Bach's Feet

Winner of the 2012 Ogasapian Book Prize from the The Organ Historical Society The organist seated at the king of instruments with thousands of pipes rising all around him, his hands busy at the manuals and his feet patrolling the pedalboard, is a symbol of musical self-sufficiency yielding musical possibilities beyond that of any other mode of solo performance. In this book, David Yearsley presents a new interpretation of the significance of the oldest and richest of European instruments, by investigating the German origins of the uniquely independent use of the feet in organ playing. Delving into a range of musical, literary and visual sources, Bach's Feet demonstrates the cultural importance of this physically demanding mode of music-making, from the blind German organists of the fifteenth century, through the central contribution of Bach's music and legacy, to the newly-pedaling organists of the British Empire and the sinister visions of Nazi propagandists.

Author: David Yearsley
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 06/01/2018
Pages: 314
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.11lbs
Size: 9.61h x 6.69w x 0.66d
ISBN13: 9781316639832
ISBN10: 1316639835
BISAC Categories:
- Music | Musical Instruments | Piano & Keyboard