About a music-historical thriller

The musicologist, musician and lawyer Meinolf Brüser introduces the secrets of Bach's composed cycle and plays selected examples.

In the last two years, Meinolf Brüser has been able to solve some of the great mysteries of Bach research in two books using a methodology honed by his legal experience. This concerns in particular the occasions for Bach's funeral motets, especially "Singet dem Herrn", which he was able to prove was a motet for a deceased alumnus of the Thomasschule. Brüser was able to gain insights into Bach's musical techniques for referring to non-musical occasions. On the basis of his findings, he has now also succeeded in deciphering perhaps the greatest mystery of Bach research, namely the question of why the last fugue of the "Art of Fugue", Bach's late masterpiece that was only published after his death, breaks off. The results are spectacular.

On this evening, Brüser will introduce the "Art of Fugue", explain his investigation, which includes aspects of art and philosophical history, and also play from the work. The abortive fugue holds a secret that has not yet been seen, but which Bach was determined to discover and which provides an insight into his thinking and self-image at the end of his life.

Meinolf Brüser initially studied law in Cologne and was active in various Cologne early music ensembles during this time. He went on to study church music and three years of early music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where he studied historical organ playing with Jean-Claude Zehnder. He then took up his legal practice, which led him to Berlin. He directs the Renaissance vocal ensemble Josquin Capella and performs as a harpsichordist and organist. Brüser holds a doctorate in law and musicology. His dissertation "Wenn Bach trauert. Die Motetten Johann Sebastian Bachs neu verstanden" was published by Bärenreiter-Verlag in 2023. This was followed in 2024 by the book "Es ist alles Windhauch. Bach and the secret of the "Art of Fugue".