The True Art is a ‘classic’ of musical literature in the true sense of the word. The many ramifications of Bach’s comprehensive essay have been neatly explained and annotated in a manner that makes the Essay a valuable reference work and an interesting venture in musical literature and history. The translator, William J. Mitchell, brought to his task a long standing familiarity with C. P. E. Bach. He was a professor of music at Columbia University who specialized in the history of musical theory.
