A review by jmatkinson1
The Great Passion by James Runcie

4.0

Young Stefan Silbermann is sent to Leipzig at age 11 after the death of his mother. He is to train in the choir school but is plagued by bullying from students and teachers. He falls into the orbit of the Cantor, Bach, and soon is invited to join his family where he experiences first love but after more loss he goes back to the school. All provides the background as Bach writes his great opus, the St Matthew Passion.
This is a deep novel in which the great piece of music is almost superfluous. In considering the fragility of life in 18th Century Germany, Runcie draws on many human emotions and the approach is sensitive.