Page "Albert Schweitzer" Paragraph 7

The exposition of these ideas, encouraged by Widor and Munch, became Schweitzer's next task, and appeared in the masterly study J. S. Bach: Le Musicien-Poète, written in French and published in 1905.

There was great demand for a German edition, but, instead of translating it, he decided to rewrite it.

The result were two volumes ( J. S. Bach ), which was published in 1908 and translated in English by Ernest Newman in 1911.

During its preparation he became a friend of Cosima Wagner ( then in Strasbourg ), with whom he had many theological and musical conversations, exploring his view of Bach's descriptive music, and playing the major Chorale Preludes for her at the Temple Neuf.

Schweitzer's interpretative approach greatly influenced the modern understanding of Bach's music.

He became a welcome guest at the Wagner's home, Wahnfried.