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Johann Ernst Bach [34] (Composer, Organ, Lawyer,
Copyist, Bach's Pupil) |
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Born: January 28, 1722 (baptized: January 30, 1722) - Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany
Died: September 1, 1777- Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany |
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The German composer, Johann Ernst Bach, was son of Johann Bernhard Bach [18] (organist in Eisenach, cousin of J.S. Bach). He studied at the Lateinschule in Eisenach from 1732 to 1735. On January 16, 1737 he entered the Thomasschule in Leipzig and became a pupil of his uncle J.S. Bach [24]. Like other J.S. Bach's pupils, he helped him in copying. In 1740/1741 he studied law at Universität Leipzig (not in the register). After his studies, he returned to Eisenach in 17414 or 17421 and deputized, without pay, for his ailing father. In 1748 he became his father's official assistant and the next year (1749) his successor as court and city organist in Eisenach. He continued to practise as a lawyer as well, and in 1756 he was appointed Hofkapellmeister (court conductor) in Weimar 'in view of his well-known skill and musical knowledge'. He wrote the foreword to Adlung's Anleitung zu der musikalischen Gelahrtheit (Erfurt, 1758). Because of the fusion of the courts, he travelled between Weimar, Gotha and Eisenach and worked with Georg Benda on the reorganization of the Hofkapelle. When it was dissolved in 1758, after the death of Duke Ernst August, he retained his title and undertook duties in the administration of the ducal finances and worked with Georg Benda on the reorganization of the Hofkapelle.
As a composer, Johann Ernst Bach was abreast of the stylistic innovations of his time although, like J.S. Bach's sons, he did not exclude contrapuntal writing. His vocal works are often highly dramatic and full of effects. His songs depend on the older tradition of Johann Gottlieb Görner, Gräfe and Lorenz Christoph Mizler; he wrote galant melodies full of expressive word-painting with lively basses and often elaborate accompaniments. His Passion oratorio is modelled on Carl Heinrich Graun's well-known Der Tod Jesu.
Johann Ernst Bach 's private lessons with his godfather J.S. Bach in Leipzig have been accepted since Spitta (1880) due to the relationship and a copy of J.S. Bach's Antonio Vivaldi arrangements dated 1739. In the meantime, however, it has been found that only the title page of the handwriting was written by J.E. Bach, but the musical part by his father Johann Bernhard Bach. The article in Gerber's Lexikon on J.E. Bach only mentions his time at the Thomasschule, but no private lessons with J.S. Bach.
References: Richter: 192; Koska: B-20; GND: 121599027; Bach Digital: 00001199 |
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Works of Bach he copied [Manuscript No. in Bach Digital / Work / Performance date] |
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D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 280: BWV 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 592, 981, 982 [1739]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 404, Faszikel 2: BR-JEB H 20, H 21, A 11; Bach-Inc. 10a, 10b, 12; Emans 161 [unknown]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 404, Faszikel 3: BR‑JEB A 10, A 5, A 3; Bach-Inc. 16, 15, 14; Emans 6 [unknown]
F-Pn MS-18: BR-JEB E 3 [1764] |
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Works |
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Vocal
O Seele, deren Sehnen (passion oratorio), 1764, ed. in DDT, xlviii (1914)
Cantatas: So gehst du nun; Straf mich nicht in deinem Zom; Alles was Odem hat, D-Bds; Ott Meer ist nahe, B; Die Liebe Gottes ist ausgezogen, B, ed. in SBA; Kein Stündlein geht dahin, B
Magnificat, B; Herzlich lieb hab ich dich (Ps xviii), B; Mass [Ky-Gl] on Es wolle Gott uns gnädig sein, Bds
Sammlung auserlesener Fabeln, i (Nuremberg, 1749) [pt.ii lost], ed. in DDT, xlii (1910)
11 motets, ARk (? by C.P.E. Bach, H865]
Instrumental
3 Sonaten, vn, bc, pt.. (Eisenach, 1770)
3 Sonaten, vn, bc, pt.2 (Eisenach, 1772)
2 fantasias and fugues, F, d. ed. D. Hellmann, Orgelwerke der Familie Bach (Leipzig, 1967)
Sonatas, kbd: A, B; D, ed. in NM, ii (1927); F, in Oeuvres mâlées (Nuremberg, 1755-65), vi [also attrb. C.P.E. Bach, H383-5]; f, ed. K. Geiringer, Music of the Bach Family (Cambridge, Mass. 1955); G, in J.U. Haffer, Oeuvres mâlées (Nuremberg, 1755-65), vi
10 organ chorales |
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Sources:
1. The New Grove Bach Family (by Christoph Wolff, MacMillan London, 1983)
2. Bernd Koska: Dissertation "Bachs Thomaner als Kantoren in Mitteldeutschland" (Beeskow 2018), Anhang VII.1 Die Alumnen der Thomasschule 1710-1760, English translation by Aryeh Oron (April 2020)
3. Bach Digital Website (June 2019)
4. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (December 2005, April 2020) |
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Johann Ernst Bach : Short Biography | Cantata BWV 222 | Motet Unser Wandel ist im Himmel, BWV Anh 165 |
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Bach Family : Sorted by Name | Sorted by Number | Family Tree | Family History | Discussions |
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Works previously attributed to J.S. Bach |
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Cantata Mein Odem ist schwach, for unspecified occasion, BWV 222 (Anh. III 157)
Motet Unser Wandel ist im Himmel, BWV Anh 165 [based on 3 Mvts, from BWV 222] |
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Works performed by J.S. Bach |
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Cantata Mein Odem is schwacht, BWV 222 (3 mvts.=A-165) and Motet Unser Wandel ist im Himmel, BWV Anh 165 by J.E. Bach & unknown composer - performed by J.S. Bach in Leipzig 1740's [speculation] |
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Use of Chorale Melodies in his works |
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Mass on Es woll uns Gott gnädig sein, SATB, bc (CM: Es woll uns Gott genädig sein) |
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Cantata: Straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn (CM: Straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn) |
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Valet will ich dir geben , Chorale for Organ (CM: Valet will ich dir geben) |
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Links to other Sites |
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HOASM: Johann Ernst Bach
Bach, Johann Ernst: Biography (Sojurn)
Bach, Johann Ernst (Bach Digital) |
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Bibliography |
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H. Kühn: Vier Organisten Eisenachs aus Bachischem Geschlecht, Bach in Thuringen (Berlin, 1950)
G. Kraft: Bach, Johann Ernst, MGG
Literature 2: Richter 1907, Nr. 192; Dok I, Nr. 184 (S. 260 und 266); Dok II, Nr. 113 und 500; Dok III, Nr. 691f., 714, 765, 789 (S. 275) und 900; MGG2, Personenteil I, Sp. 1300–1302
Sources 4: Spitta II, S. 719f.; Gerber ATL, Bd. I, Sp. 85; DDT 42 (H. Kretzschmar, 1910), S. Vf.; Löffler 1929/31, Nr. 38; Löffler 1936, S. 115; BJ 1949/50, S. 114–118 (H. Löffler); Löffler 1953, Nr. 53; Schulze BachÜberlieferung, S. 56–59; MGGo; Johann Ernst Bach. Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke (BRJEB), bearb. von K. Rettinghaus, Stuttgart 2018 (Bach-Repertorium. 6.) |
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