"The recapitulation is no longer simply a return; it is the
necessary outcome, the final closing of gaps and reconciling of
differences" [p. 198]. This largely sums up the contention of
Karol Berger's new book, Bach's Cycle, Mozart's Arrow, which is
subtitled, "An essay on the origins of musical modernity". This
book is that – to a point. But that's not the whole story.
Berger deals with much wider cultural milieux than those of
musical history. He is at home too in musical technicalities and
abstract philosophies, though always well-anchored in art
history. These he uses to make a simple, central point: that
some time in the eighteenth century, some time between Bach and
Mozart, between the High Baroque and Classical eras, composers
fundamentally changed their conception and execution of music to
reflect an altered view of time. For millennia up to and
including the time of Bach and his contemporaries, time had been
conceived of as cyclical… events recurring, the seasons,
(church) year, births, marriages, de