Georg Heinrich Noah (Kantor, Rector, Copyist, Bach's Pupil)

Born: September 29, 1716³ (or 1721¹) - Tennstedt, Thuringia, Germany
Died: May 10, 1762 - Tennstedt, Thuringia, Germany

Georg Heinrich Noah was a German musican and schoolteacher. He was born the son of Heinrich Christian Noah (farmer in Tennstedt). He Attended the Gymnasium in Gera. He attended the University of Leipzig in 1740 (enrolled on July 21, 1740). He studied privately with J.S. Bach in Leipzig in 1740-1743, and like several other J.S. Bach's pupils he aslso assisted his teacher as a copyist. In 1743 he was appointed Kantor in his native town of Tennstedt and was promoted to assistant Konrector (assistant headmaster) in 1759.

Löffler initially suspected Georg Heinrich Noah to be a J.S. Bach's pupil, as the organist Bernhard Christian Weber, who also worked in Tennstedt, composed a Wohltemperiertes Clavier that was obviously inspired by J.S. Bach. In the meantime, Peter Wollny has been able to substantiate the acceptance of private lessons from copies of J.S. Bach's cantatas and keyboard music assigned to G.H. Noah. He is identified in J.S. Bach's manuscripts as Hauptkopist I; Anon. Vm.

References: Koska: B-34; GND: 1162513705; Bach Digital: 00000413

Works of Bach he copied [Manuscript No. in Bach Digital / Work / Performance date]

D-B Mus.ms. 16714: Palestrina: Missa sine nomine, BWV deest (Serie II:1); BNB I/P/2 [c1742]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 12, Faszikel 2: BWV 195, version 2/1, 5, 6 [c1742]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 84, Faszikel 1: BWV 64 [27.12.1740: Orgelstimme]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 97: BWV 100 [c1742]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 110, Faszikel 1: BWV 244 (Satz 29 = BWV 245.2/1, in E) [Re-performance 1742]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 115: BWV 240; BNB I/An/6 [1742]
D-LEb Thomana 177 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 177 [1742]
D-WRgs Goethe Notensammlung: GSA 32/431d: BWV 772, 773, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785

Handwriting sample (Bach Digital) [HW-01]

Sources:
1. Oxford Composer Companions J.S. Bach (Editor: Malcolm Boyd, OUP, 1999)
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 (January 2020)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2014, May 2020); Thomas Braatz (January 2011)

Links to other Sites

Noah, Georg Heinrich (Bach Digital)

Bibliography

Sources 3: Löffler 1929/31, Anh. Nr. 7; B. C. Weber, Das wohltemperierte Klavier. 24 Präludien und Fugen durch alle Tonarten für die Orgel, hrsg. von M. Seiffert, Leipzig 1933 (Veröffentlichungen der Neuen Bachgesellschaft. 34.1.); Löffler 1936, S. 119; Löffler 1953, Nr. 61; BJ 2002, S. 29–33 (P. Wollny); NBA IX/3, Nr. 224

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