“The World of J.S. Bach” presentation was showcased on Sept. 22 at 7:30pm in the Zlock Performing Arts Center. It focused on the history of Bach’s influential musical genius during his lifetime. Professor Margaret Montet, the Information Literacy Librarian for Bucks, composed a wonderful presentation that followed Bach’s life through the late 17th to mid-18th century.
Montet’s love for music came to her at an early age. At ten years old she learned to play the clarinet, a beautiful woodwind instrument. She chose the clarinet because she believed it had the “nicest sound.”
Music was Montet’s first love and she’ll always go back to it whenever she’s sad or stressed out. No matter the situation there was always some kind of music that would help to ease her tensions. Throughout the years, music has always been her companion.
Montet has an eclectic taste for music. Her inspiration stems from any musician that understands music on a deeper level and puts that passion in their performance.
Montet went on to attain a Master’s of Music later in life. She was drawn to J.S Bach because she, “looks for what is unique about that composer or that era.”
Montet elaborated on how she came up with the title of her presentation, “the unique thing about J.S. Bach is that even back in the Baroque Era there were artists and composers moving around different countries to see or compare what other countries were doing and Bach stayed in what we now know as Germany. He really didn’t travel much and so I called it the ‘World of J.S. Bach’ because his world is unique in that it was so narrow but yet he wrote these amazing pieces.”
Originally she started the presentation at a local retirement village where she often teaches. One of the more difficult things she had to do was whittle down the time from six hours to 80 minutes. Despite the massive amounts of time shaved off of the original presentation she managed to keep the high points and shape of her presentation.
Despite presenting the “World of J.S. Bach” alone she managed to captivate and educate her audience to an astounding degree with some witty remarks and well composed demeanor.
Montet’s role at Bucks is to teach students how to use the databases that Bucks provides for them and to decide what information is credible to benefit the student body.
Montet also holds a Master’s in Fine Arts. A fine example of her talent is her exemplary use of creative nonfiction which utilizes, “the techniques for fiction so it’s less like a journalistic report and more like a story that you would read.”