The Great Passion

The Great Passion
James Runcie
RRP:
NZ$ 42.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 34.39
Hardback
h234 x 153mm - 272pg
31 Mar 2022 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9781408885512
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
' A wise, refreshing novel, and a touching human story . . . Runcie has an expert imagination' HILARY MANTELLove and Death. Grief and Joy. Music that lasts forever. Leipzig, 1726. Eleven-year-old Stefan Silbermann, a humble organ-maker' s son, has just lost his mother. Sent to Leipzig to train as a singer in the St Thomas Church choir, he struggles to stay afloat in a school where the teachers are as casually cruel as the students. Stefan' s talent draws the attention of the Cantor - Johann Sebastian Bach. Eccentric, obsessive and kind, he rescues Stefan from the miseries of school by bringing him into his home as an apprentice. Soon Stefan feels that this ferociously clever, chaotic family is his own. But when tragedy strikes, Stefan' s period of sanctuary in their household comes to a close. Something is happening, though. In the depths of his loss, the Cantor is writing a new work: the Saint Matthew Passion, to be performed for the first time on Good Friday. As Stefan watches the work rehearsed, he realises he is witness to the creation of one of the most extraordinary pieces of music that has ever been written. ' [A] moving and fascinating portrait of a rare moment in musical history . . . memorable and rewarding' LUCY JAGO
This wise, refreshing novel takes us to the heart of Bach' s life and work. James Runcie' s expert imagination makes his picture of Leipzig specific and convincing, and behind the music' s echo lies a touching human story. It offers a glimpse into a world more faithful and attentive than our own, but not alien to us: "we listen to music as survivors," the great Cantor says -- HILARY MANTEL In this moving and fascinating portrait of a rare moment in musical history, Runcie turns a legend into a real man, compellingly unveiling the intricate connection between passion, grief and the greatest art. Careful research and beautiful writing make this a memorable and rewarding read -- LUCY JAGO The Great Passion is a novel revering the life and work of JS Bach, as told by a young boy soprano in Leipzig * IRISH INDEPENDENT, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022 * This is historical fiction of the highest order . . . intricate and accessible * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review * A delightful novel filled with warmth, music, and an obvious love of Bach * KIRKUS * Praise for James Runcie: ' Runcie has the gift of the born storyteller * DAILY MAIL * Tremendous: shrewd, compelling and full of insight -- WILLIAM BOYD A triumph of inspired imagination * FINANCIAL TIMES *
James Runcie is an award-winning film-maker, playwright and literary curator. He is the author of twelve novels that have been translated into twelve languages, including the seven books in the Grantchester Mysteries series. He has been Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre, London, and Commissioning Editor for Arts on BBC Radio 4. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He lives in Scotland and London.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781408885512
Published: 31 Mar 2022
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Hardback
Height: 234mm
Width: 153mm
Weight: 1000g
Pages: 272

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