Johann Caspar Simon (Composer, Organ, Kantor, Teacher, Merchant, Bach's Pupil)

Born: January 10, 1701 - Floh, near Schmalkalden, Thuringia, Germany¹
or October 1701 - Floh (baptised: October 10, 1701 - Schnellbach, near Schmalkalden, Thuringia, Germany)²
or January 10, 1701 - Schnellbach, near Schmalkalden, Thuringia, Germany³
Died: November 22, 1776 - Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

Johann Caspar[Kaspar] Simon was a German organist, composer, teacher and mercant of the Baroque period. He was born the son of Father: Caspar Simon (mill owner in Floh).He was a pupil of the schoolmaster in Floh; and a pupil of the Kantor Johann Georg Dunckel and the organist Johann Beyer in Schmalkalden. From 1723 to 1726 he studied theology at Universität Jena (enrollment on May 28, 1723). In 1726/1727 he stayed in Schmalkalden (work as an informator?). From 1727 he was music director at the court of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Four years later (1731) he took over a Kantor position in Langenburg (Württemberg), where he also worked as a teacher (preceptor). In 1731, an application for the position of praeceptor of the Latin school in Aalen failed due to the different salary expectations of Simons and the Aalen council.

Johann Caspar Simon then (1731) went to the Georgskirche in Nördlingen as music director and organist. Here he developed his compositional work, from which numerous cantatas, preludes and fugues emerged. In addition, he taught at the Nördlingen Latin School. In 1750, he took over the cloth shop of his late brother-in-law in Leipzig and built up a new existence there as a merchant. He died in Leipzig in 1776.

In his autobiography (1741/1742) Johann Caspar Simon mentioned Johann Nicolaus Bach [27] and J.S. Bach in connection with his musical training: "Bach in Jena, der vortrefliche Organist, goß Oel ins Feuer; und der unvergleichliche Capellmeister Bach in Leipzig brachte es in volle Flamme" (Bach in Jena, the excellent organist, poured oil into the fire; and the incomparable Kapellmeister Bach in Leipzig set it on fire). A lesson with J.S. Bach is not necessarily derived from this, the wording could only refer to the knowledge of J.S. Bach's works imparted by J.N. Bach. J.C. Simon's trip to Leipzig was documented in 1734 by the Nördlingen council minutes only after his employment in Nördlingen. Further stays in Leipzig are to be assumed as a result of Simon's marriage to Johanna Elisabeth Leibbrandt in 1733, because the bride's brother was the merchant Carl Maximilian Leibbrandt, whose shop was taken over by J.C. Simon after his death in 1750. It is uncertain whether such visits would lead to meetings with J.S. Bach.

References: Koska: B-26; GND: 119121328; Bach Digital: 00004812

Works

Four cantata years: 1732 (various), 1734 (various), 1737/1738 (89 works preserved), 1749/1750 (only started)
Leichte Praeludien und Fugen (Augsburg, 1750/1751)
Gemüths Vergnügende Musicalische Neben-Stunden (Augsburg, 1750); Other part (Augsburg, 1752)
Musicalisches A. B. C. in kleinen und leichten Fugetten (Augsburg, 1754)
Erster Versuch, einiger variiert- und fugirten Choräle (Nürnberg, 1755)

Sources:
1. German Wikipedia Website (October 2018), English translation by Aryeh Oron (February 2020)
2. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
3. Bach Digital Website (June 2019)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (February 2020, May 2020)

Links to other Sites

Johann Caspar Simon (Wikipedia)
Simon, Johann Caspar (Bach Digital)

Bibliography

Axel Schröter: Simon, Johann Caspar. In: MGG Online (subscription required).
Hugh J. McLean: Simon, Johann Caspar. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
Sources 2: Dok V, Nr. B 499b; MGGo; BJ 2000, S. 327–332 (J. Kremer); G. Lüttig, Johann Caspar Simon (1701–1776). Ein Schüler unseres Johann Christoph Bach (1671 bis 1721)?, in: Jahrbuch des Vereins für Ohrdrufer Kirchengeschichte e.V. 2 (2005), S. 108–112; H. Lauterwasser, Telemann-Rezeption in Nördlingen Anno 1750. Eine Spurensuche, in: Die Musikforschung 66 (2013), S. 362–390; Landeskirchenarchiv Kassel, Kirchenbuch Schmalkalden, Taufen 1701; ebd., Kirchenbuch Floh, Begräbnisse 1726

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