Johann Ludwig Anton Rust (Archivist, Librarian, Jurist, Copyist, Bach's Pupil)

Born: December 12, 1721 - Reinstedt, near Bernburg and Aschersleben, about 30 km north-west of Leipzig, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Died: October 1785 - Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Johann Ludwig Anton Rust [J. L.A. Rustius; Johann Ludewig Anton Rust; Johannes Ludovicus Antonius Rustius; Pseudonym: Ratzeberger, Busso Ludolf]⁶ was a German registar, librarian and violinist. He was born the son of Conrad Heinrich Rust (chamber commissioner in Reinstedt. From 1735 he attended the school in Wörlitz; from 1737 he attended the Gymnasium in Zerbst. He enrolled at the University of Wittenberg in October 19, 1740; and at the University of Leipzig on November 6, 1744. Between the years 1744 and 1745 he took private lessons from J.S. Bach in Leipzig and, after J.S. Bach recognized his very good musical education and his talent, he was invited by him to take part part as a violinist in the usual peformances of J.S. Bach’s music under his direction. From 1745 he was representative of his father in Wörlitz. In 1750 he lived in Dresden, and in August 1751 he became part of the body of regular government lawyers in in Dessau. In the same year, his father died and, from then on, he became responsible for the further education and raising of his three younger brothers, and particularly of the youngest, Friedrich Wilhelm Rust (1739-1796). The latter reportedly played Book 1 of the Well-Temepred-Clavier (BWV 846-869) from beginning to end at the age of 13, and studied with Wilhelm Friedemann Bach in Halle (Saale). Both Rusts owned important manuscripts of works by J.S. Bach.

Johann Ludwig Anton Rust was from 1752 judge in Gröbzig; from 1755 government chancellor in Bernburg; from 1757 government registrar in Bernburg. He was also archivar and librarian in Bernburg. In 1761 he founded the Fürstlich-Anhaltische Deutsche Gesellschaft (Royal Anhalt German Society), which ceased to exist upon his death in 1785. He published: Unnütze gelehrte Beschäftigungen, In: Neueste Sammlung jener Schriften, die von einigen Jahren her über verschiedene wichtige Gegenstände zur Steuer der Wahrheit im Drucke erschienen sind Bd. 37, 1788: 79 S. (3. enth. Beitr.)⁶

In Wilhelm Rust's Lexikon article on Friedrich Wilhelm Rust from 1877 it says about his brother Johann Ludwig Anton Rust that during his studies in Leipzig in 1744/1745 he was "von J. S. Bach zu dessen musikalischen Aufführungen als Violinist herangezogen" (used by J.S. Bach for his musical performances as a violinist). This was taken over by Wilhelm Hosäus in the ADB and then transformed by Löffler into the title "Schüler Bach" (Bach's pupil). In his autobiography from 1776 J.L.A. Rust, on the other hand, leaves no mention of any musical activity, especially J.S. Bach. As the music teacher of his brother F.W. Rust, he nevertheless plays a certain role in the Bach tradition.

References: Koska: B-38; GND: 116711663; Bach Digital: 00004392

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

Verschollen BWV 903a (1), J. L. A. Rust, Bernburg: BWV 903a [1757]

Sources:
1. Oxford Composer Companions J.S. Bach (Editor: Malcolm Boyd, OUP, 1999)
2. fine-print footnotes in the Bach-Dokumente
3. Bits & pieces from other sources
4. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
5. Bach Digital Website (June 2019)
6. Deutschen Nationalbibliothek
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2014, May 2020); Thomas Braatz (January 2011)

Links to other Sites

ADB:Rust, Johann Ludwig Anton (Wikisource) [German]
The Rust Variant, Part 2 (Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc.)
Johann Ludwig Anton Rust (Wikipedia) [German]
Rust, Johann Ludwig Anton (Bach Digital)
Rust, Johann Ludwig Anton (DNB)

Bibliography

DBok iii, No. 811
Sources 4: J. L. A. Rust, Historisch-literarische Nachrichten von den ietzt lebenden Anhaltischen Schriftstellern, Teil 1, Wittenberg und Zerbst 1776, S. 149–162; Musikalisches Conversations-Lexikon, hrsg. von H. Mendel, Bd. VIII, Berlin 1877, S. 483 (W. Rust); Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, Bd. XXX, Leipzig 1890 (W. Hosäus); Löffler 1929/31, Nr. 52, Anh. Nr. 15; Löffler 1953, Nr. 70; H.J. Schulze, Friedrich Wilhelm Rust und die Familie Bach – Aspekte der Werküberlieferung, in: Zwischen Wörlitz und Mosigkau. Kolloquium zur Friedrich-Wilhelm-Rust-Ehrung der Stadt Dessau anläßlich des 200. Todestages, hrsg. vom Museum für Stadtgeschichte Dessau, Dessau 1997 (Schriftenreihe zur Geschichte der Stadt Dessau und Umgebung. Heft 46; Dessau-Wörlitzer Beiträge. 7.), S. 139–142, speziell S. 139f.
References 5: NBA V/9.2; Dok III

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