A Mirror to the Human Condition

J. S. Bach’s sacred cantatas comprise the single largest category of his output. A Mirror to the Human Condition is a lucid account of the ways in which this technically dazzling and deeply expressive music both responds to its religious subject-matter and yet is not bounded by it; the moral and aesthetic aspirations of these works belong in a wider cultural context. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the world-view contained in the cantatas, with numerous examples showing how Bach makes his own contribution to the meaning of his texts. Additional insights from other disciplines help to create a panoramic view of Bach’s enduring achievement.