BACH, JOHANN SEBASTIAN (1635-1750). The greatest master of the Contrapuntal School of musical composition and the founder of German music. He was born at Eisenach. Alarch 31 (Old Style 21), 1635. Became of a Thuringian family, which presented a remarkable example of the principle of heredity. (See BAGit.) Bach's fa ther, Johann Ambrosius, was a violin-player in the town-band of Eisenach. His mother was Elizabeth Liimmerhirt, daughter of a furrier of Erfurt, where Johann Ambrosius had held a posi tion previous to that at Eisenach. The boy was his father's pupil in violin-playing until he was nearly 10 years old. After his father's death, in January, 1695 (two months after contracting a second marriage:, he went to live with his elder brother, Johann Christoph, a pupil of Pti chelhel and organist in the little town of Oh rdruf.
'The Bachs held annual family and musieal reunions. According to a description given by Bach's son. Karl Philipp Emanuel. to J. N. For kel, one of Bach's biographers, these meetings opened with a chorale, which was followed by secular songs, until, at a convenient pause. sonic one of those present started a catch, in which each joined in proper turn with humorous phrase. as likely as not hitting at it harmless Mindy or individual failing; thus making a merry ending to the musical exercises of the re union. The Bachs were a clan of working musi eians; and quite as much as the violin lessons received from his father, the musical atmosphere of the Bach household and family traditions must have made their impression on Johann Sebastian. It was the homely life of people in humble eiremnstances, but it was permeated with music. To think in music was, from childhood. spontaneous—second nature with him. This, together with the scrupu'ons revision to which in his later years he subjected his earlier works. ac counts for the sustained excellence of his vast production.
The Bach clan being so united. it is surprising that Bach's brother at Ohrdruf was moved more to jealousy than admiration by Sebastian's rapid progress. Johann Christoph taught him the clavichord, but kept from him a book containing works by Froherger. Buxtehude. Pachelbel. and others, which the boy coveted. Not to be thwarted, however, lie copied the book stealthily and lobo rionsly on moonlit nights, only to be of his copy when it was discovered. The anec dote is wholly in keeping with Bach's devotion to his art. At school, besides his general education, he was trained with the other boys for the church choir, and moreover sang at weddings funer als. lit April, 1700, Bach went to Liineburg, where lie was accepted at the school of Saint for the choir of the church. Ills general education •ontinued at the school: lie took his commons at the refectory, and received musical training of much value for his future work, in cluding high services with orchestra• choral sing ing, organ, and experience with a wider range of music. His tine treble voice, together with his knowledge of violin and clavichord, secured him immediate admittance to the advance matin choir. There was keen musical rivalry be tween the schools of Saint 11kb:el's and Saint John's; and when in winter the choirs went through the town streets to sing. separate routes had to be marked out for each, to avoid quar relsome nue meet ings. As the organ became in time Bach's instrument par excellence, and as he is regarded as its greatest master in composition and as one of its greatest masters in playing, it is interesting to note that his serious study of it began in Liineburg under George Boehm, a pupil of Reinken and a composer of distinetion, who was organist at Saint John's Church; which shows that while the musical rivalry between Saint Mich.pl's and Saint John's was keen, it was
also generous. The seriousness with which Bach went about the study of the organ is attested by the fact that he made several journeys to Hamburg to hear Reinken play and profit by his suggestions. Nearly twenty years later. when shortly before Reinken's death, Bach played in Katherine's Church, Hamburg. an impro vised elaboration of the chorale By the Waters of Babylon, the 'father of North German organ ists' exelaimed: "I thought this art was dead, but now f see it lives on in yon!" Baeh's eagerness to leave nothing undone that would aid his progress in his art was again shown a few years later. when he walked 150 miles from Arnstadt to Liibeek for a brief course of study with the famous organist Buxtehnde. Bach had left Liinehurg in 1703, and for a few months was a member of the band of Prince Jo hann Ernest at Chancing to visit Arnstadt, where his granduncle, Heinrich, had been organist, and where an organ lately had been installed in a new church, he played on the instrnment. Although the trial is not be lieved to have been otlieial, lie was, at 18 years of age (August. 1703), engaged for a position similar to that his granduncle had filled with honor. Bach went to Liibeek in 1705, and remained with Buxtehude three months, deliberately extending his mouth's leave from his Arnstadt duties for this purpose. Whatever the personal consequences might be, he was determined to derive the greatest possible artistic profit from his contact. with the justly famous organist. The result was a great ad vance in organ technique. especially in new in sight into the resources and use of the pedal. in which Buxtehude was a master. Naturally, the authorities were displeased at this unceremoni ous extension of his leave from one month to three: although, with characteristically Bachian honesty of purpose. he pleaded as an excuse his desire "to perfect himself in certain matters touching his art." Further, however, he was re buked "for that he bath heretofore made sundry perplexing variations and imported various strange harmonies, in such wise that the con gregation was thereby confounded." lie had returned to Arnstadt in February, 1706. In June, 1707. he accepted the position of organist of Saint Blasius's Church, at Miffilhausen with the same salary as at Arnstadt. and 'the accus tomed dues of corn. wood and fish' In October he married his cousin, _Muria Barbara, whose father, John :\licluel Bach, had been organist at Gehren. June, 1708, lie resigned from Muhl hausen to become organist. in the Duenl Chapel at Weimar. Conditions at Weimar were such as to quicken Bach's already active musical facul ties. The life of the court was decorous, influ enced by Duke William Ernest. a man of serious temperament, a patron of arts and letters and wisely active in bringing the music of the Ducal Chapel up to a high standard. Hein fact laid the foundation of that culture which made Weimar the centre of German letters in Goethe's time, and gave it a 'golden period' of music when Liszt resided there. In addition to his ditties in the chapel, Bach played the violin or accompan ied on the harpsichord in the Court Orchestra, wearing a Hungarian uniform. in which it is diffi cult at the present day to realize the appearance of the great master of the Contrapuntal School. whose perruqued portrait has come down to us. Bach's growing fame as an organist brought him many invitations to try or inspect organs and to play at various courts. For playing a pedal solo on the organ at Cassel with an agility "which few could equal with their hands" he received from the Hereditary Prince a precious ring which the Prince drew from his own finger.