Das Bach-Bild Philipp Spittas: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Bach-Rezeption im 19. Jahrhundert

In: Archiv für Musikwissenschaft

In: Beihefte zum Archiv für Musikwissenschaft 39

Abstract

Philipp Spitta's Bach biography in two volumes (1873, 1880) has significantly influenced the image of the Thomaskantor. The work of the important 19th-c. Bach scholar is a contribution to historical, critical biographies and, thus, influenced musicological methods. Spitta had a teleogical approach towards Bach's life and work; he continued the tradition of Romanticist Bach interpretation. His interpretation is influenced by the national demands on Bach and theological approaches. Spitta also focuses on a complex discussion of the parody problem.