Home Town Wild Years The parents of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Arnstadt enjoys a special status among the Bach sites Ambrosius Bach and the Erfurter Elisabeth Lämmer- in Thuringia. There is no other place with as many hirt, came from Erfurt to Eisenach in 1671, when the original venues that tell about the lives of this family father received a position there as a town musician, of musicians—sometimes long before Johann Sebastian under Johann Georg von Sachsen- Eisenach. It was Bach. He began his career as a professional organist in a very musical environment that Johann Sebastian the New Church in 1703. In Arnstadt the young man was born into on 21 March 1685. Two days later, he not only fell in love with his rst wife, he also had a was baptised here in St. George’s Church. As a boy, few escapades. For example, he extend- Bach attended the same Latin school to which Martin ed a four-week study trip to Lübeck to Luther had gone, and very probably sang there in the more than three months on his own Veit Bach Mill “chorus musicus”. But his sheltered childhood ended initiative. His organ playing also Schloss Ehrenstein early: Bach’s mother died in 1694, and nine months with a new Bach met with criticism: the parish later his father. He thus exhibition from took exception to the fre- Home of the Ancestors became a complete summer 2020 quent changes in key and orphan at the age of Apprenticeship the dissonant accompany- Wechmar is regarded as the birthplace of the Bach only ten. Visit to the Bachhaus ing chords. In addition, family of musicians. Johann Sebastian Bach, who with its hourly concerts Ohrdruf is the smallest of all the Bach towns—and yet he was accused of having himself searched aer his ancestors, got as far as Veit on baroque instruments it can look back on a tradition of more than 170 years, led an “unknown maid- Bach, who probably settled in Wechmar around 1600 (daily 10:00-18:00) and the “heart” of which is the ve-year stay of the young en” onto the gallery. and is now regarded as the progenitor of the Bach guided tour “in Bach’s Johann Sebastian. Aer the early death of his parents, Even stories of scuf- family. As a Lutheran, Veit Bach had le his home— footsteps”. the ten-year-old joined his brother, Johann Christoph, es with his pupil it has not been conclusively proven whether this was the founder of the Ohrdruf Bach family. Fourteen years Geyersbach have in Hungary or Bohemia—for religious reasons. It is older than Johann Sebastian, Johann Christoph not been handed Eisenach Bachhaus undisputed, however, that he was a baker, died in only became his guardian, but also his rst teacher of down. 1619, and le ve sons. He already inhabited the Bach piano, organ, and basso continuo. Johann Sebastian ancestral home, also known as the upper bakehouse, was already making musical appearances during which now houses a Bach memorial site. Veit Bach’s his time in Ohrdruf, as a choirboy and choral singer. second place of activity was the upper mill which has The rst organ chorales from him that are known also Bach Monument on Bach in been restored in the state of construction of 1685. In originated during this period, and were discovered in the Market Square the house of the mill there is an original Thuringian 1984 in the “Neumeistersammlung”. panelled parlour from 1585. Thuringia Costumed guided tours with Johann Sebastian Bach and his first wife Maria Barbara Visit to the church library of St. Michael’s (only by “Trail of the Forefathers” tour prior appointment) and a guided tour on the trail Bach exhibition in through the Bachs’ place of origin. of Johann Sebastian Bach. the Palace Museum Matrimonial Church Court Organist Main Seat On 17 October 1707, a wedding party from Arnstadt Johann Sebastian Bach stayed in of the Family set o for Dornheim, three kilometres away. They Weimar twice during his life. In 1703 ran over stubble elds, holding hands and singing he worked as a violinist and minion For seven generations, the Bach family dominated merry songs. The bridal couple were Johann Sebastian in the private chapel of Duke Johann musical life in Erfurt—so much so that in 1793 all town Bach and his second cousin Maria Barbara Bach. Guided tour Ernst for six months. In 1708 he musicians were called “Bachs”. Over time, more than Young The friendship of the young Bach with the Dornheim “Bach—A returned for almost ten years as a 70 descendants of the Wechmar Bach patriarch prac- pastor Johann Lorenz Stauber may have been the Baroque Genius” court organist. The Bachs purchased ticed musical professions here. Nowhere else did so reason why the couple chose the small village church the house at Markt 16. Their rst six many family members live as in the cathedral city, Genius of St. Bartholomew’s for the happy event. In addition children saw the light of day here, from which they gradually spread out all over central Bach signed his to the entry in the church book, a fragment of the “certificate of including Wilhelm Friedemann and Germany. Traces of their activity can be found in wedding quodlibet has been preserved: cheerful, appointment” Experience site Carl Philip Emanuel. The Weimar various churches in Erfurt. impromptu music, the lyrics of which are supposed to in the old town in the bastille years were creative. He composed council office. contain playful references Early at Stadtschloss more than 30 cantatas, early ver- Bach in Thuringia to members and relatives Weimar sions of the “Brandenburg Concer- of the Bach family. Masterpieces tos”, the majority of his organ works Guided tour and organ concert WWW.bACH-tHUeRINGeN.De Visit and guided and the “Little Organ Book” here. In “On Bach Trails through the City” tour of the matrimonial It was a short guest performance: the 22-year-old 1717 he oered his resignation to church (by prior Johann Sebastian Bach attempted to escape the take on the vacant position of court appointment) restrictive conditions in Arnstadt and switched over conductor in the residence town of to Mühlhausen 70 kilometres away for not more than Köthen. He had already received an twelve months. This medieval imperial city with elev- advance fee and was thus in double Bach’s matrimonial church Authentic en gothic churches and a town wall, which can now employment. Duke Wilhelm Ernst Organ Inspector be walked upon places, is regarded as the centre of had him locked up in the bastille for Protestant church music. Aer his organ prelude on just under four weeks. He was re- Johann Sebastian Bach was not only famous as a Places Easter Sunday 1707, Bach reported for duty in the Divi leased on 2 December 1717 “with re- harpsicord and organ virtuoso, he also had an excel- Blasii Church. His cantata “Gott ist mein König” was corded disgrace”. lent reputation as an organ expert. He was therefore played for the rst time in 1708 in St. Mary’s Church. invited to Altenburg in 1739 to test the organs of the In 1709 Bach asked to be released from his duties but castle church. These had been completed by the court always felt closely connected to the city. organ-builder Heinrich Gottfried Trost in a four-year Charming construction period. Thanks to its beautiful timbre and its splendid postive, the instrument is regarded as an outstanding example of the art of baroque organ Guided tour “in the footsteps of Johann Sebastian construction in central Germany. Festivals Bach”, Bach organ guided tour Themed spaces in the Old Chancellory and Divi Blasii Church Summer organ concerts Bach’s Thuringia Johann Sebastian Bach-Festival- Bach Biennale Bach spent half of 1685 Birth in Eisenach his life in Thuringia. 1695 Ohrdruf Arnstadt Weimar 1700 Lüneburg 1703 Weimar In honour of the Bach family, Arnstadt invites people The aim of the festival is to make Bach’s music 1703 Arnstadt to a very special “birthday celebration” around the accessible to listeners at the highest quality and in 1707 Mühlhausen birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach on 21 March. The unique spaces. Renowned international artists and 1708 Weimar multi-faceted programme comprises concerts, guided ensembles play the instruments of the baroque period 1717 Köthen tours, culinary attractions, children’s programmes, a and perform the music at authentic Bach venues. 1723 Leipzig coach tour to Thuringian church organs, and a handi- Unconventional formats and accents oer a unique 1750 Death in Leipzig / cras market, and attracts many people interested in encounter with the composer’s life and work. culture to the town every year. WWW.bACHbIeNNAleWeIMAR.De WWW.bACH-FeStIVAl.De Mühlhausen Altenburg Eisenach Weimar Erfurt Wechmar Arnstadt Ohrdruf Dornheim Bachtage Ohrdruf The festival impresses visitors every two years with its family atmosphere at the sites of Johann Sebastian Bach’s early youth. In keeping with this, children and young people from the area are included in the programme. Choral concerts, cantata church services and appearances by well-known artists and ensem- bles from the region present performances of high artistic quality. Motorways WWW.bACHtAGe-OHRDRUF.De Country roads Bach Cycling Route Railway lines You can also set out on Bach’s trail by bicycle. A 60 ICE train station APRIl/MAY JUNe/JUlY kilometre-long cycle path Thuringia Thüringer Erfurt-Weimar 0 10 20 km leads to the sites of Bach’s JANUARY Bach Festival Orgelsommer DeCeMbeR Airport early childhood and youth. MARCH June JUlY OCtObeR Discover Bach in Thuringia Bach-Festival-Arnstadt Bachtage Ohrdruf Bach Biennale Eisenach Bach Festival Tourist Information O ce Weimar Markt 1, 99310 Arnstadt Thuringia is the home of one of the greatest geniuses +49 (0) 3628 602049 in European music history, Johann Sebastian Bach.