EVENING IN THE PALACE OF REASON takes us back to the time of Frederick the Great and Johann Sebastian Bach.  Bach was 62 when he finally met the great king.  A king who he did not think great at all.  A king who had overthrown his home, Leipzig, just two years earlier. 

Bach had traveled for two days to eventually come to grips with his age and the age that he was in.  Bach had been considered old-fashioned, yesterday's news, so to speak.  Frederick, however, represented the new age, the age of enlightenment; he was all the rage in music.

Bach's son, Carl, worked for Frederick the Great and it is thought by some that he engineered a musical figure in which Bach was asked to create a three part fugue. It is thought that Carl had a hand in this musical figure.  Frederick's intent was to humiliate Bach and show that he really was a thing of the past.

When Bach completed this task, and did so beautifully, Frederick Challenged him once again, this time to make it a six-part Fugue.  Frederick was hoping the great Bach would fail, but again he succeeded.  

The conflicts between Bach and Frederick are described as if James Gaines were there watching as it happened.  There is such detail and insight in the history that fills the pages.  The story he tells isn't just raw detail; it is filled with colorful imagery and vivid characters.  It is a beautiful retelling of history.  I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to find out what really goes into music.