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Bernhard Christian Kayser (Lawyer, Organ, Chamber Musician, Copyist, Bach's Pupil) |
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Born: August 16, 1705 - Köthen (Anhalt), Saxony-Anhlat, Germany
Died: April 20, 1758 - Köthen (Anhalt), Saxony-Anhlat, Germany |
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Bernhard Christian Kayser was a German organist, chamber musician and lawyer. He was born the son of Christian Bernhard Kayser (lawyer in Köthen (Anhalt)). He received private instruction in organ from J.S. Bach in Köthen from 1718. When J.S. Bach moved to Leipzig, in 1723, Kayser followed him, continued his instruction with J.S. Bach until 1725, undertook the study of law at the University of Leipzig in 1724 (enrolled on July 7, 1724), and for a number of years was apparently one of J.S. Bach's closest associates, perhaps even serving for a time as J.S. Bach's private secretary. Returning to Köthen in 1729, he functioned at the court of the Prince from 1733 at the latest as "lawyer to the court government" as well as "chamber musician" and court organist, for a time probably as organist of St. Agnus's Church, of which he was a member. In 1754 dissolution of the court chapel, reduction of the salary with retained titles.
During his seven years in Leipzig (1723-1730), Bernhard Christian Kayser copied various organ and piano works and cantatas of J.S. Bach. He was a very able student, who made many more copies of J.S. Bach's organ and keyboard works than Anna Magdalena Bach; his handwriting was often indistinguishable from J.S. Bach’s. Important copies of J.S. Bach's stem from Kayser, including, for example, the Prelude & Fugue in E minor, BWV 548, which attests to Kayser's musical capabilities. He is identified in J.S. Bach's manuscripts as Anon. 5; Anon. Ih.
Bernhard Christian Kayser's father mentioned the lessons with J.S. Bach in connection with a proposed application by the son for the organist position in Schleiz (1728).
References: Koska: A-10; GND: 135572665 |
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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 53: BWV 186 [11.7.1723]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 130: BWV 154/1, 2, 3, 4, 8 [9.1.1724]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 162: BWV 59 (1731?)
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 219: BWV 772; BWV 787; BWV 775; BWV 790; BWV 778; BWV 793; BWV 779; BWV 794; BWV 781; BWV 796; BWV 784; BWV 799; BWV 786; BWV 801; BWV 785; BWV 800; BWV 783; BWV 798; BWV 782; BWV 797; BWV 780; BWV 795; BWV 777; BWV 792; BWV 776; BWV 791a; BWV 774; BWV 789; BWV 773; BWV 788 [c1724]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 270: BWV Anh. 173, Anh. 174, Anh. 175, Anh. 176; BNB I/B/50 [c1723]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 401: BWV 846; BWV 847; BWV 848; BWV 849; BWV 851; BWV 850; BWV 881/2; BWV 852; BWV 853; BWV 855; BWV 854; BWV 856; BWV 857; BWV 858; BWV 859; BWV 860; BWV 861; BWV 862; BWV 863; BWV 865; BWV 864; BWV 866; BWV 867; BWV 868; BWV 869; BWV 923 (T. 1-14a) [1722/1723]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 418: BWV 814/5-6, BWV 812, BWV 813, BWV 814/1-4+7, BWV 818, BWV 819/1, BWV 819a/1, BWV 819a/2-6, BWV 815; G. H. Stölzel: Menuett in Es-Dur [1722-1725]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 809: BWV 831 [c1720-1739]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 968, Faszikel 2: BWV 1013 [after 1725]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 1072, Faszikel 1: BWV 806 [1719-1725]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 1072, Faszikel 2: BWV 807, BWV 808, BWV 809, BWV 810, BWV 811 [1724/1725]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 1092: BWV 572
D-LEb Rara I, 10: BWV 548, BWV 830/1-6 [not before 1731] |
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Sources:
1. The Organs of J. S. Bach: A Handbook by Christoph Wolff & Maarkus Zepf (Baach Archiv Leipzig, 2nd edition, 2006; English translation by Lynn Edwards Butler: University of Illinois Press, 2012);. pp. 41-42;
2. fine-print footnotes in the Bach-Dokumente
3. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
4. Bach Digital Website (August 2019)
4. Bits & pieces from various sources
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2014, May 2010); Thomas Braatz (January 2011) |
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Links to other Sites |
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Kayser, Bernhard Christian (Bach Digital) |
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Bibliography |
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Sources: Dok V, Nr. B 240a; BJ 2003, S. 155–157 (A. Talle); BJ 2005, S. 281–285 (H. R. Jung); A. Talle, „Der Kayser aus Köthen“. Zum 300. Geburtstag eines wiederentdeckten Bach-Schülers, in: CBH 2006, S. 13–32; BJ 2011, S. 51–80 (A. Talle); BJ 2012, S. 226f. (B. Koska); NBA IX/3, Nr. 49 |
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