Despite Bach’s overwhelming presence in our musical lives, a lot of influential scholarship remains inaccessible to a broader public because it is in German. A recent book (and searchable website) has bridged this gap with translations of over 50 lectures by prominent Bach expert Hans-Joachim Schulze. Loaded with the latest in-depth scholarship, the talks are nevertheless aimed toward the amateur listener.

Celebrating 35 years, Ensemble Galilei has seen, and perhaps anticipated, the coming together of the traditional music scene with early music. Their latest album mixes the great Irish composer Turlough O’Carolan with John Dowland and music from Elizabethan England with cracking Irish tunes, plus a few newly composed works.

For many of us, Christmas is past, as is New Year’s. But celebrations ought to continue with the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, which commemorates the arrival of the Magi to the manger, giving a few extra days of revelry. Another major feast is Feb. 2: Candlemas. Preparing for a concert, New York’s A Golden Wire looks at the richness of music for the full holiday season.

One click at a time, readers picked the most popular EMA online stories of the past 12 months. It’s worth noting the broad range of this year’s list, from artificial intelligence and early-music education to church-bell ringers, English country dance, and a singer’s personal take on seeing representation (and being that representation) on stage.