Young Genius DISCOVER Bach in Thuringia Authentic Places Charming Festivals 6 Wechmar Home of Bach’s Ancestors

8 Eisenach Johann Sebastian Bach’s Birthplace Little baroque castles,­ restored 12 Ohrdruf ­organs, medieval church spires—each Latin Pupil and “Kurrende” Singer Bach location is worth discovering. 16 Arnstadt First Position as an Organist and a Fistfight

19 Dornheim Wedding

22 Mühlhausen A Fleeting Performance

25 Weimar Court Organist and Chamber Musician

30 Erfurt Main Seat of the Family

33 Altenburg Organ Inspector

38 Thuringian Bach Festivals » Thuringian Bach Festival » Bach-Festival-Arnstadt » Ohrdruf Bach Festival » Bach Biennale Weimar » Thuringian Organ Summer » Eisenach Bach Festival » Other Festivals for Early Music in Thuringia Content

BACH CYCLING EXPERIENCE ROUTE

Underway with ) t Johann Sebastian Bach — 20

THE YOUNG BACH G Bildkuns Orphan, Child Prodigy, and Organ Freak

By Dr. Beate Agnes Schmidt — 34 ar GmbH © V m INTERVIEWS Dr. Jörg Hansen,­ Director of as Müller, wei

the Bach House in Eisenach — 11 m

Midori Seiler, Baroque Violinist — 29 o: Tho t ho

Christoph Drescher, ­Managing Director P of the Thuringian Bach Festival — 39

Prof. Myriam ­Eichberger, ­Intendant isenach ( m E of the Bach Biennale Weimar — 43

DIRECTIONS s, Bach Museu t

Map of Thuringia — 4 us Interviews: SERVICE First-hand opinions Overview with Addresses and on Bach’s le page: Bach b t

Further Information — 48 Ti music Editorial

Discover Bach in Thuringia!

The Thuringian Bach was young medieval atmosphere of Mühlhausen, and rebellious. Born into a widely-­ Bach composed the Town Council branched family tree of musicians, Cantata “Gott ist mein König”, which is Johann Sebastian Bach spent half the only cantata from this period pre- his life here. served in print. And Bach’s enchant- ing matrimonial church in Dornheim Apart from his birthplace of Eisenach is part of the Bach Cycling Experience and the residence city of Weimar, it Route, which leads all the way back to This is where is the charming little towns like Ohr- Bach’s ancestors in Wechmar. to find the music! druf, Arnstadt, and Mühlhausen that Undoubtably, Johann Sebastian An overview of Thuringian recount the adventurous stories about Bach spent his most creative years Bach Festivals the young Bach. One time, for instance, in Weimar. For this reason, not only Bach insulted one of his choristers Goethe’s and Schiller’s names are during his time in Arnstadt, prompt- ­associated with the lively cultural city. ing a fistfight. On another occasion, For all of ten years, Bach lived and he ­extended his four-week study trip worked in Weimar as the court organ- to Lübeck to more than three months ist at the Weimar castle, as the concert without permission. In spite of these master of the court orchestra, and as small differences, his Thuringian a productive composer. Inside the ­employers already appreciated Bach massive walls of the Bastille, you as a highly-gifted organist, concert can listen to the story about why Bach master, and composer. Everywhere he was arrested and forced to spend a went, he was much better paid than month here because of his “stubborn the colleagues who were there before conviction”. and after him. Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthplace When one follows the trail of the in Eisenach is a must-see on this jour- young genius, one also discovers a ney. Along with the Wartburg castle number of Gothic and baroque church- with its rich tradition, you should allow es of historical significance along time to visit the cleverly-conceived with freshly renovated half-timbered Bach Museum. A short, live concert houses and magnificent castles in the there awaits every visitor. midst of picturesque landscapes. The best timing for your trip would Above all, one finds the authentic be to enable you to visit one of the Bach venues that still exist today. many Bach festivals that take place at ­After its reconstruction, the Wender particular times of year, or as a year- Enjoy nature and discover more about the musician organ of the Bach Church in Arnstadt round concert series. on the Bach Cycling gleams in the original splendour of ­Experience Route the Baroque period. A hidden church Enjoy discovering, listening, and being library in Ohrdruf holds literary trea­ amazed! sures from Bach’s school years. In the Erfurt–Hamburg 363 km – 3:40 h via ice Erfurt–Hannover Erfurt–Halle 219 km – 3:03 h via ice 157 km – 0:32 h via ice

  A 38 Halle A 71 Halle A 38 Göttingen 

 

Mühlhausen Erfurt–Frankfurt/Main 257 km – 2:11 h via ice Erfurt–Düsseldorf  400 km – 4:04 h via ice

Altenburg Eisenach Weimar Erfurt     A 4 Wechmar Frankfurt/Main 

Arnstadt Ohrdruf Dornheim 

 

   



A 71 Highway Würzburg/ Schweinfurt  Country road A 73 Coburg Railroad track Erfurt–Würzburg 196 km – 1:32 h via ice ICE Train station Erfurt–Coburg 125 km – 0:34 h via ice Airport Weimar-Erfurt

4 1685 Birth in Eisenach

1695 Ohrdruf

1700 Lüneburg 1703 Weimar and Arnstadt Directions   1707 Mühlhausen 1708 Weimar

1717 Köthen

 1723 Leipzig

  STAGES OF BACH’S LIFE Johann Sebastian Bach spent half of his life in Thuringia. Erfurt–Leipzig 140 km – 0:45 h via ice Erfurt–Berlin Death in Leipzig 303 km – 2:51 h via ice Mühlhausen 1750

BACH-ORGANS  A 9 Listen to the young Berlin Bach’s music in authen- tic places! This symbol stands for a stylised ­organ, on which you can Altenburg Weimar push the pedal and play Eisenach Bach’s compositions. Erfurt   It also offers the most  Wechmar  important information  Erfurt–Dresden about his life there. 216 km A 4 2:15 h via ice Arnstadt Dresden Ohrdruf Dornheim  EXPERIENCE-SPACES  This symbol shows  where you can experi- ence multi-­media instal- lations about Bach’s life and work. Visit the newly   conceived Bach exhibi-   tion in Arnstadt and the   experience-space in the   Weimar Bastille. Listen       to Bach’s organ works    in the Divi Blasii church  in Mühlhausen or to a        fictional conversation

  between Bach and the   /   city council at the Alte  Kanzlei. 





0 5 10 15 20 km

5 Bach’s Ancestral Home Wechmar

Wechmar is regarded as the birth- inside the museum by numerous other place of the Bach family of musi- family trees from various periods. cians. Johann Sebastian Bach, who himself researched his ancestors, Veit-Bach-Mill got as far as Veit (Vitus) Bach, (Obermühle or upper mill) who probably settled in Wechmar around 1600, ­after having left his This is probably where Veit Bach home for religious reasons, being played his cittern—for Johann Sebas- a Lutheran himself (it has not been tian Bach, this was “the beginning conclusively proven whether this of music for his descendants”. It was A living descendent of was in Hungary or Bohemia). Today, the idea of playing music to the beat Bach has lived in the old he is regarded as the progenitor of the mill that sounded best to him. schoolhouse for the past of the Bach family. The Veit-Bach-Mill has been restored 20 years! Elmar von Kolson to the way it looked in 1685 and can is the great-great-great- It is known that he was a baker, died be visited. The original panelled room great-great-grandson of in 1619, and left behind five sons. It is in Thuringian style dating from 1585 ­Johann ­Sebastian Bach and also known that Veit Bach was very was discovered during a demolition was invited to Wechmar by musical. Johann Sebastian Bach him- project around the turn of the millen- the local homeland asso­ self described how his ancestor would nium. This is the reason why the mill ciation in the year 2000, play the cittern in time with the mill was rescued and restored to its origi- for the 250th ­anniversary wheel when he was milling grain in nal condition. Now it can be visited of Bach’s death. He imme- his “Ursprung der musicalisch-­Bachi­ upon advance reservation at the Bach diately fell in love with the schen Familie” (origin of the musical Ancestral Home. little town, moved back to Bach family). The cittern is a stringed the home of his ancestors, instrument dating back to the Renais- Old Schoolhouse and, together with his wife, sance resembling a modern-day refurbished the old school- ­mandolin. The oldest double schoolhouse in house. In 2011, the couple Thur­ingia, with separate parts for boys was awarded the Order Bach Ancestral Home with Museum and girls, dates back to the year 1738. of Merit of the Federal From 1777 to 1822, Ernst Christian Bach ­Republic of Germany for The Bach ancestral home, also worked here as a cantor and boys’ its engagement. known as the Oberbackhaus school teacher. Thanks to him, the (upper bakery), was already the home Bach family recognised its Wechmar-­ of Veit Bach, and has been a Bach roots early on. CONTACT ­memorial site since 1994 with a muse- The surprisingly large village church Bach-Stammhaus um about the town of Wechmar dur- that was built between 1841 and 1843 ­Wechmar ing Veit Bach’s lifetime, the Bach her- in so-called round-arch style, and the Bachstrasse 4 itage there today, and exhibitions on Studnitz country estate with its mag- 99869 Wechmar Thuringian minstrels and instrument nificent rococo hall of 1749/50 are also Tel. +49 (0) 36256 22680 makers. The largest surviving family very worth visiting. www.bach-stammhaus-­ tree of the wide-spread family in the wechmar.de yard is impressive. It is supplemented

6 MAY I ASK? Minister Tiefensee, we are aware of the fact that you play the cello. Have you ever attempted to play one of Bach’s famous cello suites? Johann Sebastian Bach’s music has been my con- stant companion since my early childhood. I love it more than anything else. My father introduced me to classical music at a very early age. As a pupil, I won the Leipzig Bach Prize for my rendition of the ­Cello Suite No. 1. Later, as Lord Mayor of Leipzig, it was one of my favourite duties to open the Bach Festival at the St. Thomas Church. Bach not only plays an important role in my personal life, but also for tourism in Thuringia with its abundance of his- toric locations and myriad of events. The different Bach festivals in Arnstadt, Weimar, Ohrdruf and other Bach locations attract vis- itors from near and far. Last summer I visited the Bach House in Eisenach again—a magnet for Bach-lovers!

Wolfgang Tiefensee is the Thuringian Minister for Economic Affairs, Science The restored and Digital Society. Oberbackhaus,­ Bach’s ancestral home, now houses a small museum.

7 Johann Sebastian Bach’s parents, Johann Ambrosius Bach and Elisabeth Lämmerhirt, came from Erfurt to Eisenach in 1671, when his father was hired by Johann Georg von ­Saxony-Eisenach as a Stadtmusikus (city musician).

The Dressel Chronicle documents how much he was appreciated in this position: “… at Easter, the new house man, with the organ, violins, cornetts and trumpet, (performed) like no other cantor and house man before him in Eisenach”. According to his contract, his responsibilities as “house man” included leading the city’s musi- cal ensemble and the city pipers. Twice a day, he and “four other persons” played wind instruments from the top of the city hall, and he also supplied musical accompaniment for the worship

Eisenach 1685-1695 Birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach

View of St. George’s Church where Johann ­Sebastian Bach was ­baptised.

8 Bach as well as Martin Luther visited the Latin School, now the Martin Luther Gymnasium (College­ Prepara- tory School).

Eisenach 1685-1695 Birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach

­services. Johann Sebastian Bach was orphaned at the age of ten. But just born into this musical environment as Ambrosius Bach had been taken on 21st March 1685. As was typical for ­into the large Bach family, Johann the 17th century—and certainly with ­Sebastian experienced the strong a bit of pride—he later called himself ­family bonds. His older brother Johann “Johann Sebastian Bach Isenacus” Christoph, 14 years his senior, took or “ISBI” (Transl. note: The first letter him into his family in Ohrdruf and “I” stood for “Johann” and was often ­became his legal guardian. substituted for “J” in Bach’s day) for short. Two days after his birth, he was Eisenach Bach House baptised in St. George’s Church. Later, Bach attended the same Latin school The Bach House in Eisenach, to which Martin Luther had gone, and opened by the New Bach Society very probably sang there in the “chorus in 1907, is one of Germany’s most pop- musicus” that was responsible for the ular music museums and shows the musical accompaniment of worship largest exhibition on Bach’s life and services. In 1694, his mother died, and music. Five baroque music instruments nine months later, his father followed from the extensive collection are her. Thus, Johann Sebastian Bach, demonstrated to visitors every hour the youngest son of the family, was during a short, live concert, including a Silbermann spinet and the oldest extant Thuringian home organ, dating from 1650. The revamped exhibition from 2007 shows over 300 original ­objects inside the historic Bach House and its modern annex. The exhibition is enriched by multi-­ A visit to the Bach House in media installations such as the “Walk-­ Eisenach is recommendable In Music Piece”, a 180-degree panorama for both young and old. cinema, in which the visitor stands in In the foreground is the Bach monument by Adolf the centre of four Bach performances. von Donndorf. In the same room, one can become

9 At the entrance of the church, the Bach family emblem on the right and the Luther rose on the left adorn the protective gate.

Martin Luther Gym­na­ sium: A plaque commem- orates the fact that ­Johann ­Sebastian Bach attended this school. LEFT PHOTO

In the Bach Museum, floating “Bubble Chairs” invite visitors to relax and listen to music. right PHOTO

­familiar with the various composition­ from his godfather Sebastian Nagel, al styles used by Bach and become his father’s musician colleague from immersed in the creative process of Gotha. Tip 1 the musician. In front of the Bach Along with the baptismal font, the Visit the Eisenach House there is a Bach monument by organ from 1719, with its carved organ Bach House (open the Weimar sculptor Adolf von Donn- casing is preserved. Its disposition daily, 10 am-6 pm) dorf. Incidentally, in the meantime (ranks, manuals, and overall layout) ­Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthplace is was strongly influenced by Johann Contact suspected to be elsewhere, namely in ­Sebastian Bach’s great-uncle, Johann Bach House Eisenach today’s Luthergasse. Misnomers like Christoph Bach. The history of Saint Frauenplan 21 this illustrate the challenges faced George’s Church is also closely en- 99817 Eisenach by musicologists up until the present twined with Luther, who preached Tel. +49 (0) 3691 79340 day when dealing with the famous here in 1521 on his way home from www.bachhaus.de composer. Many details about Johann the Diet of Worms. ­Sebastian Bach’s life and work still Tip 2 ­remain unclear. Guided walking tours The former Latin school dating in Bach’s footsteps Walking Tour to Saint George’s from the 16th century now Church and the Latin School houses the Martin Luther Gymnasium Contact (College Preparatory School). Nearby, Eisenach-Wartburg­- A walking tour in Bach’s foot- the “Old Mint” still stands, where region Touristik GmbH steps takes us from the Bach coins were made and the Eisenach Markt 24, 99817 Eisenach House to the Luther House. The orig­ ­organist Johann Christoph Bach some- Tel. +49 (0) 3691 79230 inal entry for Bach’s baptism can ­ times resided. The tour ends at the www.eisenach.info be seen there. We continue to Saint Old Cemetery, where the graves of the George’s Church. Not only did mem- Eisenach Bach family members can bers of the Bach family serve here as be found. organists for over 100 years, but also Johann Sebastian Bach was baptised here. The name Sebastian, which was unusual in the Bach family, came

10 “We bring Bach objects to life” An interview with Dr. Jörg Hansen, director of the Eisenach Bach House

In your Bach Museum, visitors can the middle of the room, we have some not only listen to Bach’s music on of our most valuable objects on dis- headphones, but also experience a play and put them in a musical con- little live concert. What made you text. The first printing of Bach’s Kunst think of this idea? der Fuge is one of them. It is very Dr. Jörg Hansen: Since 1973, there ­impressive to see the music lying in has been a tradition of giving a short the glass case, opened to a place that Bach concert on five historic instru- Bach ­corrected in his own handwrit- ments every hour in the instrument ing. In addition, a ballet company hall. A spinet and a clavichord from from ­Cologne dances to the music the Bach period belong to those instru- that we have in front of us, while an ments. There is even an organ from international ensemble performs it. 1650 that came from where Bach This is how we make an object come worked in Weimar. The story of the to life. hourly musical performances is quite that the council painter Elias Gottlob curious. It evolved from the time of Hausmann portrayed everyone in a What do you find is the most spectac- the GDR, when every text that was very similar way, including a certain ular object on display at the museum? communicated to visitors had to be dignity characterized by a high fore- Dr. Jörg Hansen: Certainly, the approved by the city council. That is head and a pronounced chin. In 1894, Bach manuscript of the cantata “Alles why the employees decided to offer Bach’s remains were exhumed and his nur nach Gottes Willen” is the most a large part of the communication in facial features were reconstructed, valuable, although it is only one part, musical form, since Bach’s music which was repeated by the Eisenach in which only a few bars were written could not be censored. And as a music Bach House in 2007. This reconstruc- by Bach himself. Most of it was notat- museum, we offer a musical experi- tion shows the man who was buried ed by his wife and his apprentice. ence dating from the Baroque period. underneath the bronze plate engraved But I would like to mention another Back then, one needed a musician, a with his name at St. Thomas Church object—the Bach goblet: A glass with musical instrument, and an audience in Leipzig. Of course, the question Bach’s initials as a double-monogram to listen to it. This kind of music expe- ­remains whether or not the remains and 14 dots, the so-called Bach num- rience included tiny mistakes and were actually those of Bach … ber. There is a musical poem that uses noises from outside, such as the Bach’s name in writing as well as in sounds of birds or a bee that acciden- In the new building of the Bach House, musical notation. It was probably a tally flew into the hall. This is exactly there is a room where Bach’s music gift from his student, Johann Ludwig the way music was enjoyed during can be experienced. How does that Krebs on the occasion of Bach’s 50th Bach’s day, and we offer the same actually work? birthday. experience.­ Dr. Jörg Hansen: On the outer walls, we have some music lessons: What Can we say today with certainty what was a fugue or a canon again? Why Bach actually looked like? doesn’t tuning an instrument work the Dr. Jörg Hansen: No. There is only a way we want it to, simply according to single one-hundred percent authentic the physics of it? What was the basso Bach portrait. It is in the courthouse continuo again—maybe the guitar in Leipzig and portrays Bach in 1746. players still know, but perhaps the It is an official portrait, although we ­pianists have forgotten. We refresh should be cautious, because the pic- the memories of what we may have ture has already been restored many learned at some point that was very times. In addition, it is problematic important to Bach as a composer. In

11 Holy Trinity Church, festival venue of the Ohrdruf Bach Festival

Latin Pupil and “Kurrende” Singer Ohrdruf 1695-1700

Among all Bach locations, Ohrdruf is very popular as a musician, remaining the smallest. It enjoys, however, over there for the rest of his life. After the 170 years of Bach tradition in addi- early death of his parents in Eisenach, tion to being a home for the young the ten-year-old Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian for five years. came to live with his brother. Because of the age-difference of 14 years, The founder of the Bach family in ­Johann Christoph not only became ­Ohrdruf is considered to be Johann ­Johann Sebastian’s legal guardian, but Sebastian Bach’s brother, Johann also his first piano, organ, and basso Christoph (1671-1721). He took on the continuo teacher. With that, he laid the position of the organist at the City foundation for the creative accomplish- Church of St. Michael in 1690, became ments of his brother in later years.

12 Johann Christoph had acquired his own musical skills during three years of lessons with Johann Pachelbel in Erfurt, and then through experience as an organist at St. Thomas’ Church in Erfurt and in Arnstadt, before he was hired as the organist for Arnstadt. Just before Johann Sebastian arrived in Ohrdruf, his brother married. Shortly after he was taken into the family, the first son, Tobias Friedrich, was born, followed by their daughter, Christina Sophia, two years later. Already in Ohrdruf, Johann Sebastian ANECDOTE Bach began to perform as a “Kurrende” (walking In the obituary for Bach choir) singer and chorister. By participating with written by Carl Philipp the “Kurrende” walking through the city, Bach was Emanuel Bach in 1754, able earn his first income. Furthermore, his first the following anecdote ­organ chorales from this period survived and were can be found: “A book discovered in 1985 in the autograph “Neumeis­ter- full of piano pieces by Sammlung”. After he left Ohrdruf, the younger Bach the most famous mas- maintained a close professional and familial contact ters of the day, Frober- to his brother Johann Christoph that extended into ger, Kerle, Pachelbel, the Weimar period. which his brother owned, was not given to him, City Church St. Michael’s even though he begged to see it. Driven by his Until its destruction in 1945, St. Michael’s was strong will to make pro- the main city church of Ohrdruf. Today, only gress, he had an idea: the spire remains and can be visited upon advance The book was kept in a reservation. The small library in the spire holds true cabinet locked shut by treasures from Bach’s Ohrdruf period. On the one a metal grate. He could hand, there are the “Kirchen-Gesänge”, hymnals in reach through the grate folio-format that were printed in 1584 and given to with his small hands and, during the night, when everyone else was in bed, was able to roll the paperback book ­together and pull it out through the grate. He copied it by moonlight, since he didn’t even ­have a candle for lighting.”­

Ehrenstein Castle with its newly landscaped baroque garden. The new Bach exhibition will open here in the summer of 2020.

13 the congregation as a gift by Johann Christoph Bach’s predeces- sor. Since the gift is signed by Johann Sebastian Bach’s teacher and mentor, cantor Elias Herda, it is likely that the young Johann Sebastian might have sung from this book. On the other hand, the hand-written sermons “Die Nachfolge Christi” (“The Succession of Christ”) by the Ohrdruf superintendent Johann Abraham Kro- mayer from 1696/97 have survived, which Bach heard in Ohrdruf and which were the subject of examinations for the pupils. Bach’s brother, Johann Christoph, was employed as the organ- ist. After his death, he was succeeded by two more generations of Bach monument at the Bach family. While Johann Sebastian Bach was in Ohrdruf, the Michaelisplatz the church organ was a sort of “continual construction site” with (St. Michael’s Square) in Ohrdruf, forged by the involvement of his brother. Johann Pachelbel was engaged to the students of the inspect the organ in 1693, and Johann Christoph completed his Michaelisschule list of defects. (St. Michael’s School) The organ was not finished until 1706. In the process, Bach ­acquired his basic knowledge about organ construction, which he later utilised in his organ inspections and in the planning of the Mühlhausen organ.

Latin school and home of Johann Christoph Bach

In Johann Sebastian Bach’s day, all the church and educational institutions were centred around St. Michael’s, but unfortunately, none of these buildings have survived. Johann Sebastian Bach ­attended the local Latin school, the so-called Lyceum illustre Ohr- druviensis, for five years. Its origins went back to one of the oldest

tip 1 Visit the library in the spire of St. Michael’s upon advance reservation­ ­ CONTACT Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirchengemeinde Kirchstrasse 20 99885 Ohrdruf Tel. +49 (0) 3624 313536

The remaining church spire of the former City Church St. Michael’s

14 The library tucked away in the church spire of St. Mi- chael’s holds precious books dating from Bach’s years as a pupil.

monastery schools in Thuringia, which Following a devastating fire, the had been founded by St. Boniface castle had to be restored and will be around 724/25. Until the large city fire reopened in Summer 2020. For that of 1753, the school building was located occasion, the Bach exhibition will be in the upper part of the former “Schul- enlarged to include more information gasse” (“School Alley”, now renamed­ about Bach’s brother, Johann Chris- to Johann-Sebastian-Bach-­Strasse), toph. The focus of the exhibition con- Schusterbrunnen not far from the cantor’s ­residence. tinues to be the two school registers (Shoemakers’ Fountain) Johann Christoph Bach’s home that document Johann Sebastian on Goethestrasse stood where house number 5 on Voll- Bach’s five-year school career at the rathstrasse now stands. It was proba- Lyceum: In the first, Bach is registered bly destroyed by one of the city fires as a “Novitii” in the Tertia of 1696, tip 2 in 1753 or 1808. Even though it is not while the second documents his ab- Guided tour following the original building, the lot itself sence during his journey to Lüneburg: in the footsteps of is the same size as it was in Bach’s “Johann Sebastian Bach—Lüneburgum Johann Sebastian Bach day. A plaque with the “Moonshine ob defectum hospitorium se contulit Anecdote” is reminiscent of Johann d. 15. Martii 1700”. CONTACT Sebastian Bach’s sojourn in Ohrdruf. Stadtverwaltung The Church of the Holy Trinity, which Marktplatz 1 Ehrenstein Castle was consecrated in 1714 with Johann 99885 Ohrdruf Christoph Bach at the organ, and the Tel. +49 (0) 3624 3300 The magnificent, four-sided Siechhofskirche with its winged altar- ­Renaissance building, Ehren- piece dating from 1510/20 are also ­very stein Castle, is not far away. During worth visiting. Bach’s day, Ehrenstein Castle was Ehrenstein Castle ­occupied by the counts of Hohenlohe-­ City Archives and Museum Neuenstein. The territory had belonged Schlossplatz 1 to the dukes of Saxony-Gotha since 99885 Ohrdruf 1657. The splendid rococo hall and the Tel. +49 (0) 3624 311438 various exhibitions are worth visiting. In addition, one can find original doc- uments as evidence of Bach’s tenure in Ohrdruf.

15 Bach monument by Bernd Göbel, unveiled for Bach’s 300th birthday in 1985 First Organist Job and a Fistfight Arnstadt 1703-1707

Arnstadt enjoys a special status sor were paid much less. The young among the Thuringian Bach loca- Bach not only fell in love with his tions. There is no other city where ­future wife Maria Barbara in Arnstadt, this many original sites of the Bach he also engaged in some escapades. family of musicians have survived. Apparently, Bach rehearsed with The members of the Bach family an “unknown maiden” on the organ worked here as city pipers, folk gallery. Aside from the fact that his ­musicians, organists, composers, partner was a female, the Arnstadt and court musicians long before ­authorities might also have objected ­Johann Sebastian Bach’s day. to Bach rehearsing with someone else and ­neglecting his rehearsals with And there is no other Bach city that the choir pupils, which he considered shows Johann Sebastian from his an unpleasant task. Consequently, ­rebellious side as vividly as Arnstadt. ­another conflict evolved, for which When he took on his first position as he was reprimanded by the church an organist here, Bach had trained council: When Bach called the choir with his brother in Ohrdruf, had spent pupil Geyersbach a “Zippelfagottis­ two years in Lüneburg, and served for ten” (“fidgety bassoonist”), the latter a short time as a court musician in responded with his fist, which resulted View of the baroque Weimar. On July 13th, 1703, he inspect- in the legendary fistfight. Wender organ­ in ed the organ in the New Church (to- Bach took four weeks’ leave for a the Bach Church. day’s Bachkirche), and played the journey to Lübeck to study with Diet- ­instrument so impressively that only a rich Buxtehude, but ended up staying few weeks later he had an employment for almost four months. He had hired contract as the organist in his pocket. a replacement for his absence, his His remuneration showed how much cousin Johann Ernst. When Bach his organ playing was appreciated ­returned, however, his organ playing even at that early stage of his career. was transformed. Both his predecessor and his succes-

16 There were complaints that Bach “played many curious varia- tions, and mixed in many strange tones, so that the congregation became confused”. Altogether, these differences most certainly played a part in Bach’s decision to apply soon thereafter to become the successor of the renowned organist Johann Georg Ahle in ANECDOTE Mühlhausen. “The organist of the New Church, Johann Sebastian Bach Church in Arnstadt Bach appears here to ­explain … how he had A city fire in 1581 destroyed the church of St. Boniface come to the market square that originally stood here. The baroque, single-nave “New yesterday evening and Church” was built upon the old foundation in 1683. It was named had found 6 pupils about after Johann Sebastian Bach on the composer’s 250th birthday. his age sitting on the ­Johann Friedrich Wender from Mühlhausen built the organ “Langenstein”, a long for the place of worship between the years 1699 and 1703. The stone bench on the market 18-­year-old Johann Sebastian Bach was responsible for the final square. When he reached inspection and was the organist here until 1707. Despite many the city hall, the pupil ­repairs and alterations, this original organ eventually became Geyersbach ran up behind unplayable. In 1913, the Steinmeyer company installed a Roman- him and started hitting tic organ in the Bach Church. In 1990, the church music director, him with a piece of wood Gottfried Preller, recommended a comprehensive reconstruction … Geyersbach had said if of what was left of the Bach organ (320 of 1252 original pipes). It he had insulted him about now fills the entire church with its baroque splendour. In this his bassoon-­playing … context, the Romantic Steinmeyer organ on the first gallery was (and Bach replied that) he restored and its organ works were covered by a baldachin. had told Geyersbach in faciem (directly) that he would take care of the ­affair ­tomorrow (most likely by reporting the ­incident), and that he would not fight with him because his honour would prohibit it …” Minutes of the argument between J. S. Bach and Geyersbach in front of the Arnstadt Consistory on 5 August 1705

tip 1 Bach Cycling Experience Route

tip 2 Costumed guided tours with Johann Sebastian Bach or his first wife, ­Maria Barbara

contact Tourist Information Office Markt 1, 99310 Arnstadt Tel. +49 (0) 3628 602049 www.arnstadt.de

17 Castle Museum Arnstadt panoramic view of Arnstadt and the with the Bach Exhibition surrounding countryside. Caspar Bach the Elder, who served as the watchman A visit to the Castle Museum, the between 1620 and 1633 and lived in ­former residence palace of Duchess the tower with his family, had even Elisabeth Albertine and her husband, ­already shown his appreciation of Duke Günther I von Schwarzburg-­ this sweeping view over the city. His Sondershausen, seems like a journey responsibilities included playing his through time, back to the Baroque horn at every full hour, sounding fire- ­period. The museum is especially re- alarms, and watching over the streets MAY I ASK? nowned for its unique doll collection, and footpaths. Dr. Schubert, you are “Mon Plaisir”, its impressive porcelain ­responsible for the new collection, and the only Schmelzzim- Bach House in Arnstadt conception for the Arnstadt mer (Glass Pearl Room) in the world Bach Exhibition. Was the (and is presently being restored). The The modest house at Kohlgasse 7 was famous organ piece “Toc- collection of doll figures was amassed in the possession of the Bach family cata and Fugue in D-minor” during Bach’s lifetime and presents a for over 40 years. It is the only resi- really composed by Bach? meticulously detailed copy of life in dence that has survived, where Johann There are substantial a small baroque royal residence town. Sebastian Bach was a frequent guest. ­reasons why we cannot be The museum holds a very special ob- Perhaps he even lived here for a while. absolutely certain that ject in its Bach collection: the original Saved from demolition by engaged Bach was the composer. two-manual playing console made ­citizens of Arnstadt, it is now open to The work has not survived by Johann Friedrich Wender, which the public. in Bach’s autograph, Bach played as the organist of the but rather in a copy by New Church. Oberkirche and Liebfrauenkirche ­Johannes Ringk, who is ­dependably authentic in Neideckruine It is worthwhile to visit both of these his transmission of Bach’s churches for their own historical sig- works. The style aspects Beginning in the mid-16th cen- nificance alone. Even today, the inte­ are a bit trickier. The many tury, during the Renaissance, rior of the Oberkirche is enchanting. unison passages, sudden the moated Neideck castle served Built by the Franciscan monks as a changes of mood, and a as the residence for the counts of monastery church, its 17th century comparatively simple Schwarzburg-Arnstadt. Today, only furnishings are almost completely counterpoint structure are the tower has survived. With a height preserved, including the painted not really typical for Bach. of 65 metres, it offers a wonderful, ­two-­storey galleries and the princely Therefore, if at all, BMV 565 balcony. is dated as a very early The Liebfrauenkirche is considered work of Bach’s, perhaps the most significant late-Romanic/­ dating from his time in early Gothic sacred building in central ­Arnstadt or even earlier. Germany. The burial chapel of the

Dr. Benedikt Schubert counts of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt with is a musicologist. the epitaph dating from 1590 for Günther XLI von Schwarzburg and his wife Katharina von Nassau-Dillen- burg are especially worth seeing, as are the “Schöne Madonna” (Beautiful Madonna) carved out of linden-wood, the winged altarpiece dating from contact 1498, and the superior stained glass. Castle Museum One of Johann Sebastian Bach’s great-­ Schlossplatz 1 uncles, Heinrich Bach (1615-1692) was 99310 Arnstadt the organist at both churches. He was Tel. +49 (0) 3628 602932 succeeded in both positions by Bach’s cousin, Johann Ernst Bach.

Bach’s ancestor, Caspar Bach, once played his horn from the top of the Neideck tower.

18 CONTACT Freundeskreis zur Erhaltung­ der Traukirche­ von Johann Sebastian Bach in Dornheim e.V. Advance reservations only Tel. +49 (0) 3628 70308 www.bach-in-dornheim.de

The church was frequently renovated up until ­Johann Sebastian Bach’s 250th birthday, and a new organ was installed, but increasing decay threatened the church’s existence once again in the 1980s. In Wedding 1996, the Freundeskreis zur Erhaltung der Traukirche von Johann Sebastian Bach in Dornheim e.V. (Friends Dornheim 1707 for the Maintenance of the Matrimonial Church of Johann Sebastian Bach in Dornheim) was founded. Thanks to this non-profit association, it was possible On October 17th, 1707, a wedding party in Arn- to completely refurbish the church. Inside, the epi- stadt set off for Dornheim, 3 kilometres away. taph of the Schwarzburg chief captain Christoph von Both then and now, a large gate led into the Entzenbergk from 1585 and a Gothic winged altar- small, enchanting courtyard next to Bach’s piece from 1430 are particularly worth seeing. The ­matrimonial church, Saint Bartholomew. bust of Bach in the church courtyard was unveiled in 2002. Like the monument in Arnstadt, it was cre- The bridal couple were the organist of the Divi ated by the sculptor Bernd Göbel from Halle. Blasii Church in Mühlhausen, Johann Sebastian Even today, young couples, often admirers of the Bach, and his second cousin, Maria Barbara Bach baroque composer, come to the Dornheim church to (1684-1720), the daughter of the organist and com- be married. All year round, the church is used as a poser Johann Michael Bach. Perhaps it was their concert venue, for example by the Thuringian Bach friendship with the Dornheim pastor Johann Lorenz Festival (Thüringer Bachwochen) and the Bach- Stauber that caused the couple to choose the little Festi­val-Arnstadt. The church can be visited upon village church for their wedding. Seven of Bach’s advance reservation by telephone. children were born during his marriage with the musically talented Maria Barbara, including the most famous Bach sons Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel, as well as Johann Gottfried Bach bust by Bernhard, who also became the organist in Mühl- Bernd Göbel in the Dorn- hausen. In addition to the entry in the church re- heim church cords, a fragment of the wedding quodlibet BWV courtyard 524 has survived—a cheerful, spontaneous piece, with texts that probably refer to members of the Bach family or their relatives. Bach Cycle Experience Route Underway with Johann Sebastian Bach

Forest meadows, gentle hills, green Castle Museum and the completely valleys, and castles shrouded in ­reconstructed Wender organ in the ­legends all make up the attraction Arnstadt Bachkirche, where Bach of Thuringia. Johann Sebastian Bach ­began his career as an organist. spent the first 30 years of his life Further down the route, the bike in the midst of this picturesque path passes by Espenfeld and Gossel landscape. on the way to Crawinkel, where Konik DIRECTIONS horses graze in large meadows. The By car, take A 4, A 71 The some 60-kilometre-long Bach path continues on to Luisental. In Ohr- to Arnstadt, by rail, ­Cycle Experience Route leads through druf, the smallest of all Bach towns, ­Arnstadt Haupbahnof the places that formed Bach’s child- you can visit the site of the former (main railway station), hood and youth. It is a good idea to Saint Michael’s city church, where free bicycle transport begin the bicycle tour in the historical Bach’s older brother, Johann Chris- in all regional trains centre of Arnstadt, at the Bach monu- toph Bach, 14 years his senior, was in Thuringia ment on Market Square. While you are employed as the organist and gave his here, visit the Bach exhibition at the little brother organ lessons. PARKINg Arnstadt town centre, starting at 1.00 EUR per day

Informationen Tourist Information Office Markt 1, 99310 Arnstadt Tel. +49 (0) 3628 602049 www.arnstadt.de

Cycling route planner

20 Important Data

TOTAL LENGTH: 54 km (without turn-off to Dornheim) BIKING TIME: ca. five hours BEGINNING/END: route can begin/end anywhere Bach Cycle Experience Route ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE: 257-509 m above sea level easy to moderate WEchmar LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: TRAIL CONDITIONS: mainly asphalt, partly water-bound Underway with Johann schwabhausen gravel or forest track

haarhausen mühlberg

Sebastian Bach holzhausen dornheim

arnstadt ohrdruf

espenfeld

tip gossel bachbybike crawinkel luisenthal Guided musical bike tours to the places ­where Johann Sebastian Bach lived www.bachbybike.com

BIKE RENTALS Zweirad Böttner The church library with hymnals and books of sermons from Längwitzer Strasse 13 Bach’s school years is a special highlight, tucked away inside the 99310 Arnstadt spire, which is the only part of the church that has survived. Tel. +49 (0) 3628 602447 After passing through Schwabhausen, you reach the idyllic E-mail: info@ ­setting of Wechmar with the ancestral home of the musical Bach zweirad-boettner.de family. Veit Bach, Johann Sebastian’s great-great-grandfather, Season: March-October settled here at the end of the 16th century. The original Veit-Bach- Bicycles, E-bikes Mill with its lovingly furnished interior is open to visitors. The Group reservations route leads on to Mühlberg with the Drei Gleichen castle and the in advance Mühlberg peat bogs, continues on past the Wachsenburg castle and back to Arnstadt. If you aren’t out of breath by then, you can bike the three kilo- metres from Arnstadt to Dornheim, following the path of Johann Sebastian Bach’s wedding party.

Altitude in m gOssEL craWinkEL LuisEnTHaL 500 EsPEnFELd aLTEburg OHrdruF scHWabHausEn 400 WEcHmar HOLzHausEn WEcHmar müHLbErg arnsTadT 300

km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54

21 Divi Blasii Church at ­Untermarkt

A Fleeting Performance Mühlhausen 1707-1708

It was a fleeting performance in the life of Johann Sebastian Bach. The 22-year-old composer tried to escape the restrictive conditions in Arn- stadt by moving to Mühlhausen, 70 kilometres away in the Unstrut river valley, tucked in between the rising hills of Hainich and Eichsfeld.

The medieval imperial city of Mühl- hausen with its eleven Gothic church- es, an intact city wall with walkways and fortification towers and burgher houses from various epochs was ­regarded as a centre for Protestant ­sacred music. After his organ prelude on Easter Sunday in 1707, Bach suc- ceeded his predecessor, Georg Ahle, and reported for duty in the Divi Blasii Church. The substantially higher ­remuneration of 85 guilders, which was unusually generous at that time, might have figured into Johann Sebastian Bach’s decision to start a family. On October 17th 1707, he mar- ried his second cousin Maria Barbara Bach in Dornheim near Arnstadt.

22 In the aftermath of a guest performance for the Weimar dukes in June 1708, Johann Sebastian Bach was offered the position of court organist and “lacquey” with a salary of 150 guilders. The ­increased cost of living in Mühlhausen after yet another city fire in May of 1707, the meagre prospects of obtaining a new organ, and the opportunities associated with an improved financial ­situation convinced Johann Sebastian Bach to leave Mühlhausen already in June of 1708. Tip 1 Organist of the Divi Blasii Church Themed city tour ­“Following in J. S. Bach’s At Untermarkt, the second principal church of the city, a footsteps through Gothic, single-nave church is located. It is closely entwined ­Mühlhausen” with the name of Johann Sebastian Bach. From 1707 until 1708, the composer was the organist here. On Candlemas, February 2nd Tip 2 1708, the annual election of the city council took place. The next Bach organ tour day, the new council was blessed during a festive worship ser- vice. Bach composed the cantata “Gott is mein König” for this contact ­occasion, which was first played at St. Mary’s Church and then Tourist Information Office at the worship service in Divi Blasii Church the following Sunday. Ratsstrasse 20 Johann Sebastian Bach’s disposition for a new organ was realised 99974 Mühlhausen by the Mühlhausen organ-maker Wender and dedicated by Bach Tel. +49 (0) 3601 404770 himself—who came back from Weimar for the occasion. The www.muehlhausen.de

The monument next to his place of employment, ­Divi Blasii, by sculptor Klaus ­Friedrich Messer- schmidt shows the young Johann Sebastian Bach standing next to his pedestal.

Old Chancellery in the town hall, where Johann Sebastian Bach received his “Bestallungsurkunde” or certificate of appointment.

23 Marienkirche (Saint Mary’s Church), Thur­ingia’s second-­ MAY I ASK? largest church Mr. Stechbart, almost 300 years later, you became ­Johann Sebastian Bach’s successor as the organist. How does that feel? It was like winning the ­lottery! I am so grateful to the congregation today that I was chosen while I was still a student. As far as I know, Bach’s imme­ diate successor was a son of his, but after that, there wasn’t a full-time position here for a long time. My ­organ bench from 1959 is certainly not the most ­authentic Bach site in ­reconstruction by the organ-making Marienkirche Mühlhausen—that is more company Schuke in 1959, with the likely to be the Old Chan- help of Albert Schweitzer, was based Located in the upper part of town, cellery, in which Bach on Bach’s organ disposition. the Marienkirche (St. Mary’s ­received his certificate of Church) is like a crown for Mühlhausen. appointment. But Bach did Town Hall It is the largest church in Thuringia perform in this church, and ­after the Erfurt cathedral. Here, the his organ works sound The core building of the town radical reformer Thomas Müntzer amazingly authentic on this hall dates from around 1300. preached his sermons, shifting the reconstructed instrument. Additions in the Gothic, Renaissance, ­focus of German history during the

Oliver Stechbart is the and Baroque periods combine to form Peasants’ War ­towards the city. organist at the Divi Blasii Church. an extraordinary building ensemble Both the dimensions of the church in the midst of the historic centre. and its sculptural ornamentation—for The hall, the large Council Room with ­example on the façade of the south Gothic frescos, and the imperial city transept—are particularly remarkable. Tip 3 archive of 1614 are especially worth Above the iconographic programme Try the Johann Sebastian seeing. Johann Sebastian Bach signed of the portal, we see the balcony with Bach menu at the his “Bestallungsurkunde” or certifi- Emperor Karl IV bending over the rail- Antoniusmühle­ (advance cate of appointment here. ing. In front of this portal, the annually-­ reservation). elected council of the imperial city paid homage and pledged their loyalty to contact the emperor, which was the occasion Antoniusmühle for which Johann Sebastian Bach com- Tel. +49 (0) 3601 449000 posed three inaugural cantatas while www.antoniusmuehle.de in Mühlhausen.

24 Court Organist and Chamber Musician Weimar 1703 and 1708-1717

Bach lived in the Ducal-Saxe resi- Five years later, in 1708, he returned dence city of Weimar at two different to Weimar. Together with his pregnant times. In 1703, he was appointed for wife, Maria Barbara and her sister, six months by Duke Johann Ernst III Friedelana Margaretha, he moved into von Saxony-Weimar as a violinist the house at Markt 16. This is where and lacquey in the duke’s private Bach’s first six children were born, Bach’s sons Wilhelm ­orchestra. ­including his most famous sons: Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel were ­Wilhelm Friedemann (1710) and Carl baptized in the Herder Philipp Emanuel (1714). Bach’s pupils, Church, here with the who highly praised the teaching famous altar by Lucas Cranach the Elder. TIP 1 methods of their teacher, also had their lessons there. For the Guided tour: “Bach— first time, he had a trained orchestra at his disposal. Thus, during a Baroque Genius”, this time he composed over 30 cantatas, early versions of the ­duration: 2h, advance “Brandenburg Concertos”, a large part of his organ oeuvre that reservations­ required he had begun in Arnstadt, including the “Orgelbüchlein”, early versions of his Partitas for violin solo, and the “English Suites,” contact the latter of which having only survived in copied form. Tourist Information Office In 1714, Johann Sebastian Bach was named “Cammer-Musicus” Markt 10, 99423 Weimar (chamber musician) and “Concertmeister” (concert master), and Tel. +49 (0) 3643 7450 became a well-paid musician at the ducal court. However, in the www.weimar.de Fall of 1717, Johann Sebastian Bach asked to be dismissed, in ­order to take on the much better-paid and more distinguished TIP 2 ­position of court conductor for Prince Leopold von Anhalt-­Köthen. The building of the He had already received an advance on his salary in August, and “Altes Gymnasium” was therefore doubly employed. Consequently, Duke Wilhelm (Old High School), ­Ernst had Bach arrested and locked up in the “Landrichter” ­inaugurated by Duke chamber of the Bastille next to the residence castle. One month ­Wilhelm Ernst in 1716, later, he was released “with registered disgrace” and without ­located at Herderplatz 14 pay for the last quarter of the year.

Johann Sebastian Bach lived in this house with his family on Market Square for ten years. (photographed after 1935)

26 Bach was ­arrested and held for four weeks in the Bastille adja- cent to the resi- dence castle. MAY I ASK? ­How would you have ­reacted if you had been Duke Wilhelm Ernst von Saxony-Weimar, when ­Johann Sebastian Bach ­offered his resignation? I would have asked him to stay in Weimar, to live in fame, honour and wealth, and to make Weimar the permanent centre of his artistic work. In addition, I would have asked him to Bach’s Former Home, Markt 16 Bastille give my artistically-gifted children composition les- The house where Johann Sebas- The Bastille ensemble com- sons. I would also have tian Bach lived for ten years prised of a gatehouse, the castle ­offered to ennoble him.

­became part of the Hotel “Zum Erb- tower, and a court-ladies’ house, is PRINCE MICHAEL VON SAXONY-­ prinzen” (Crown Prince) in the 19th the only part of the Weimar castle that WEIMAR-EISENACH is a descendant of Duke Wilhelm Ernst von Saxony-­ century. Famous composers such as survived all the fires during the medie- Weimar. Prince Michael’s ­certificate Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner stayed val and modern eras. Bach was kept of rehabilitation is held at the ­Thuringian State Archives. here. During the 1920s, the Weimar under arrest there in the “Landrich- historian Karl Bechstein proved that ter” chamber from 6 November until this had been Bach’s residence. In 2 December 1717 after he had pressured 1938/39, a “Bach Room” was furnished. the Weimar court to dismiss him from During an air raid in 1945, the house his duties. During these four weeks, it was severely damaged except for the is likely that Bach continued working ­Johann Sebastian Bach’s underground Renaissance vaulted on his “Orgelbüchlein” and began the earnings in Weimar 1708: cellar and was torn down in 1989/90. first part of the “Wohltemperiertes “One Hundred and Fifty Nowadays, the car park of the Hotel Clavier”. Guilders in cash / Eighteen “Elephant” has taken its place. Not bushels of grain, / Twelve far from the site of Bach’s home, at Red and Yellow Castles bushels of barley, / Four the end of the so-called Red Palace, cords of floated ­timber, a bronze bust by the Leipzig sculptor The so-called Yellow Castle and the and / Thirty casks of beer Bruno Eyermann commemorates the Red Castle comprise a building ensem- from our castle brewery composer. ble that evolved during Bach’s day. here, free of beverage­ The latter was the residence of Duke tax (…)” Johann Ernst III and later his son, Ernst­ August I. Johann Sebastian Bach gave music lessons to the two musi- cally gifted princes, Johann Ernst IV and his half-brother, Ernst August I.

27 Johann Sebastian Bach performed with the court ­orchestra in the Jakobskirche.

Weimar City Castle and the Castle Chapel

The former residence palace of the dukes and later grand dukes of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach was the cultural heart of the city for many centuries. It was Bach’s most important workplace with the ­Remark in the Court Re- extraordinary, upwards-striving architecture of the castle chapel cords on Johann Sebas- nick-named the “Heaven’s Keep” that had been built during the tian Bach’s dismissal Thirty Years’ War. The architectural novelty was the “Capelle” from his employment in that was built on top of the nave, adding another seven metres to Weimar: “Nov. 6th, the the height of the church. The court orchestra performed from its concert master and court gallery. Because of the unusual placement of the two organs in the organist Bach was ar­ church and the musicians high up in the dome, above the heads rested and held in the of the congregation, it seemed that the music came from heaven. Landrichter chamber The castle fire of 1774 destroyed the baroque Wilhelmsburg castle, ­because of his stubborn including the chapel with the musicians’ gallery and the organs. conviction to force his dismissal, and finally City Church of Saint Peter and Paul (Herder Church) let go on the following Dec. 2nd, and the court Four of Bach’s six children born in Weimar were baptized in the secretary certified his late-Gothic City Church of Saint Peter and Paul. The original bap- dismissal in disgrace.” tismal font and the winged altarpiece begun by Lucas Cranach the Elder and completed by Lucas Cranach the Younger—a major work of 16th century Saxon-Thuringian art—testify to the histori- cal significance of the three-nave sanctuary. Long ago, Martin ­Luther preached from this pulpit. TIP 3 Salomon Franck Jakobskirche once lived in today’s ­“Köstritzer Schwarz­ Johann Sebastian Bach’s friend and distant cousin Johann bierhaus” at ­Gottfried Walther (1684 – 1748) was the city organist in Weimar Scherfgasse 4. beginning in 1707, so he also played at the picturesque Jakob- skirche. His baroque double-gravestone is on the south side of the cemetery. On November 6, 1713, the new Jakobskirche was consecrated. On this occasion, Bach performed here in his ­capacity as a court musician during the worship service.

28 “Bach is and will always be the supreme discipline” A conversation with the renowned baroque violinist and university professor Midori Seiler

Johann Sebastian Bach composed You have been a professor for baroque early versions of his famous Partitas violin for several years at the Weimar for violin solo in Weimar. How does Music University. How do you teach it make you feel to play Bach’s work your students about Bach and the in the place where it was created? historic performance practice of his Midori Seiler: In Johann Sebastian works? Bach’s day, many strains of culture Midori Seiler: Bach is and will came together here in Weimar— ­always be the supreme discipline for for example,­ his musical colleague us as violinists. In order to properly ­Johann Gottlieb Walter and the vio­ perform these works, one must have linist and composer Paul Westhoff, great technical skills. They must help who even lived in the same house one forget how difficult the composi- as the Bach family, were here at the tions really are. Contrary to the com- same time. Other great artists made posing violin virtuosos such as Corelli their homes just around the corner, We know very little about Bach when or Biber, Bach didn’t care whether or in Naumburg or Arnstadt. It is very he was young. Does that offer you not his fingering combinations were stimulating to imagine the many more freedom of interpretation? comfortable to realise on the violin. ­musical encounters in Thuringia! Midori Seiler: We know that he And the audience should also not be The solo works for violin represent carefully studied the works that his confronted with these difficulties! a world of their own within the violin Weimar duke imported from Italy. repertoire. They have everything: So, he was familiar with the style You grew up in Salzburg in a very wonderfully musical song, virtuoso of Italian violin music, which had ­musical household. What was your passages, polyphony and even ­remained unsurpassed until that time first encounter with Bach? fugues on just four strings. In com­ because of the violinist-composers Midori Seiler: Perhaps it was too parison to an instrument like the Corelli and Vivaldi, and he developed early! From a teacher’s perspective, ­organ, which can achieve these his own language, possibly also I know now: Sooner or later, every ­parameters much more easily with with the assistance of his neighbour ­violinist has to dedicate him- or her- its endless possibilities, the violin Westhoff, who might have acted as self to this music. In this sense, the is much more limited with its four a “guinea pig”. Of course, we always first encounter is probably always too strings. But during the many years have interpretative freedoms within early because the complete scope of of studying these works, I have the context of the knowledge of his- Bach’s music can be anticipated, but learned to understand these limita- toric practices because each musician not really comprehended by young tions as a stylistic element that Bach is unique and understands each piece people. The comprehension continues used very confidently. Hence, as of music in their own way. to become broader and deeper and ­paradox as it might be: the violin is takes a whole lifetime. That is the exactly the instrument on which Bach wonderful thing about art, isn’t it? wanted to hear his powerful music.

29 Main Seat of the Bach Family Erfurt

For seven generations, the Bach family dominated Bach’s ancestors, town musicians and organists, musical life in Erfurt. As late as 1793, the Erfurt were the determining factor in the trading metropo- town musicians were generally referred to as lis of 17th century Erfurt. The sons of Johann Bach “Bachs”. From here, their influence spread over the minstrel († 1626), namely Johann (1604-1673) who all of central Germany. came to Erfurt in 1635, and Christoph (1613-1661), founded the musical reputation of the so-called “Bache” or Bachs in Erfurt. Johann Sebastian Bach’s grandfather, Christoph Bach, was the city piper in Erfurt from 1642 until 1654. His father, Johann Ambrosius, lived in Erfurt until 1671 at Junkersand 3,

30 and married Elisabeth Lämmerhirt, Bach’s mother, in the Kauf- mannskirche in 1668. The Bachs enriched the musical life in ­Erfurt. This is where a new musical interval, the “major sixth” was introduced. Both family and business matters often brought Johann Sebastian Bach to Erfurt,­ e.g. to inspect the organ in the Augustinian Church in 1716, or to consult with the Erfurt music scholar Jakob Adlung in 1728. It was Duke Johann Georg I von St. Michael’s, ­Erfurt’s university Saxony-Eisenach who kept Johann Sebastian Bach from becoming church an Erfurt-born citizen. In 1684, after­ thirteen years in Eisenach, Johann Ambrosius wanted to ­return to Erfurt. The duke refused his request, however, and this is why his son, Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach.

“Zum Schwarzen Ross” House on the Krämerbrücke

During a celebration in the centre of Erfurt in 1635, an argument with a drunken soldier had great consequences: two town musi- cians were killed. Johann Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach’s great-­ uncle, heard about the incident and applied for one of the town musicians’ vacant positions. After his successful job interview with the city council, he was hired and lived in the house called “Zum Schwarzen Ross” (Black Horse) from then on.

tip Guided walking tour “Following the Bach ­Family through Erfurt”

contact Erfurt Tourist ­ Information Office Benediktsplatz 1 99084 Erfurt Tel. +49 (0) 361 6640120 www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en

The Krämer- brücke (Mer- chants’ Bridge) is Europe’s oldest residential bridge. Already the Bachs took strolls here.

31 Kaufmannskirche organist of the Barfüßerkirche in 1756 late Gothic church was also the city’s (Transl. note: “Barefoot church” be- university church. Today, it is under The Kaufmannskirche (Merchant’s cause it was a Franciscan church and the auspices of the Protestant city Church) at the north end of the area these monks traditionally went bare- mission and is renowned far beyond known as Anger dates from the 13th foot), and then the Predigerkirche soon the city borders for its Compenius century and is considered the church after. The latter is an early Gothic hall ­organ dating from 1652. All year home of the widely-ramified Bach church, in which many traces of the round, organists from all over the family. The church registers show 61 great theologian and mystic Meister world come to play concerts here. baptisms, twelve weddings and 60 Eckhart can be found, and was built ­funerals of the Erfurt musical family. in the 13th and 14th centuries by Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) Johann Sebastian Bach’s parents, ­Dominican monks, hence the name ­Johann Ambrosius Bach and Elisabeth “Preacher’s Church” because of the In the year 1282, the old Thomas­kir­che Lämmerhirt were married in this Dominican tradition of preaching. was documented for the first time in church in 1668. ­Organ concerts take place regularly writing, and was rebuilt in Gothic The church was the spiritual centre here in the summer months. style most likely in the first half of of the Erfurt trading bourgeoisie, the 14th century. It is located in a park and Martin Luther was celebrated by Junkersand Street on Schillerstrasse. Johann Sebastian the Erfurt burghers when he held his Bach’s oldest brother Johann Christoph famous sermon here on 22 October Johann Sebastian Bach’s parents Bach played the organ here for a short 1522: “Vom Kreuz und Leiden eines lived in the first three buildings on time in 1689, and Johann Sebastian Christenmenschen” (Concerning the Junkersand Street. Along with the Bach’s cousin, Johann Gottfried Wal­ Cross and Suffering of a Christian). Kaufmannskirche, the so-called ther was the organist here between Luther’s bronze monument stands Bach-houses are considered the most 1702 and 1707. in the front of the church where the important historical memorial site cemetery once was. ­because of their cultural-historical Augustinerkirche significance. Incidentally, the com- (Augustinian Church) Predigerkirche (Preacher’s Church) poser Johann Pachelbel also lived here from 1678 until 1690. The church and the monastery of the Johann Christoph Bach, the oldest Augustinian Hermits was built in 1300. brother of Johann Sebastian, studied Michaeliskirche Martin Luther joined the monastery with Johann Pachelbel in Erfurt, who (St. Michael’s Church) on 17 July 1505. Later, business affairs was the organist at the Prediger­kir­che. brought Johann Sebastian Bach to visit Johann Kittel lived in a house on Johann Egidius Bach was the city his relatives’ home town, for example Marktstrasse in Erfurt and was the ­music director and the organist of the in 1716, to inspect the new organ in last of Bach’s students. He became the Michaeliskirche. The centrally located the Augustinerkirche.

The Kaufmanns­ kirche is considered the church home of the Bach clan. The family lived around the corner on Jun- kersand Street.

32 tip From May until October, the International Summer Organ Concerts and the “Concert of the Best” take place in the Alten- burg Castle Church as part of the Thuringian ­Organ Academy.

Market Square

contact Schlosskirche Residenzschloss Schloss 2-4 04600 Altenburg Tel. +49 (0) 3447 512712 www.residenzschloss-­ altenburg.de Organ Inspector Altenburg

Johann Sebastian Bach was not only famous as Johann Sebastian Bach was able to appreciate its a harpsichord and organ virtuoso. He also had an qualities, as he records in the inspection document: excellent reputation as an organ expert. “Now various musicians, in particular the renowned conductor Bach from Leipzig, judge this organ to be From Lübeck to Carlsbad and from Mühlhausen to durable and that the organ maker succeeded very Dresden, he was entrusted with numerous, often well in developing the character and sweetness of ­lucrative organ inspections. He collaborated with every voice.” Two Altenburg composers are closely organ makers such as Gottfried Silbermann. In connected to Bach’s name. The ducal court organist 1739, Johann Sebastian Bach was summoned to Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780) and the lawyer the residence city of Altenburg to inspect the organ ­Johann Friedrich Agricola (1720-1774) were Johann in the castle chapel. It had been built in four years Sebastian Bach’s students in Leipzig. Together with by the ducal court organ builder, Tobias Heinrich Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Agricola wrote the first Gottfried Trost (ca. 1681-1759). With its beautiful, Bach-biography. ­diverse timbre and its magnificent organ screen, the instrument is considered an extraordinary ­example of baroque organ-making skills in central Germany.

33 The Young Bach Orphan, Child ­Prodigy, Organ Freak

was under construction in the Michae- Dr. Beate Agnes Schmidt liskirche (St. Michael’s Church) there. Without paying for any lessons, Bach Nowadays, very little is known about became familiar with the musicians’ Johann Sebastian Bach’s childhood craft and matters of intonation, regis- in Eisenach. That is not that unusual ters, and timbres. In turn, he contrib- in itself. He wouldn’t have lacked for uted his earnings as a “Kurrende”, a much, however, and Bach wouldn’t walking choir singer, to his brother’s have become known beyond Eisenach’s household. This is not the last time borders. After both of his parents died that the family network would be in 1695, the future of the ten-year-old helpful to his career. The “Moonshine looked anything but promising. A des- Anecdote” took place in Ohrdruf. The titute minor, he had no roof over his story tells of how Johann Christoph head and lacked the money for train- had forbidden that the curious young ing or school. So how was Bach res- boy have a look at a book of older cued from social decline? ­organ compositions. That is why the young Bach set out to copy it secretly Training over the span of a number of nights but was eventually caught. But why One of the myths shrouding unforget- had Johann Christoph kept the manu- table musical geniuses is that they sur- script away from the younger Bach mounted the greatest hurdles already in the first place? Out of envy of his With tympani and trumpets! in their early childhood thanks to their brother’s talent? Or because of exag- The Mühlhausen talent and gifts. In fact, it was Bach’s gerated pedagogical precaution? Council Inaugu- “tremendously beautiful soprano In fact, the thirteen-year-old had ration cantata voice” that gave him a “free table”, or ­already demonstrated his unbelieva- “Gott ist mein König” in Johann scholarship, as a choir singer and thus ble talent as an organist. At the latest, Sebastian Bach’s free tuition for the Latin school in that became clear upon the spectacu- handwriting Ohrdruf. That is the town he moved to lar rediscovery of copied organ music when the organist Johann Christoph, at the Herzogin Anna Amalia Biblio- his older brother, who was 14 years thek in Weimar in 2006. The discovery his senior, took him in. stands for Bach’s appetite for good It was also his brother who taught music. Among the copied manuscripts him everything about harpsichords, are Dietrich Buxtehude’s playful but organs, and spinets. He not only stud- challenging fantasy, “Nun freut euch, ied playing techniques and music lit- lieben Christen gmein”. The organ erature. The young Bach also acquired tablature is considered Bach’s earliest his basic knowledge about organ mak- musical autograph and offers a taste ing and mechanics, pipes, bellows, of his later virtuosity. Nimble fingers and pedals in Ohrdruf. A new organ and feet became his trademark.

34 BRIEF BIOGRAPHY Beate Agnes Schmidt has a PhD in musico­ logy and works at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater, and Medien in Hanover (Germany) following stints at the Friedrich-Schiller-Uni- versität Jena and the Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar. Her numerous publi­ cations focus on the sacred­ music by ­Michael Praetorius and Heinrich Schütz up to Johann Sebastian Bach, along with the In the “Critischen Musicus” of 1737, the music theory scholar theatre and stage music Johann Adolph Scheibe admired how Johann Sebastian Bach “can of the 18th and 19th take the longest leaps by weaving and stretching them in such a centuries and Weimar’s curious and nimble manner”. He also began to compose during music history. his years in Ohrdruf. All that has survived are a few organ cho- rales that were discovered in 1984 in the ­so-called “Neumeister-­ Collection” in the USA. At the same time, the highly-gifted pupil skipped several grades at Latin school. At the age of 14 years, he had already graduated to the “Prima” (Transl. note: 12th grade). Was the boy to finish school before his voice changed—so that he wouldn’t lose his choir scholarship? Why did he leave Ohrdruf so soon, in 1700, without his diploma, to go to Lüneburg for two years with his friend, Georg Erdmann?

35 The Lüneburg Gymnasium (high Having been employed to play the school) at the Michaelis monastery organ, Johann Sebastian Bach knew had its own choir to accompany the from the very beginning what he mass, for which the school offered wanted and what he didn’t want. The scholarships to poor students like thankless musical education of young ­Johann ­Sebastian Bach. It is likely that pupils was rather a nuisance to him, his voice—in the meantime probably especially after a night-time fistfight bass—cleared the way for the scholar- with several young boys. It is no won- ship rather than his skills as a violin- der that the school choir exacerbated ist or basso continuo player. Lüneburg the conflicts with the town council offered the young musician everything up until 1707. he needed to broaden his educational Plaster cast of Bach bust by Bernd Göbel The disputes finally climaxed when horizon. As a “primaner”, he had by Johann Sebastian Bach asked for a far surpassed the educational achieve- von Saxony-Weimar, who himself was leave of absence in 1705. He was given ments of the rest of the family. As a a gifted musician, used the opportu­ four weeks off. He didn’t return, how- graduate, even the universities would nity and appointed Johann Sebastian ever, until four months later. He had set be open to receive him. Bach as a violinist in his private cham- off for Lübeck on foot during the winter Johann Sebastian Bach could have ber orchestra for only 27 guilders’ an- to visit his childhood idol, the organ already begun his career as a poorly-­ nual salary. That was hardly enough master Buxtehude. For him, the jour- paid organist. He received the finishing to live on. For that reason, the time in ney was worth breaking his contract. touches in his training as a musician Weimar was nothing more than a short The Arnstadt town council showed and composer with the organist of the intermezzo. ­little sympathy, however, and after he Lüneburg St. John’s Church, Georg Having returned to Thuringia, he returned, they settled the score with Böhm, and with Adam Reincken on was back on the radar of the family him, even taking into consideration his the most famous organ in northern networks. Already in the summer of abilities as a musician and composer. Germany at St. Catherine’s Church in 1703, he received an invitation to in- The conservative town councillors nearby Hamburg. The only composi- spect the organ at the New Church in found the “strange variations” and tion that displays the teenager’s talent Arnstadt, one of the locations where “foreign tones” in his organ playing too is a playful “Capriccio with Fugue”, the family clan lived and worked. Why modern; they found his performances probably meant to be the final compo- else would such an unknown young with the church choir too independent sition in his training period. Where buck have been consulted as an expert and uncoordinated. The organ chorale would he go from here? for the brand-new Wender organ? “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern”, ­Johann Sebastian Bach performed the which has survived as Bach’s first From a “Lacquey” to a respected inspection, immediately impressed ­autograph, in characteristic north-­ organist both the church council and the organ German style, must have seemed very builder, and left with his certificate of foreign to them. Try as they might, Superbly trained, highly talented, but employment in his pocket—and not the members of the congregation were yet unknown: Johann Sebastian Bach only that. He tripled his salary with hardly able to sing along with an organ is entered in the 1703 court invoices in this new employment! chorale such as “Herr Jesu Christ, Weimar court as “Lacquey Baachen” Johann Sebastian Bach’s early dich zu uns wend”. (Lacquey Bach). His son, Carl Philipp ­masterpiece, the “Toccata and Fugue Emanuel, later shrugged his shoulders in D minor”, reflects the influence of Intermezzo about it: “nescio (I don’t know) why his expressive organ-playing, which he came to Weimar from Lüneburg.” became legendary during his lifetime. The escape for Bach was the vacant What had happened in the meantime, Already in the first bars of the “Tocca- organist position at the Blasius Church and why was he serving as a lacquey? ta,” all of his youthful power and un- in the free imperial city of Mühlhaus- An appointment as the organist of the bridled joy of experimentation erupts en. He made an immediate impression Jakobkirche in Sangerhausen had been in the music, which lives on in today’s there—not only on the organ, but also foiled by the local duke. As a result, pop culture as a ringtone, in films, or with his cantata “Christ lag in Todes the Weimar co-regent Johann Ernst III computer games. Banden”.

36 In October 1707, the gifted 22-year-old took on his With that, he earned as much as the Weimar court new position—just married, with a higher salary and conductor Johann Samuel Drese. No wonder Wilhelm unfettered élan. He composed his first large cantata Ernst took him along to the ravishing birthday cele- “Gott ist mein König” for the council inauguration brations in Weißenfels. With his opera-like “Jagd- of 4 February 1708. The distinguished, festive music kantate” in his suitcase, the Weimar duke proudly with tympani and trumpets made an enormous showed off his young organist at his friend’s court. impression.­ A risky, cultural-political balancing act for the small That was useful for cultural politics. The council Ernestine court. printed the music, and thus Bach became known to This kind of show always harboured the risk that the larger public. At the same time, the publication more influential courts would coax away the best showed the taste and the generosity of his employer. artists. The first attempt, from the Marienkirche Today, the cantata belongs to the few works that were (St. Mary’s Church) in Halle, was countered by Wil- printed during Bach’s lifetime. But in spite of all the helm Ernst’s promotion of Bach to concert master. favours offered by the Mühlhausen authorities, Bach That way, he could keep him in his service, adding soon tendered his resignation. Hadn’t his begin- the obligation to write regular cantatas. By deliver- nings in Mühlhausen been promising? And hadn’t ing one cantata per month, Bach composed almost the council just approved of the changes he suggest- 30 works of this modern genre within two years. ed for the Wender organ in the Blasius Church? Bach With the texts in the image- and emotion-filled reasoned that the “adversities” prevented him from ­language of the poet Salomon Franck, magnificent reaching his “final objective, namely to produce cantatas such as “Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis” and regular church music in God’s honour”. “Himmelskönig, sei willkommen” emerged, which What did he mean by that? Certainly, there were are among today’s favourites. theological arguments between the pastors Eilmar However, the court climate was increasingly and Frohne. But perhaps there were also practical fraught with tension because of the co-regent Ernst reasons. His wife, Maria Barbara, was expecting August I, Wilhelm Ernst’s nephew, who had in the their first child, and the cost of food had risen enor- meantime come of age. He and his younger brother, mously since the large city fire of 1707. Or perhaps Johann Ernst IV, shared their passion for the latest Bach, who loved experimentation, was feeling a music by Vivaldi, Torelli, and Marcello with the wild desire for something new. That is exactly what young composer Bach. Numerous violin and harpsi- the professional orchestra of the ducal court in chord concertos were composed in the Italian style. ­Weimar could offer him. There was also a lively musical exchange with Georg Philipp Telemann in nearby Eisenach. Both – Tele- Rising Star mann and Bach – were in close contact with Johann Ernst, who furnished them with new French and In the five years of his absence, a few things had Italian compositions after he returned from his cav- changed. His employer was now Wilhelm Ernst, a alier’s tour in the Netherlands. strict despot, who went to bed at 9:00 p.m. in the For a long time, Johann Sebastian Bach tried to summer, along with all of his attendants, and even avoid the smouldering family clash at court. When earlier during the winter. Rather than amusement he was not allowed to succeed Drese after the court and squander, service in praise of God was on his conductor died, he felt overlooked. Nothing held him agenda. The organist Johann Sebastian Bach was in Weimar anymore. And he resigned in August of very appealing to his new employer’s piety. Soon, 1717. He had already been promised a new job as the most of his organ pieces were composed. His work court conductor in Anhalt-Köthen. The Weimar duke place was the castle chapel, the so-called “Himmels­ was outraged about the “stubborn conviction” of his burg” (Heaven’s Keep). Its ceiling-frescos with angel-­ over-confident employee and put him under arrest for choirs and celestial sounds provided the perfect four weeks, followed by his disgraceful dismissal. ­setting for earthly church music. Bach utilised the time alone. It is likely that he com- The continual salary-raises from initially 150 guil- posed some of the “Wohltemperiertes Klavier” and ders to 200 guilders soon after show that Johann completed the “Orgelbüchlein” within the austere ­Sebastian Bach completely fulfilled all expectations. walls of the jail cell, before he set off on a new path.

37 The Thuringian Bach Festival is the The places in Thuringia where Bach largest music festival in Thuringia. lived and worked during his early Every year during the weeks around years are the centre of the Bach Fes­ Easter, more than 50 concerts take tival. This is where internationally-­ place in the historic Bach sites renowned soloists and ensembles per- throughout the state, attracting form along with young artists at the ­some 20,000 Bach-lovers from all beginning of their careers. Their inter- over the world. pretations are surprizing and impres- sive—and are especially effective in the authentic venues. The Thuringian Bach Festival does not exclusively ­celebrate early music, however. Cross- over events in clubs, galleries, and factory halls show that Bach inspires Thuringian other artists up until the present day. Dance, jazz, or baroque lounges enrich the festival programme and allow us to see Bach from new perspectives. Each year, the Bach Festival is opened Bach Festival with a Long Night of House Music, in which over a hundred public house concerts take place in private living rooms across the state. Children and adults, amateurs and professionals perform together and present Thurin- gia as a lively Bach-land.

www.thueringer-bachwochen.de/en

Asya Fatayeva (saxophonist) on the skywalk of the Leuchten- burg castle

38 “Bach needs new audiences” Christoph Drescher is the Managing Director of the Thuringian Bach Festival

The Thuringia Bach Festival is the because we want to offer exactly this largest Bach and classical music incentive to come to Thuringia, follow ­festival in Thuringia. What is your in Bach’s footsteps, and discover the recipe for success? region. It often happens that you go to Christoph Drescher: I think it is a concert in Arnstadt and then see the always the mix of our programme. same people on the next day in Mühl- Of course, people come because hausen—music fans who really spend we can show Bach in the authentic a weekend going to lots of concerts venues. That is something that you and travel around, discovering this cannot experience anywhere else. charming little Bach-state of Thuringia In Thuringia, it is especially sexy that in an individual way. we have so many places that are close together, but are so different from What is your favourite piece by Bach? each other, in cities as much as in Christoph Drescher: There is no ­villages like Dornheim, for example. places. In that sense, the place is the such thing as the favourite piece. The artists can be experienced there means to an end. But it is always es- There are always several, which you in a very intimate atmosphere. That sential that the place is special and might sort by category. I have fewer is very special, and I really believe good. I wouldn’t try to create a new insider’s tips than one might think. that this strongly contributes to the Bach venue if it has poor acoustics and The second Violin Partita is very close success of the Bach Festival. is not suited to presenting the music to my heart, also the Goldberg Varia- But it also counts that we do that in its best quality. If everything works, tions, but in the end, it is probably the without neglecting other aspects: that then it can attract a new audience— sacred works: the “Bekümmernis” we show Bach in historic venues in and show Bach in a new light. Cantata or the Cantata 131—that is fantastic interpretations, but always music that moves me most. And natu- try not to see him solely as a monu- Where does the audience come from rally Saint Matthew’s Passion. This ment to be protected, and to newly for the Thuringian Bach Festival? From is the music that speaks to me as discover him, as well—with cross-over Thuringia? a “Bach Christian” and that sparks a projects, new works, or unusual con- Christoph Drescher: We have two spiritual sentiment in me. I am like so certs that are full of surprizes and thirds tourists and one third Thuringi- many others who find exactly that in show that Bach is still relevant even ans. I find exactly this mixture impor- Bach: it is this exceptional music that today. tant. If we were purely a UFO-festival does so much to you. that is there for three weeks and then Along with the original Bach locations disappears, that brings along its audi- throughout Thuringia, you look for ence and has no local connections, new, unusual venues. Does Bach’s then there would be something wrong music need new venues? in my opinion. That is especially true Christoph Drescher: Bach might here, because there is a natural local not need new venues, but Bach needs Bach scene, which is a great benefit new audiences. That is where new for us. This way, we always tell the venues can help reach new target story of the Thuringian Bach country, markets. Our experience shows that to which the Thuringian audience has different people come to a concert at a very strong bond. the Milchhof Arnstadt or the Zughafen We need the tourists just as much, in Erfurt than a church concert. It’s of course. Not only because it would easier to confront them with Bach in be too much for the Thuringians to go these venues than in the traditional to 50 concerts in three weeks, but also

39 Performance of the Saint John’s Passion at the Bach Church in Arnstadt

MAY I ASK? There are numerous ­memorial sites that Bach-Festival-­ are connected to Bach in Arnstadt. Which is your favourite? My favourite place in ­Arnstadt is the Johann Arnstadt Sebastian Bach Church. I am fascinated by this place because it com­ prises so much history, and I have so much to The Bach-Festival-Arnstadt was formerly called the Arnstädter do with it because of my Bachtage and has taken place every year around Johann work. I can find peace ­Sebastian Bach’s birthday on 21 March since 2005. and quiet there, far ­removed from an other- The one-week festival presents a programme comprised of con- wise hectic daily life, certs, guided tours, culinary offerings, children’s programmes, and can listen to won­ a bus tour to Thuringian church organs, and an arts and crafts derful organ music. market. The Arnstadt Bach-patronage is a tradition. Already

Alexandra Lehmann ­during the 19th century, various concert series took place here. is the festival manager of The Bach-Festival-Arnstadt attracts many culturally interested the Bach-Festival-Arnstadt. ­visitors into town every year and celebrates the life and work of the composer in a very appropriate way.

www.bach-festival.de

40 The festival of the smallest Bach city in Thuringia worship services, which are performed by singers is still an insider tip in the musical landscape and instrumentalists from the region. The combi­ of central Germany. nation with performances by renowned artists and ensembles make it possible to experience profession- Since the Bachtage took place for the first time in al quality in authentic venues from Bach’s youth. June of 2010, visitors have been impressed each time by the familiar atmosphere of the concerts in www.bachtage-ohrdruf.de the place where Bach spent his early youth. Conse- quently, local children and young people are always included in the concert programme here. In addi- tion, the festival features choir concerts and cantata Ohrdruf Bach Festival

Calmus Ensemble at the Holy Trinity Church in Ohrdruf

41 Interactive guided tour with music for children at the KinderBach­ Bach Biennale (KIBA) Biennale­ ­Weimar

Founded under the patronage of Nikolaus The audience experiences Bach in a modern and ­Harnoncourt († 2016), the festival takes place charismatic context within the cultural city: Weimar every two years in July in the Bach city of Bach (hi)stories at historical sites such as the resi- Weimar and makes Bach accessible to visitors dence castle, the Herder and the St. James’ Churches. on a very high level. The Bach Biennale Weimar attracted nation-wide ­attention when it scheduled events in the former jail Renowned international artists and ensembles cell in the Bastille, in which Bach was under arrest play baroque instruments, turning the music into and finally dismissed from his Weimar appointment a sound-sensory experience in authentic venues. “in registered disgrace”. Inspired by the young Bach, the Bach Biennale Since 2012, children aged 6-14 have enjoyed ­Weimar combines classical concerts with uncon­ the KinderBachBiennale (KIBA) with its workshops, ventional formats such as lunchtime- and walking-­ join-in concerts and interactive walking tours. concerts, baroque festivities or the discussion-con- certs called “Dialogue with Bach”. This way, the www.bachbiennaleweimar.de festival makes Bach into an individual encounter apart from the “Baroque Mainstream”.

Ensemble “Viel Lärm um nichts” (“Much Ado About Noth- ing”) at the Schießhaus Weimar “A Window to Bach’s World” Prof. Myriam Eichberger, Intendant of the Bach Biennale Weimar follows the genius’ trail

Original instruments in original ven- How do you make Bach accessible to ues—what makes the Bach Biennale international students and a broader Weimar so special? audience? prof. myriam eichberger: Weimar prof. myriam eichberger: In re- emanates the flair of past epochs cent decades, the reputation of early much more clearly than other modern music has dramatically improved at cities. When historic instruments and music schools. Historic performance original venues come together in a practice has taken on an important symbiosis here, you come very close role in the reception of Bach and the to how Bach himself heard his own media landscape. Many paths lead to music. We don’t know all the details, Bach. Of course, foreign students have but we do know how he didn’t hear more cultural hurdles to overcome his music, namely on modern concert than German ones. Asian students, grand pianos or played on steel for example, are not accustomed to strings. We want to rediscover this search because there are always new, free or even emotional musical expres- very special sound language and exciting places to discover in Weimar! sion. I then show a portrayal of the ­timbre—much like an old painting doubting Apostle Thomas, who lays that has been painted over and now In the past ten years, the Bach Bien- his finger in the wound after Jesus rediscovered—and share that with nale Weimar has primarily focussed has risen; music can also transport the audience so that they, too, can on Bach’s Weimar period. What can this pain: a dominant seventh-ninth be moved by it. we expect in the next few years? chord is supposed to be touching, in prof. myriam eichberger: Our a ­baroque way. You can reach every- Several festival venues were built concert programme not only focusses one with Bach’s music because Bach ­after Bach’s time. How does that fit on Bach’s Weimar works, but also on was one of the greatest musicians in with the authenticity of historical his sons’ music. We are interested in ­ever—or, as Nikolaus Harnoncourt venues? Bach-stories in the original, i. e. by said, “Bach is the greatest gift that prof. myriam eichberger: The connecting his music and the city in Heaven has given us. If we only had ­residence castle is a first-class Wei- an associative way: for example, we the fine antennas to take it all in. It mar Bach-venue—even though it was recall Bach beginning here as the will never be everything, because almost completely newly built after court organist by performing his or- Bach is greater than what we can the castle fire of 1774—with fantastic gan improvisations or the technically imagine.”­ acoustics. We were the first to discov- and unbelievably challenging Vivaldi er the jail cell in the original “Bastille” arrangements. They were a quantum as a venue for events in the context leap forward for the organ literature of the Bach Biennale Weimar. We have of the time. Nothing this difficult had always been especially interested in ever been composed, and they are places with a special flair. They offer ­almost unplayable even today. In the the audience an extraordinary listen- near future, the spotlight might be ing experience. The Schießhaus, with on improvisation and spontaneous its unparalleled acoustics is one of performance, which would offer a them; it was built in Renaissance style. new facet to our established festival It is ideal for the less “loud” historical profile. instruments. Sometimes we just let ourselves be inspired by attractive places like the charming Herder gar- den. And, we will always continue to

43 Thuringian Organ Summer

In Germany, the organ enjoys such building during his lifetime. Every great respect that the UNESCO en­ ­year since 1991, renowned musicians tered Germany’s organ building on bring these organs to life and surprize its list of Cultural Heritage. If you their audiences with special instru- go exploring in Thuringia, you will mentations and programmes. To this ­become part of a very special au- date, more than 2,000 concerts have dience: about 2,000 examples of this been performed. Many communities “Queen of all instruments” from six offer small culinary attractions and centuries can be found here. invite visitors to enjoy their social ­gatherings. Along with the impressions that Johann Sebastian Bach collected in northern www.orgelsommer.de Germany, it was the Thuringian organs that influenced his idea of the perfect sound. Later, as a virtuoso, composer and inspector, he influenced organ Concert at Saint George’s church in ­Eisenach

Eisenach Bach Festival

Since 2017, the Evangelical-Lutheran Parish of ­organ, lectures, guided tours, and themed bus trips. ­Eisenach has organized the Eisenach Bach Festival Along with the Eisenach Bach Festival, there are around Reformation Day on 31 October. Johann many other concerts and series of events at Saint Sebastian Bach was born on 21 March 1685 in George’s, including the Eisenach Sunday Concerts ­Eisenach and was baptized two days later at Saint from Easter until the end of October at 4:00 p. m. George’s church. or the Eisenach Market Concerts, daily (except Sun- days) from July until September with 30 minutes Johann Sebastian Bach’s and Martin Luther’s paths of organ music. crossed in Eisenach, where—200 years apart—both attended Latin school here and sang in the Eisenach www.bachfest-eisenach.de “Kurrende” (walking choir). During the Eisenach Bach Festival, you can experience cantata worship services, orchestra concerts, chamber music and

45 Other Festivals for Early Music in Thuringia

MDR Music Summer Heinrich Schütz ­“Bach Places” ­Musikfest The MDR Music Summer follows Bach’s trail Immerse yourself in the fascinating sound- throughout Thuringia: the series pays trib- world of the 17th century: inspirational con- ute to the composer with the series “Bach certs with internationally-renowned artists Places” with concerts in places where he as well as young interpreters of the next lived and worked. The journey follows along generation, authentic and atmospherically his life’s path for about ten days, from his unique places, unconventional concert for- baptismal church in Eisenach, to Weimar, mats, very close to the historically authentic Arnstadt, and Mühlhausen, where Bach was performance practice as much as lively, fresh employed as an organist and court conductor. interpretations from today’s perspective—that The concert programmes focus on Bach’s is what the Heinrich Schütz Musikfest prom- ­diverse works and his influence on other com- ises its visitors every year in October. For posers. The guests in past years included ear- more than 20 years, it has been a lively forum ly music specialists such as Dorothee Mields, for early baroque music and presents the the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and composer who was already considered to the King’s Singers. The series ends every year be the “father of our modern music” by his with a memorial concert on the anniversary contemporaries. of Bach’s death, July 28th, at his grave in the Leipzig Saint Thomas’ Church. www.schütz-musikfest.de/eng

www.mdr.de/musiksommer

46 More Music

Güldener Herbst Playground Festival Each year, the Güldener Herbst, the festival Weimar for early music in Thuringia, takes on the challenge of presenting little treasures from The name of the festival refers to the exper- the 16th to 18th century from Thuringian imental field of Renaissance and early ba- archives and libraries. These musical rarities roque music in connection with folk music. are sometimes performed for the first time, Concerts, multi-genre projects, workshops ­including some unknown works by the Bach with musicians and master ­dancers, and the family. Beginning with the opening concert “Early Music Jam Sessions” are the core of at the Herder Church in Weimar, the festival the festival. For the concerts, ensembles are organises concerts with renowned ensembles engaged that have specialised on historical such as the lautten campagney BERLIN or improvisation with authentic ­instruments ­Capella della Torre at concert venues with a from the Renaissance and Baroque­ periods. special atmosphere all over Thuringia. For One large emphasis is the dance music and more than twenty years, it has been present- art of historic improvisation that Johann ed by the Academia Musicalis Thuringiae e.V. ­Sebastian Bach also greatly ­appreciated. with great personal engagement. www.playgroundfestival.de www.gueldener-herbst.de

47 Service

The Thuringian Bach Cities

Altenburg Dornheim Erfurt Ohrdruf

Tourist Information Office Freundeskreis zur Tourist Information Office Ehrenstein Castle, City Markt 10 ­Erhaltung der Trau­kirche Benediktsplatz 1 Archives and Museum 04600 Altenburg von Johann ­Sebastian 99084 Erfurt Schlossplatz 1 Tel. +49 (0) 3447 896689 Bach in Dornheim e.V. Tel. +49 (0) 361 6640120 99885 Ohrdruf www.altenburg.travel Tel. +49 (0) 3628 70308 E-mail: citytour@ Tel. +49 (0) 3624 311438 E-mail: juergen.frey. erfurt-tourismus.de Altenburg Castle Chapel, [email protected] www.erfurt-tourismus.de St. Michael’s Church spire Residence Castle www.bach-in-dornheim.de St.-Michaelis-Platz Schloss 2-4 Augustinian Church 99885 Ohrdruf 04600 Altenburg Matrimonial Church of Augustinerstrasse 10 Tel. +49 (0) 3447 512712 ­Johann Sebastian Bach 99084 Erfurt Protestant Church Office www.residenzschloss- Hauptstrasse 1 (Contact for visit altenburg.de 99310 Dornheim Kaufmannskirche to church spire) Am Anger 80 Kirchstrasse 20 99084 Erfurt 99885 Ohrdruf Arnstadt Eisenach Tel. +49 (0) 3624 313536 Predigerkirche Tourist Information Office Eisenach-Wartburg­ Predigerstrasse 4 Markt 1 region Touristik GmbH Former Bach House 99084 Erfurt 99310 Arnstadt Markt 24 Vollrathstrasse 5 99885 Ohrdruf Tel. +49 (0) 3628 602049 99817 Eisenach St. Thomas Church www.arnstadt.de Tel. +49 (0) 3691 79230 Puschkinstrasse 11 a City Administration www.eisenach.info 99084 Erfurt Bach Monument Marktplatz 1 Unterm Markt 3 Bach House 99885 Ohrdruf 99310 Arnstadt Frauenplan 21 Mühlhausen Tel. +49 (0) 3624 3300 99817 Eisenach Tourist Information Office Bach House Tel. +49 (0) 3691 79340 Wechmar Kohlgasse 7 www.bachhaus.de Ratsstrasse 20 99310 Arnstadt 99974 Mühlhausen Bach’s Ancestral Home Bach Monument Tel. +49 (0) 3601 404770 (Upper Baking House) Bach Church Frauenplan 21 E-mail: service@tourist-­ Bachstrasse 4 Markt 99817 Eisenach info-muehlhausen.de 99869 Günthersleben-­ 99310 Arnstadt www.muehlhausen.de/en Wechmar St. George’s Church Tel. +49 (0) 36256 22680 Divi Blasii Church Liebfrauenkirche Marktplatz www.bach-stammhaus-­ Untermarkt An der Liebfrauen­kirche 99817 Eisenach wechmar.de 99974 Mühlhausen 99310 Arnstadt Latin School Old School Bach Monument Oberkirche Predigerplatz 4 Kirchplatz 4 Johann-Sebastian-­ Pfarrhof 99817 Eisenach 99869 Günthersleben-­ Bach-­Platz 1 a 99310 Arnstadt Wechmar 99974 Mühlhausen

Castle Museum St. Mary’s Church Landhaus Studnitz – Schlossplatz 1 Bei der Marienkirche Wechmarer 99310 Arnstadt 99974 Mühlhausen Heimatverein e.V. Tel. +49 (0) 3628 602932 Hohenkirchenstrasse 13 City Hall 99869 Günthersleben-­ Ratsstrasse 19 Wechmar 99974 Mühlhausen

48 Festivals Activities

St. Vitus’ church Bach Biennale Weimar Bach Cycle Experience Route Kirchplatz 6 www.bachbiennaleweimar.de on Bach’s Trail 99869 Günthersleben-­ early childhood and youth Wechmar Bach-Festival-Arnstadt www.bach-thueringen.de/en www.bach-festival.de Veit Bach Mill Bachbybike (Upper Mill) Eisenach Bach Festival guided musical bicycle tours Mühlenstrasse 2 Bachfest Eisenach www.bachbybike.com 99869 Günthersleben-­ www.bachfest-eisenach.de Wechmar Bach hike from Arnstadt to Gehren Ohrdruf Bach Festival www.wanderbares-deutschland.de Bachtage Ohrdruf Weimar www.bachtage-ohrdruf.de Tourist Information Office Markt 10 Güldener Herbst 99423 Weimar www.gueldener-herbst.de Tel. +49 (0) 3643 745-0 www.weimar.de/en Heinrich Schütz Musikfest www.schütz-musikfest.de/eng Literature Bach Monument German language Platz der Demokratie MDR Music Summer “Bach Places” 99423 Weimar MDR Musik-Sommer Konzertreihe »Bachorte« Bastille and City Castle www.mdr.de/musiksommer Helga Brück Burgplatz 4 Von der Apfelstädt und 99423 Weimar Thuringian Bach Festival der Gera zum Missouri Thüringer Bachwochen 500 Jahre Thüringer Bach’s Home www.thueringer-bachwochen.de/en­ ­Musikerfamilie Bach Am Markt 16 Jena 2008 99423 Weimar Thuringian Organ Summer Thüringer Orgelsommer Das Bach Magazin St. James’ Church www.orgelsommer.de (two issues per year) Am Jakobskirchhof 4 Leipzig Media GmbH 99423 Weimar Playground Festival ­Weimar www.playgroundfestival.de­ Hartmut Ellrich Red and Yellow Castles Bach in Thüringen Markt 15 Erfurt 2011 99423 Weimar Konrad Küster City Church of Der junge Bach St. Peter and Paul Stuttgart 1996 Herderplatz 99423 Weimar Christoph Wolff Johann Sebastian Bach Frankfurt am Main 2014

49 Imprint

EDITOR: weimar GmbH, ­Gesellschaft fürWirtschaftsförderung, ­ Kongress- ­ und Tourismusservice, UNESCO-Platz 1, 99423 Weimar, www.bach-thueringen.de/en | EDITORIAL TEAM: Kerstin Fürst, Mark Schmidt (weimar GmbH) | CONCEPT, TEXT: Ute Lieschke, Johanna­ Brause (Leika Kommunikation), www.leikakommunikation.de | ILLUSTRATIONS: Cover: Thomas Müller,­ weimar GmbH, © VG Bildkunst; ­contents: ­Clemens Bauerfeind, weimar GmbH (pp. 2, 3, 6-9, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22-24, 27, 30-32), Robert Elias Wachholz, weimar­ GmbH (pp. 2, 3, 10, 12, 14, 15-17, 28, 38, 40-42, 44, 45, 51), Jens Lehmann, Agrar­ GmbH Crawinkel (pp. 2, 3), Thuringian Ministry for Economic Affairs, ­Science and Digital Society (p. 7), Ulrich Kneise, Bachhaus Eisenach (p. 10), Sibylle Klepzig, Bachhaus Eisenach (p. 11), David Höltzer, private­ ­archive (p. 18), Stadtilm/Ilm-Kreis (pp. 20, 21), Oliver Stechbart, private archive (p. 24), Thomas Müller, weimar GmbH (p. 25), Verlag phot. Louis Held, Stadtarchiv ­Weimar (p. 26), Dagmar von Sachsen-Weimar-­Eisenach, private archive (p. 27), Maike Helbig (p. 29), Ronny Seifarth, Stadt Altenburg (p. 33), bpk-Bildagentur (pp. 34, 35), bust by von Bernd Göbel from Halle/Saale, Artefakt Kulturkon­zepte, VG Bildkunst (p. 36), Marco Borggreve, Thüringer Bachwochen (p. 39), Guido Werner, Bach Biennale Weimar (pp. 42, 43), Tom Schulze, MDR-Musiksommer (p. 46), Mathias Marx, Heinrich Schütz Musikfest (p. 46), Playground-­Festival Weimar (p. 47), Jan Neubauer, Güldener Herbst (p. 47). The weimar GmbH has taken great care to find the copyright owners of all the illustrations. In case any rights have not been cleared, we kindly ask you to contact us. | DESIGN: Diemar Jung Zapfe GmbH, Erfurt, www.diemar-jung-zapfe.de | TRANSLATION: Jayne Obst | PRINT: Förster & Borries GmbH & Co. KG, Zwickau | PRINTING: 5,000 copies | EDITORIAL DEADLINE: August 2019 | All contents supplied without liability. www.bach-thueringen.de/en

Did you know that Johann Sebastian Bach spent half of his life in ­Thuringia? Or that he got into a fistfight in Arnstadt? That he spent a month under arrest in Weimar because of his “stubbornness”? Many authentic Bach sites in Eisenach, Ohrdruf, Arnstadt, Mühlhausen, Dornheim, and Weimar have survived and are awaiting your visit. Discover the charming Bach churches, get active and take the Bach Cycle Experience Route, or visit one of the many Bach festivals that take place throughout the year in Thuringia. You can find a lot of tips and events in this Bach Magazine. Imprint

EDITOR: weimar GmbH, ­Gesellschaft für ­Wirtschaftsförderung,Kongress- ­ und Tourismusservice, UNESCO-Platz 1, 99423 Weimar www.bach-thueringen.de/en EDITORIAL TEAM: Kerstin Fürst, Mark Schmidt (weimar GmbH) CONCEPT, TEXT: Ute Lieschke, Johanna­ Brause (Leika Kommunikation), www.leikakommunikation.de ILLUSTRATIONS: Cover: Thomas Müller,­ weimar GmbH, © VG Bildkunst; contents: ­Clemens Bauerfeind, weimar GmbH (pp. 2, 3, 6-9, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22-24, 27, 30-32), Robert Elias Wachholz, ­weimar GmbH (pp. 2, 3, 10, 12, 14, 15-17, 28, 38, 40-42, 44, 45, 51), Jens Lehmann, ­Agrar GmbH Crawinkel (pp. 2, 3), Thuringian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society (p. 7), Ulrich Kneise, Bachhaus Eisenach (p. 10), Sibylle Klepzig, Bachhaus Eisenach (p. 11), David Höltzer, private­ ­archive (p. 18), Stadtilm/Ilm-Kreis (pp. 20, 21), Oliver Stechbart, private archive (p. 24), Thomas Müller, weimar GmbH (p. 25), Verlag phot. Louis Held, Stadtarchiv ­Weimar (p. 26), Dagmar von Sachsen-Weimar-­Eisenach, private archive (p. 27), Maike Helbig (p. 29), Ronny Seifarth, Stadt Altenburg (p. 33), bpk-Bildagentur (pp. 34, 35), bust by von Bernd Göbel from Halle/Saale, Artefakt Kulturkon­zepte, VG Bildkunst (p. 36), Marco Borggreve, Thüringer Bachwochen (p. 39), Guido Werner, Bach Biennale Weimar (pp. 42, 43), Tom Schulze, MDR-Musiksommer (p. 46), Mathias Marx, Heinrich Schütz Musikfest (p. 46), Playground-­ Festival Weimar (p. 47), Jan Neubauer, Güldener Herbst (p. 47) The weimar GmbH has taken great care to find the copyright owners of all the illustrations. In case any rights have not been cleared, we kindly ask you to contact us. DESIGN: Diemar Jung Zapfe GmbH, Erfurt www.diemar-jung-zapfe.de TRANSLATION: Jayne Obst PRINT: Förster & Borries GmbH & Co. KG, Zwickau PRINTING: 5,000 copies EDITORIAL DEADLINE: August 2019 All contents supplied without liability.