Evening in the Palace of Reason James Gaines Book
by James Gaines

A book about a meeting between JS Bach and Frederick the Great of Prussia might not sound like a page turner, but it is an intriguing insight into the two men and the society/personal circumstances that formed them.

Chapters alternate between Frederick and Bach. The former was brutalised and psychologically damaged by his upbringing, and the quirks of his character are both tragic (being forced to watch the execution of a friend), and funny (an obsession with "collecting" tall guardsmen). The chapters on Bach are less convincing and more contentious, partly because of the author's clear reverence for Bach's music and his sympathy with Bach's religious motivation. Bach represents the old Baroque culture as its highest achievement, and Frederick, in spite of his bizarre character represents the coming Age of Enlightenment.

Their one and only meeting led Bach into a carefully prepared trap designed to humiliate him, and he resonded with one of his most intrguing compositions, the "Musical Offering". The clash of personalities and cultures is presented in a very readable and informative way, even if one does not agree with all the conclusions.