Bach's position as one of a numerous family of musicians is unique, for
it cannot be said of any other composer that his forefathers, his
contemporary relations, and his descendants were all musicians, and not
only musicians, but holders of important offices as such.
Johann Sebastian Bach, the greatest of all that bore that name,
considered the founder of his family to be Veit Bach, a Thuringian
musician who settled in Pressburg in Hungary as a baker and miller.
Later, because of religious persecution, he returned to his native
country, where he lived at the village of Wechmar near Gotha, dying in
1619. Of his numerous musical descendants, Johann (1604-1673) became
organist at Schweinfurt, and afterward director of the town musicians at
Erfurt. Here, though the town suffered much from the effects of war, he
founded a family which quickly increased and soon filled all the town
musicians' places, so that for about a hundred and fifty years, and even
after no more of the family lived there, the town musicians were known as
"The Bachs."
[Illustration: Bach's Preludes. From painting by E. J. C. Hamman.]
Heinrich Bach (1615-1692) was organist of the Franciscan Church at
Arnstadt for fifty years, composed much, and had six children, three of
whom were, in their day, noted musicians. Of the twin brothers, Johann
Ambrosius and Johann Christoph, born in 1645, the first was town organist
of Eisenach, and the second court musician at Arnstadt. These brothers
were remarkably alike, not only in looks, but in character and
temperament. They both played the violin in exactly the same way, they
spoke alike, and it is said that their own wives could scarcely tell them
apart. They suffered from the same illnesses, and died within a few
months of one another. Johann Christoph once figured in an action for
breach of promise of marriage brought before the Consistory at Arnstadt
by Anna Cunigunda Wiener, with whom he had once "kept company." The
court decided that Bach must marry her, but, with the independence of his
family, he refused to do so, and he kept his word.
Another Johann Christoph, uncle of the great Sebastian, was organist at
Eisenach for sixty years, and is, together with his brother Michael,
distinguished as a composer. Maria Barbara, the youngest daughter of
Michael, became Sebastian Bach's first wife. One Johann Jacob Bach was
an oboe-player in the Swedish guard, and followed Charles XII. to his
defeat at Pultowa, later becoming court-musician at Stockholm.
A vigorous, ambitious, and altogether remarkable family was this of the
Bachs, and one of the most notable things about it is the uniformly high
moral character of its members. Only one, of all those who flourished
before Sebastian, is spoken of as being given to drink.
Wilhelm Friedemann, the oldest son of the greatest Bach, unfortunately
had the same failing, and died in Berlin in 1789, poor and miserable
through intemperance. His musical talent was exceptional, authorities
calling him the greatest organist in Germany after his father. He is
sometimes spoken of as the "Halle Bach," from having been music director
of a church there.
The "father of modern piano music" was also the father of a large family,
not less than twenty children having been born to him. The most
celebrated of his twelve sons was Carl Philipp Emanuel, who is called the
"Berlin Bach," having lived there in the court service for nearly thirty
years. Emanuel was a prolific composer in all styles, and occupies an
important place in the history of music. Another son, Johann Christoph
Friedrich, was a composer and also chamber musician to Count von Lippe at
Bückeburg, from which circumstance he is called the "Bückeburger Bach."
Sebastian's youngest boy, Johann Christian (the Bach family evidently
never wearied of the name of Johann), called the "Milanese" and afterward
the "English" Bach, composed a large number of works,--songs, operas,
oratorios, what not. He lived and worked at one time in Milan, where he
was organist of the cathedral, and from there went to London, where he
died in 1782. The daughters of Sebastian Bach--there were only eight of
them--mostly died young, nor did they exhibit any special musical talent,
and, after his sons' careers were ended, no one bearing the name has, we
believe, won distinction in the art.
The Bach family were as a rule both sincerely pious and fond of innocent
pleasure. Their tribal feeling was strong, and it was a custom to meet
together once a year at Erfurt, Eisenach, or Arnstadt, and spend a day in
friendly intercourse, exchanging news and relating experiences. Of
course on these occasions they devoted some of the happy hours to music,
and a favourite pastime was the singing of "quodlibets"--a kind of
musical medley--wherein portions of several well-known songs would be
dovetailed together.
[Illustration: Morning Devotions in the Family of Bach. From painting by
Toby E. Rosenthal.]
Bach's home life was a happy one. Both his marriage ventures turned out
well, and he was beloved by children and pupils alike. His large family
circle was often added to by friends and visitors, who enjoyed his never
failing hospitality, especially toward musicians. In the midst of all
his occupations, he found time for music in the family circle, and a
German-American artist has produced a charming work showing the great
composer seated at the clavichord and surrounded by his children, who are
singing their morning hymn. This painting, which belongs to the Museum
of Leipsic, the city where Bach laboured so long and where he died, is by
Toby E. Rosenthal, who was born in Germany in 1848, but was brought to
the United States by his parents when but a few years old. He grew up
here, but, at the age of seventeen returned to study art in the land of
his birth, where he became a pupil of Professor Raupp and also of the
celebrated Piloty. Most of his life since then has been spent in Germany.
The dead Elaine, passing to Lancelot on her funeral barge, and Constance
de Beverley, before her judges in the Vault of Penitence, have been
finely pictured by Rosenthal, who has also treated lighter topics in
"Grandmother's Dancing-lesson," "The Alarmed Boarding-school," and "The
Cardinal's Portrait."
The last visit which Bach ever made was to the court of Frederick the
Great at Potsdam, in 1747.
His son Emanuel had been capellmeister to Frederick since 1740, and the
king had frequently, and always with more insistence, thrown out hints
that he would like to hear the great artist. Bach, being much occupied,
and disinclined for travelling, did not accede to the king's wishes until
they amounted to a positive command. Then, taking Friedemann with him,
he started for Potsdam, which he reached early in May. The story of the
meeting with Frederick is variously told. We will tell it in
Friedemann's own words: "When Frederick II. had just prepared his flute,
in the presence of the whole orchestra, for the evening's concert, the
list of strangers who had arrived was brought him. Holding his flute in
his hand, he glanced through the list. Then he turned around with
excitement to the assembled musicians, and, laying down his flute, said,
'Gentlemen, old Bach is come.' Bach, who was at his son's house, was
immediately invited to the castle. He had not even time allowed him to
take off his travelling clothes and put on his black court dress. He
appeared, with many apologies for the state of his dress, before the
great prince, who received him with marked attention, and threw a
deprecating look toward the court gentlemen, who were laughing at the
discomposure and numerous compliments of the old man. The flute concerto
was given up for this evening; and the king led his famous visitor into
all the rooms of the castle, and begged him to try the Silbermann pianos,
which he (the king) thought very highly of, and of which he possessed
seven. The musicians accompanied the king and Bach from one room to
another; and after the latter had tried all the pianos, he begged the
king to give him a fugue subject, that he could at once extemporise upon.
Frederick thereupon wrote out the subject, and Bach developed this in the
most learned and interesting manner, to the great astonishment of the
king, who, on his side, asked to hear a fugue in six parts. But since
every subject is not adapted for so full a working out, Bach chose one
for himself, and astounded those present by his performance. The king,
who was not easily astonished, was completely taken by surprise at the
unapproachable mastery of the old cantor. Several times he cried, 'There
is only one Bach!' On the following day Bach played on all the organs in
the churches of Potsdam."
[Illustration: Frederick the Great and Bach. From painting by Herman
Kaulbach.]
Rosenthal portrayed the composer making music among his family; Hermann
Kaulbach has depicted him playing before Frederick. The artist has given
such a look of naturalness to the scene, that we are quite satisfied to
accept his presentment and believe that thus the king and his court
listened
"While the majestic organ rolled
Contrition from its mouths of gold."
Hermann Kaulbach is a son of the renowned painter, Wilhelm von Kaulbach.
A pupil of Piloty, he was born at Munich in 1846, and has produced some
works of a historic character, such as "Lucrezia Borgia," "Voltaire at
Paris," "Louis XI. and His Barber," and "The Last Days of Mozart," but is
perhaps still more successful with his admirable pictures of childhood.
We must not forget to mention his "Madonna," a work which should add much
to his fame.