The Weapons of Rhetoric

The ideas and concepts of rhetoric have produced music of unrivalled beauty, depth, and intelligence by many, however, the sheer inventiveness of Bach’s music separates him from all others. From his miraculous G minor Fuga for solo violin, showing how polyphonic music could be written on a monophonic instrument, to the 6 part Ricercar from his Musical Offering, ending with his much loved Double Violin Concerto, no other composer in history wielded the weapons of rhetoric with as much skill, grace and heart as J.S. Bach.

As the famed writer and performer Judy Tarling says in her book The Weapons of Rhetoric, “For centuries, musicians and orators have recognised and encouraged the use of accent and rhythm as essential for perfect communication. To ‘make music speak’ is the ultimate aim of both composers and performers alike, and in the words of Quantz were ‘essential to becoming masters of the hearts of their listeners.’’