The Eyes of Bach
A Novel
by Marc Moskovitz

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In the spring of 1750, young cellist Carl Barth is assigned to assist Leipzig’s aging cantor, Johann Sebastian Bach, during the final months of the composer’s life. What begins as a modest appointment becomes a transformative apprenticeship. Under Bach’s exacting guidance, Barth’s musicianship deepens, and he gains rare insight into the discipline, faith, and creative intensity behind one of history’s greatest musical minds. When he accidentally uncovers the long-missing manuscript of Bach’s cello suites, his admiration for his mentor turns to reverence. But genius exists in a fragile world. The arrival of a proud English surgeon alters the course of both men’s lives. After a procedure intended to restore Bach’s failing eyesight ends in tragedy, Barth is left bereft—haunted by what he witnessed and by his own failure to intervene. Refusing to let doubt and grief define his future, Barth sets out across 18th-century Europe to confront the man he holds responsible, even as he struggles to preserve and honor Bach’s musical legacy. Rich in historical detail and grounded in real events, The Eyes of Bach transports readers into a world of candlelit churches, cobblestone streets, and a household shaped by genius. It is a sweeping historical novel of mentorship, devotion, and one man’s relentless search for truth in the shadow of greatness.

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"The Eyes of Bach splendidly brings to life one of music history's perceived villains, supposedly responsible for the deaths of Bach and Handel—the oculist/quack John Taylor. Marc Moskovitz combines a gripping tale with loving descriptions of Bach the composer and Bach the man.” —Steven Isserlis, cellist and author

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MARC MOSKOVITZ is the author of several books on music, including most recently, MEASURE: In Pursuit of Musical Time. His books have twice been honored with the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title award. He has written program notes for orchestras and opera houses in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and is a contributor to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. A dedicated performer, Marc is the principal cellist of the ProMusica Columbus Chamber Orchestra and a current member of the North Carolina Symphony. He lives in North Carolina.

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Marc Moskovitz

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