Books › A cyclopædic dictionary of music .., 1925 › scan 64
Scan 64
A cyclopædic dictionary of music .., 1925
37 lines. Read by computer on 7 September 2026. Printed page 48. See the scan on archive.org.
1a harpsichord factory, and did much to establish equal temperament. Wrote suites, motets, &c., and a comic operetta.
3(12) BACH, Joh. L. 1677-1730. Son of J. M. (7). Capellmeister at Saxe-Meinengen. Wrote a Requiem for two choirs.
5(13) BACH, Joh. E. 1722-abt. 1780. Son of J. B. (10). Organist, St. George's Church, Eisenach. Wrote sonatas for violin and harpsichord.
7(14) BACH, Joh. Ch. 1671-1721. Brother of J. S., eldest son of J. A. (8). Organist at Ohrdruff. Taught his distinguished brother the clavichord.
9(15) BACH, Johann Sebastian. Most famous of the Bachs, and one of the greatest composers of all time. B. Eisenach, March 21, 1685; d. Leipzig, July 28, 1750. His father Joh. A. taught him the violin, but dying when J. S. was in his tenth year, the boy went to live with his brother J. Ch. (14), who gave him instruction on the clavichord. He was admitted chorister at St. Michael's, Lüneburg, 1700. Here he worked hard at the violin, clavichord, organ, and composition, often studying the whole night through. In 1703 he was appointed organist at Arnstadt, and in 1705 became acquainted with Buxtehude, who greatly influenced the style of Bach's later organ compositions. Appointed organist at Mühlhausen, 1707; court organist at Weimar, 1708; Concertmeister, 1714; Kapellmeister at Coethen, 1717. Visited Halle, 1719, to meet Handel, who, however, had just left for England. In 1723 he was appointed Cantor at the Thomasschule, Leipzig, and director at the two principal churches (Thomaskirche and Nicolaikirche). Here he remained for 27 years, and composed most of his sacred music. In 1747 he made his memorable visit to Frederick II of Prussia, and improvised on the various pianos in the palace. He also played on the chief organs in Potsdam, one of his feats being the improvisation of a six-part fugue on a theme set by the king.
11Bach was near-sighted from childhood, and in 1749 an operation resulted in total blindness. His health declined, and he died the following year. He dictated a choral a few days before his death.
13Among his pupils were Krebs, Kirnberger, Goldberg, Marpurg, Vogler, and his own talented sons.
15He promoted the adoption of equal temperament, and initiated the style of fingering still in general use.
17Bach's mastery of counterpoint and fugue was supreme, and his music was in the highest degree intellectual. Schumann says that the "48 Preludes and Fugues" (Wohltemperirte(s) Klavier) should be every musician's "daily bread." His compositions mark an epoch—the fusion of the old and new styles, viz., the polyphonic (or contrapuntal) and the tonal (or harmonic).
19"His originality and fecundity of thematic invention are astounding; moulded with his consummate contrapuntal art, and the freedom born of full mastery, polyphonic structures were reared which will be the admiration of ages."—Th. Baker.
21After his death Bach's vocal works were little known, and it was not until Mendelssohn drew attention to their great value that they became appreciated.
23Works: (1) Vocal: Five sets of cantatas for every Sunday and feast-day in the year, and many others, sacred and secular; five Passions including the famous St. Matthew and St. John; Christmas oratorio; Mass in B minor; two Magnificats; several fine eight-part motets, &c.
24(2) Instrumental: six French suites, six English suites, inventions, preludes and fugues (including the "48"—Wohltemperirtes Klavier), and many other works, all for clavier, harpsichord, or pf.; six sonatas for pf. and violin; solo sonatas for violin and 'cello; trios, &c., for various instruments in combination; concertos for from one to four pfs.; violin concertos; overtures and suites for orchestra; and a whole library of magnificent organ pieces—fugues, preludes, toccatas, &c.
26The best biography of Bach is by P. Spitta (English trans. pub. by Novello & Co.).
2816) BACH, Wilhelm F. 1710-1784. Eldest son of J. S. Distinguished mathematician, and, next to his father, the cleverest German musician of his time. Unfortunately he gave way to dissipation, and died in misery.
3017) BACH, Karl Philipp Emanuel. 1714-1788. Third son of J. S. Chamber musician to Frederick the Great (1746-57). Succeeded Telemann, 1767, as music director of a church at Hamburg. A brilliant performer, he has been called "the father of modern pf. playing." He did much to originate the form of the sonata and symphony afterwards perfected by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. He wrote a work on clavichord playing, showing his father's method of fingering.
32Works: 210 solo pieces for clavier, 52 concertos, quartets, trios, &c., sonatas, 18 symphonies, and miscellaneous pieces of all kinds. Also two oratorios, 22 Passions, several cantatas, &c.
3418) BACH, Joh. Ch. F. 1732-1795. Ninth son of J. S. Capellmeister at Bückeburg. Wrote an oratorio, The Resurrection of Lazarus, a scena, Die Amerikanerin, cantatas, symphonies, concertos, &c.
3619) BACH, Johann Christian. Called the English Bach; 11th son of J. S. B. Leipzig, 1735; d. London, 1782. Studied with his brother, K. P. E. Organist, Milan Cathedral, 1754. Concert-director, London, and music-master to the Queen and Royal Family, 1759. Wrote several successful operas, including Orione, 1763.
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