Originally published in 1963 and with a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin, this book begins with a study of the historical scene and the conditions under which Bach and his player colleagues lived, wrote and worked. It discusses the instruments then in use and required by Bach in these compositions and why certain passages in consequence took the shape or form they did. The book analyses Bach’s music and demonstrates how he built up whole movements from a single 3 or 4-note germ, and at the same time shows how the composer developed his own powers. How, for example, in addition to making any necessary changes to overcome technical deficiencies, he began to think about the musical suitability of passages given to certain instruments instead of just giving the same passage to any of the instruments he happened to have included in his concertante group. When it was first published the book was believed to be the only one in English to deal with the subject in such detail.

Jocelyn Widmer, Ph.D., serves as the Dean for Weapons Learning Transformation at Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA. She has worked in digital and online education for more than 15 years in various faculty and leadership roles within academic colleges and as the Chief Online Learning Officer of Texas A&M University. Prior to her role at TAMU, Widmer held joint faculty appointments in the Colleges of Architecture and Public Health at both the University of Florida and Virginia Tech where she developed, administered, and taught in online and face-to-face undergraduate and graduate programs, including leading the first and only professionally accredited online master’s of urban and regional planning (University of Florida) through the accreditation process.

Thomas B. Cavanagh, Ph.D., is the Vice Provost for Digital Learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF), USA. In this role, he oversees the distance learning strategy, policies, and practices of one of the nation’s largest universities. Prior to UCF, he led online course design and production for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has a long career in corporate e-learning and film/television. He has been recognized with a number of leading industry awards, including the Richard Jonsen Award (WCET’s highest career recognition), USDLA’s Leadership Award, and the 1EdTech Community Leadership Award. He has also been named a Fellow of the Online Learning Consortium.