Samuel Anton Bach [75] (Organ, Painter, Lawyer, Bach's Pupil)

Born: April 1713 (baptised: April 26, 1713) - Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany
Died: March 29, 1781 - Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany

Samuel Anton Jacob Bach [75] was son of Johann Ludwig Bach [3/72] (Hofkapellmeister in Meiningen, cousin of J.S. Bach). From 1721 attended the Bernhardinum Gymnasium in Meiningen, but it was his father who taught him music. He studied law at Universität Leipzig (enrolled on May 7, 1732). During his studies in Leipzig he was hosted by J.S. Bach [24], and benefited from his musical knowledge around 1732. He then returned to Meiningen to hold post of Schloßorganist (court organist) from 1735 to 1760/1761; and for a time was also court painter. From 1738² or 1740³, he practiced in parallel the profession of lawyer and in 1746 was assigned various municipal functions: 1738 lawyer, 1746 war registry, 1764 chamber registrar, 1777 pension secretary. He married late on September 12, 1759 to Maria Catharina Axt but the couple had no children. He was not only a capable organist but also an eminent portrait painter in pastel, and known for his skill in the art of miniature.

Philipp Spitta wrote in his Bach biography⁴: "That strong feeling of family coherence which always existed in the members of the great Bach clan prompted the younger men of the different branches to adopt Leipzig by preference not merely for musical but for general study, so soon as Meiningen was settled in that town. On May 7, 1732, Samuel Anton, the eldest son of Johann Ludwig Bach of Meiningen, was entered on the books of the University there. He lived in J.S. Bach's house, and formed a friendship with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, who had already been a student for six months. Samuel Anton was a man of great and various talents; he pursued art with some success, and studied music with J.S. Bach's assistance to such good purpose that he afterwards rose to be Court organist at Meiningen."

There is no documentary evidence for studies of S.A.J. Bach with J.S. Bach. A student relationship during his studies in Leipzig was first presumed by Spitta (1880, see above) and seems quite possible in view of the family relationships.

References: Koska: B-23; Bach Digital: 00001217

Sources:
1. The New Grove Bach Family (Author: Christoph Wolff, MacMillan London, 1983)
2. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
3. French Wikipedia Website (April 2020), English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
4. Philipp Spitta: Johann Sebastian Bach: His Work and Influence on the Music of of Germany, 1685-1750, Vol. III (Dover Publications), p 239
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (January 2008, May 2020)

Bach Family: Sorted by Name | Sorted by Number | Family Tree | Family History | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Links to other Sites

Bach, Samuel Anton (Bach digital)
Samuel Anton Jacob Bach (Wikipédia) [French]

Bibliography

Sources 2: Spitta II, S. 719, 985; Löffler 1929/31, Nr. 30; Löffler 1936, S. 115; BJ 1949/50 (Löffler), speziell S. 112–114; Löffler 1953, Nr. 45, MGGo; Landeskirchenarchiv Eisenach, Kirchenbuch Meiningen 1713 (Vornamen)

Bach's Pupils: List of Bach's Pupils | Actual and Potential Non-Thomaner Singers and Players who participated in Bach’s Figural Music in Leipzig | Alumni of the Thomasschule in Leipzig during Bach's Tenure | List of Bach's Private Pupils | List of Bach's Copyists
Thomanerchor Leipzig: Short History | Members: 1729 | 1730 | 1731 | 1740-1741 | 1744-1745 | Modern Times
Bach’s Pupils Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2
Articles: Organizional Structure of the Thomasschule in Leipzig | The Rules Established for the Thomasschule by a Noble and Very Wise Leipzig City Council - Printed by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf Leipzig, 1733 | Homage Works for Thomas School Rectors