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Guide to Bach Tour: Main
Page | Life History of J.S. Bach | Performance
Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works | Maps | Route
Suggestions | Discussions of Bach Tour |
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Guide to Bach Tour: Main
Page | Life History of J.S. Bach | Performance
Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works | Maps | Route
Suggestions | Discussions of Bach Tour |
Erfurt [V] [F]
Contents
Description | Events in Life History of J.S. Bach | Performance Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works | Features of Interest | Information & Links | Photos | City Map
Description
Erfurt can look back on a long family tradition of the Bachs. Three of Hans Bach's sons, the "Music Player of Wechmar", founded the tradition as early as the 17th century: Johann, Christoph and Heinrich were town pipers and council musicians and Johann Bach was organist at the same time at the Prediger Church. His son Ägydius later had the office in the Kaufmann Church and the Church of St. Michael. Heinrich then went to Arnstadt, and Christoph, J.S. Bach 's grandfather had three sons in Erfurt: Georg Christoph, Johann Christoph and Johann Ambrosius, the father of J.S. Bach. He married Elisabeth Lämmerhirt in 1668 in the Kaufmann Church. She was related to the mother of the Weimar organist Johann Gottfried Walther, who was later befriended with Bach.
J.S. Bach himself was here once in 1716 to test the organ in the Augustiner Church and probably more often to visit his relatives. For in Erfurt too, the traditional family get-togethers took place. However, a longer stay of Bach here is not known.
It was not only the musicians of the Bach family who worked here. Johann Georg Ahle, whose office as organist at the Blasius Church in Muhlhausen It was that Bach took over, was cantor for a time at the Andreas Church and Johann Pachelbel was organist at the Prediger Church. Bach's brother Johann Christoph was one of his pupils and so indirectly he may have Influenced the young Johann Sebastian Bach.
How rich the music culture must have been in the whole of Thuringia and particulary in Erfurt can be documented in a quote from Michael Altenburg, cantor, organist and priest at the Andreas Church and himself writer of numerous church compositions: "There is hardly any small village in Thuringia, where music, both vocal and instrumental, is not well cultivated, excellent and sensitive, and which Is not prospering at those places". Even smaller villages afforded themselves their own church choirs, church musicians and instrumental groups when arranging their church services.
The typical Thuringlan tradition came about of the so-called adjutants. The village of Udestedt, where Bach's eldest nephew Tobias Frledrich Bach was cantor from 1721 to 1768, still owns valuable old sheet music and manuscripts. These "Treasures from the Udestedt Music Cupboards" appear every year In spec!al concerts within the framework of the Thurlnglan Bach Weeks.
Today, the State capttal of Erfurt, with Its lovingly restored medieval town structure, Its numerous churches, including the unique ensemble of the Cathedral and St. Severl, and the famous Krämerbrücke (Shop Keeper's Bridge) which is completely built on and inhabited, belongs to one of the most beautiful towns In Germany. A walk through the historic old part of the town Is an experience, not only whilst following the tracks of Bach and hls family. Stone witnesses of the past remain from many epochs.
Events in Life History of J.S. Bach
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Date/Year |
Event |
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Prior J.S. Bach’s Birth (1600-1685) |
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1642-1654 |
Service of Christoph Bach (J.S. Bach’s grandfather) as court musician in Erfurt |
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Feb 22, 1645 |
Birth of twins Johann Ambrosius Bach (J.S. Bach’s father) & Johann Christoph, sons of Christoph Bach and Maria Magdalena, née Grabler |
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Apr 16, 1667 |
Apointment of Ambrosius as violinist in Erfurt town music |
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Apr 8, 1668 |
Marriage of Johann Ambrosius Bach with Maria Elisabeth Lämmerhirt in Pediger Church, Erfurt |
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Weimar (1708-1717) |
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July 31, 1716 |
Organ examination in Augustinerkirche, Erfurt |
Performance Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works:
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Pediger Church : where J.S. Bach’s parents gor married in 1668Augustinerkirche: where J.S. Bach examined the organ in 1716 Kauffmans Church Houses of numerous members of the Bach family: - “Zum Schwarzen Roß” (The Black Horse) – “Zum Güldenen Kelch” (The Golden Cup) – “Zur Güldenen Kanne” (The Golden Pot, Krämerbrücken) Cathedral Hill: with St. Mary Cathedral and the Church of St. Severus Krämerbrücke (Merchant Bridge) Augustinian Monastery Town Citadel Petersberg Imperial Hall |
Tourismus GmbH Erfurt |
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (October 2003 – March 2004)
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Guide to Bach Tour: Main
Page | Life History of J.S. Bach | Performance
Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works | Maps | Route
Suggestions | Discussions of Bach Tour |
Last update: ýMarch 20, 2004 ý17:36:17