Johannes Bach
Encyclopedia
Johann or Johannes Bach (26 November 1604, Erfurt
buried 13 May 1673, Erfurt) was a German composer
and musician of the Baroque
. He was the father of the so-called "Erfurt line" of Bach family
musicians.
Johannes was the eldest son of Johannes Hans Bach and the brother of Christoph Bach
and Heinrich Bach
. All three were composers. He spent seven years studying under Johann Christoph Hoffmann, a stadtpfeifer in Suhl
. From 1634 he served as organist at St. Johannis church in Schweinfurt
, and was later organist at Suhl
.
In 1635 he became town musician and director of the Raths-Musikanten in Erfurt
, and was organist at the town's Predigerkirche
from 1636. His first wife, Barbara Hoffman (a daughter of his teacher), died half an hour after bearing a stillborn son in 1639. Following this he married Hedwig Lämmerhirt, the daughter of a town councilman in Erfurt. His children from this marriage included Johannes Christian Bach, Johann Aegidius Bach, and Johann Nicolaus Bach.
Bach's works included two motet
s, Unser Leben ist ein Schatten and Sei nun wieder zufrieden, and an aria
, Weint nicht um meinen Tod.
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
buried 13 May 1673, Erfurt) was a German composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and musician of the Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
. He was the father of the so-called "Erfurt line" of Bach family
Bach family
The Bach family was of importance in the history of music for nearly two hundred years, with over 50 known musicians and several notable composers, the best-known of whom was Johann Sebastian Bach...
musicians.
Johannes was the eldest son of Johannes Hans Bach and the brother of Christoph Bach
Christoph Bach
Christoph Bach was a German musician of the Baroque period. He was the grandfather of Johann Sebastian Bach....
and Heinrich Bach
Heinrich Bach
Heinrich Bach was a German organist, composer and a member of the Bach family.Heinrich Bach was born at Wechmar, Germany, and is the father of the so-called Arnstädt Line. After the early death of his father, his older brother Johannes Bach continued his music education and teaching him organ...
. All three were composers. He spent seven years studying under Johann Christoph Hoffmann, a stadtpfeifer in Suhl
Suhl
- Geography :Suhl sits on the south edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes. This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest...
. From 1634 he served as organist at St. Johannis church in Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
, and was later organist at Suhl
Suhl
- Geography :Suhl sits on the south edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes. This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest...
.
In 1635 he became town musician and director of the Raths-Musikanten in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, and was organist at the town's Predigerkirche
Predigerkirche (Erfurt)
Predigerkirche is a Protestant church in Erfurt, Germany. It is a monastic church to the Dominican friary, Predigerkloster, adjacent to the church. Predigerkirche was originally built by the Dominican Order in the 13th century, when the mystic Meister Eckhart was prior here. The church only became...
from 1636. His first wife, Barbara Hoffman (a daughter of his teacher), died half an hour after bearing a stillborn son in 1639. Following this he married Hedwig Lämmerhirt, the daughter of a town councilman in Erfurt. His children from this marriage included Johannes Christian Bach, Johann Aegidius Bach, and Johann Nicolaus Bach.
Bach's works included two motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, Unser Leben ist ein Schatten and Sei nun wieder zufrieden, and an aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
, Weint nicht um meinen Tod.