You don't have to be a devotee of classical music to enjoy and appreciate this historical fiction about J.S. Bach and his household. You will empathize with boy soprano Stefan, lonely and bullied at a boarding school in Leipzig in 1727. Bach recognizes Stefan"s talent and invites him to become a member of the Bach household.
This relatively short novel becomes a coming-of-age story for Stefan, but even more, lets the reader experience the enormous creative genius of J. S. Bach as he composes the "St. Matthew Passion" and prepares musicians for its debut on Good Friday 1727.
Although I liked learning about life in 18th century Leipzig, The Great Passion is more than a history lesson. Characters, both the Bach family and the musicians, are believable and likable. The grief surrounding the loss of Stefan's mother and a Bach family member are emotional, especially watching how Bach turns loss into great art.
You know I like learning something new, and finishing this book sent me right to a YouTube production of "St. Matthew Passion." But, I also appreciate engaging characters, along with a well-developed plot and excellent sentences. The Great Passion had all these.
Reading the book in the weeks leading up to Easter made it feel even more timely.
Joyous, revelatory, and deeply moving, The Great Passion is an imaginative tour de force that tells the story of what it was like to sing, play, and hear Bach's music for the very first time.
“Runcie, best known for his empathic Grantchester mystery series, displays the same gifts for characterization in this account of Johann Sebastian Bach's composition of the “St Matthew Passion” in 1727 . . . This is historical fiction of the highest order.” ―Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
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