JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Evening Star, Issue 18785, 8 November 1924, Page 10

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

LONG NEGLECTED GREATNESS, [By H. A. Thomson, in the Melbourne ‘Argus.] The Bach family is traced back to the early part of the sixteenth century, and is noticeable for the extraordinarily large number of musicians—many quite distinguished—which it produced. Johann Sebastian Bach was born at Eisenach in March, 1685, and, in Parry’s words, “ In him the gifts of this consistently and profusely-gifted family, and the long traditions of earnestness and sincerity which had become characteristic of Teutonic musicians, boro* at last the noblest and maturest fruit.” At the age of ten Bach was left an orphan, and was taken into bis home by his elder brother, John Cristopb, likewise a musician of some note. All too little is known of the intimate life of fliat household, but what is known shows it as eminently, suitable to form the hov's character and develop his musical faculty. That Johann received a good education, if somewhat brief, is known, for later be was appointed to instruct the boys at St. Thomas's School at Leipzig in Latin us well as in music. Much importance attaches to that period of Bach’s early life owing to the peculiar circumstances and environment, and Parry considers that it probably marks the beginning of his actual experience of choral music. RAPID DEVELOPMENT.

At the age of fifteen Bach began to piovide for himself—in 1703 he occupied some position in the service of the Duke of Weimar’s brother. At eighteen he became organist at Arnstadt, when he had already attained some efficiency as i player, though little is known of his development in composition. The opportunities presented at Arnstadt, which was a anisic-loving and advanced place, were quickly seized, and Spitta dates his cantata, ‘ Denn du wirst meine Seele nicht in der Holle lassen,’ as written soon after his appointment. Parry points out that the importance of that work is that it represents such a sudden attainment of a high and equal degree of mastery and such a consistent revelation of the composer’s personality. Erom now on we see Bach’s development proceeding with incredible rapidity. He craved to hear great works and performers, and distance, even if it had to be covered on foot, never deteircd him from making pilgrimages to satisfy his artistic hunger. An interesting ,-pisodo is his absence in Luheck for four mouths, when fie had been granted four weeks, and the consequent wrath of his church masters. His visit to Luhcck resulted in his becoming absorbed in composition, and caused his relationship with Ihe church authorities to become strained. Bach’s career at Muhlhausen began in 1707 —as organist of the Church of St. Blasius, at the munificent salary of about CIO a year, with some perquisites, such as firewood, corn, and three pounds of fish per annum. In 1707 Bach married In's cousin, Maria Barbara Bach. At this period Parry speaks of his “ manifesting an astonishing range of mastery.” Alluring as the subject of Bach’s works is, space precludes even the mention of them, and I must leave the reader to revel in Carry’s hook. During an absence in Carlsbad in 1720, Bach’s wife died, which must have left a great void to such a home-loving and domesticated nature. Apparently he sought solace in his work, as die ever-growing mass of masterpieces indicates. Bach's second wife—Anna Magdalena, the daughter of the court trumpeter—was a good musician, who played on the clavier, and had been a court singer at t'othon. This union appears to have been tile real union of souls, for there is, despite the scanty information of their domestic life, abundant evidence that their love was sincere and deep, and their interests common, and that his wife labored for and with her great husband. Throughout the whole of his life he poured out bis masterly creations in all branches of the art, and calls from Parry this eulogy; “He produced the finest suites, the finest organ music, the finest church cantatas, the finest solo violin music, the finest choral motets, the finest chorale preludes, and the finest ‘ Passions.’ Throughout all Bach’s work is evidence of a deep religious and devotional belief; sincerity and honesty are in every one of them. It is a happy description that the way he harmonised and elaborated the German chorales with all the substlety of his art was no vain display, but the revelation of the deepest workings of his nature, the very musings of his inmost soul.’’ Parry aptly says “ Bach had so constantly used his Highest skill for the purpose of devotional expression that ho seemed to have arrived at the frame of mind which, through association, felt the skill itself to ho something sacred and devotional.”

When lie was about sixty years of age, ominous signs of failing sight manifested themselves. Later be underwent two operations, which were unsuccessful, and left him blind; this was seemingly early in 1750. In July his sight was partially restored, but it wns obvious to his friends that the end was near. Tradition says that about that date he had begun work on a chorale prelude, “ when we are in deepest need," and that he dictated it to bis pupil and son-in-law, Altnikol, and with touching sincerity of devotion altered the title from the piteous expression of deepest need to the words “ Yor deinein Thron tret'irh ” (*‘ I come before Thy throne ”). Death had ever had a peculiar fascination for him, and he met it without complaint or fear, hut “with oxnuisite peace, and trust.” Parry's words lire singularly appropriate: “Music had been his life. | Music had been his one means of expressing himself, and in the musical form which had been most congenial to him he bids his farewell, and only in the last bar of all for a moment a touch of sadness is felt—where ha seems to look round upon those dear to him. and to cast upon them the tender gaze of sorrowing love. And with that last phase his earthly labor ended on July 28, 1750.” PITIABLE PHASES. What was to follow is almost beyond belief. He was buried on July 31, 1750, the record showing him merely as an ofiicial of St. Thomas’s School. Of so little iraj:K»'lance, was the death and burial of this great man that even the tireless investigator, Spitta, could only discover that his grave had been near the church when, a century later, the old graveyard was removed, all traces of it were lost for ever. Even then the last pitiable phase of the story is to come. His beloved wife (Anna Magdalena) was left in extrema poverty, and for a time received charity, and died as an almswoman in 1760. Nothing is known of her burial or resting place Eew of Bach’s compositions were printed in his lifetime, and after his death most of his manuscripts were divided between his sons Friedemann and Philip Emanuel. For over half a century Bach and his message were forgotten and unheeded, despite the fact that he left a number of distinguished pupils behind him, some even his own kith and kin. His pupils, most of whom were distinguished musicians, failed signally tol gain for Bach’s works proper recognition, but it is of interest to note that one of them —Mizler —was one of the first to put on record some facts of his master’s life, while J. Doles, who was at St. Thomas’s School when Mozart visited there years later, roused his enthusiasm by showing him some of the choral motets. In 1709 the last of Bach’s actual family, his daughter Regina Johanna, died. Like her mother, she was dependent on charity at the close of her life. Gradually the awakening came, and musicians studied with amazement the few works available. As Parry says; “It began to dawn upon them that these were no products of mere pedantry and mechanical skill, but the utterances of such a splendid and poetic personality as had rarely appeared in the world.” Unfortunately a great number of priceless works were lost for ever, especially those which had been in Friedcmanns possession. Soon tire Wohltamperirtes Clavier and the organ works aroused enthusiasm, and in 1829 Mendelssohn performed the ■ Mat-thaus-Passion ’ in Leipzig—a hundred years after the first performance. As

more and more of his works became known musicians of all countries began to understand the importance of this priceless heritage, and to-day Bach is coming into his own, although even now we know all too little, both of the greatness of bis works and of the beauty and nobility of his nature.