Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment, (Paperback)

from clarkwebb

The book is principally a meditation on the respective claims of feeling--the senses (including religious faith)--and reason, to fulfill humanity's deepest needs. J. S. Bach represents the former, Frederick the Great of Prussia, the latter. I think the volume promises more than it delivers. Why? ...

from clarkwebb

The book is principally a meditation on the respective claims of feeling--the senses (including religious faith)--and reason, to fulfill humanity's deepest needs. J. S. Bach represents the former, Frederick the Great of Prussia, the latter. I think the volume promises more than it delivers. Why? ...

from samfsmith

This book needs to get an award just for the length of the subtitle! Entertaining, excellent, and approachable history. Not a biography, but an examination of the lives of J.S. Bach and Frederick the Great inspired by their famous meeting. Late in Bach's life, he journeyed to the court of Frederi...

from ShaneTierney

Solid and enjoyable book. Gaines has his subject and its presentation in an iron grip, and his wit is actually pretty witty (though the abundant parenthetical asides got to be a bit much). His presentation of his theme, woven together like counterpoint, is very clever. The epilogue too was an ins...

from billiecat

Starting from the remarkable and historical meeting of "old Bach" and Frederick the Great of Prussia, Gaines builds an interesting double biography of a musical and a military genius. The book is a quick, "almost chatty" read, focusing primarily on Bach and his music, but giving Frederick his due...