent, stylish, wryly witty, serious yet never solemn, and above all passionate in its celebration of a great composer' John Banville, Guardian
'An intriguing book.' Sunday Times
‘The author presents us with a piece of theatre that is witty, instructive and often bizarre’ Independent on Sunday.
'Gaines' style is readable, crisp and compelling. He is an excellent guide: informed, unpretentious and frank...A story told with wit, knowledge, the odd flight of fancy and love.' TLS
From the Back Cover
Johann Sebastian Bach created what may be the most celestial and profound body of music in history; Frederick the Great built the colossus we now know as Germany, and along with it a template for modern warfare. Their fleeting encounter in 1757 signals a unique moment in history where belief collided with the cold certainty of reason. Set at the tipping point between the ancient and modern world, Evening in the Palace of Reason captures the tumult of the eighteenth century, the legacy of the Reformation, and the birth of the Enlightenment in this extraordinary tale of two men.
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- PublisherFourth Estate
- Publication date2005
- ISBN 10 0007153929
- ISBN 13 9780007153923
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages352
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Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780007153923
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Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers, United Kingdom, London, 2005
ISBN 10: 0007153929
ISBN 13: 9780007153923
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. In one corner, a godless young warrior, Voltaires heralded philosopher-king, the It Boy of the Enlightenment. In the other, a devout if bad-tempered old composer of outdated music, a scorned genius in his last years. The sparks from their brief conflict illuminate a turbulent age. Behind the pomp and flash, Prussia's Frederick the Great was a tormented man, son of an abusive king who forced him to watch as his best friend (probably his lover) was beheaded. In what may have been one of history's crueler practical jokes, Frederick challenged "old Bach" to a musical duel, asking him to improvise a six-part fugue based on an impossibly intricate theme (possibly devised for him by Bach's own son). Bach left the court fuming, but in a fever of composition, he used the coded, alchemical language of counterpoint to write A Musical Offering in response. A stirring declaration of faith, it represented as stark a rebuke of his beliefs and world view as an absolute monarch has ever received, Gaines writes. It is also one of the great works of art in the history of music. Set at the tipping point between the ancient and the modern world, the triumphant story of Bach's victory expands to take in the tumult of the eighteenth century: the legacy of the Reformation, wars and conquest, the birth of the Enlightenment. Brimming with originality and wit, Evening in the Palace of Reason is history of the best kind intimate in scale and broad in its vision. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001795773
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Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment [Hardcover] Gaines, James
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