Maria Barbara Bach
Encyclopedia
Maria Barbara Bach was the first wife of composer Johann Sebastian Bach
. She was also his second cousin, and the daughter of Johann Michael Bach
.
, a position he assumed in midsummer 1707. That August, Bach received an inheritance of 50 gulden (more than half his annual salary) from his maternal uncle, Tobias Lämmerhirt. This facilitated the marriage which occurred on October 17 at Dornheim, a village near Arnstadt
, her home town and his previous post.
Even though not much is known about her life or their marriage, it is known that she and Johann Sebastian had a contented marriage.
According to her second surviving son, Carl Philipp Emanuel
, her death in 1720 came quickly and unexpectedly: J. S. Bach was accompanying his employer, the Duke of Köthen, as the duke went to take the waters at the Carlsbad
spa (the Duke brought his musicians along to provide him with entertainment). When J. S. Bach left Maria Barbara was in normal health; when he returned he learned that she had died and been buried on July 7. The cause of her death is unknown, but speculations include infectious disease or complications from pregnancy.
Maria Barbara bore seven children, three of whom died at an early age:
Anna Magdalena Wilcke
became Johann's second wife a year and a half after Maria's death, and she took care of Maria's children along with her own.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. She was also his second cousin, and the daughter of Johann Michael Bach
Johann Michael Bach
Johann Michael Bach was a German composer of the Baroque period. He was the brother of Johann Christoph Bach, as well as father-in-law of Johann Sebastian Bach...
.
Personal life
Maria Barbara and Johann Sebastian married during his tenure as organist of St. Blasius Church in MühlhausenMühlhausen
Mühlhausen is a city in the federal state of Thuringia, Germany. It is the capital of the Unstrut-Hainich district, and lies along the river Unstrut. Mühlhausen had c. 37,000 inhabitants in 2006.-History:...
, a position he assumed in midsummer 1707. That August, Bach received an inheritance of 50 gulden (more than half his annual salary) from his maternal uncle, Tobias Lämmerhirt. This facilitated the marriage which occurred on October 17 at Dornheim, a village near Arnstadt
Arnstadt
Arnstadt is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, situated on the Gera River. It is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia and is nicknamed Das Tor zum Thüringer Wald, The Gate to the Thuringian Forest....
, her home town and his previous post.
Even though not much is known about her life or their marriage, it is known that she and Johann Sebastian had a contented marriage.
According to her second surviving son, Carl Philipp Emanuel
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
right|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
, her death in 1720 came quickly and unexpectedly: J. S. Bach was accompanying his employer, the Duke of Köthen, as the duke went to take the waters at the Carlsbad
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
spa (the Duke brought his musicians along to provide him with entertainment). When J. S. Bach left Maria Barbara was in normal health; when he returned he learned that she had died and been buried on July 7. The cause of her death is unknown, but speculations include infectious disease or complications from pregnancy.
Maria Barbara bore seven children, three of whom died at an early age:
- Catharina Dorothea (* 28 December 1708; † 14 January 1774).
- Wilhelm FriedemannWilhelm Friedemann BachWilhelm Friedemann Bach , the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer...
(* 22 November 1710; † 1 July 1784). - Johann Christoph (* 23 February 1713; † 23 February 1713).
- Maria Sophia (* 23 February 1713; † 15 March 1713), twin of Johann Christoph.
- Carl Philipp EmanuelCarl Philipp Emanuel Bachright|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
(* 8 March 1714; † 14 December 1788). - Johann Gottfried BernhardJohann Gottfried Bernhard BachJohann Gottfried Bernhard Bach was the fourth child to reach adulthood of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. Born in Weimar, he attended the Thomasschule in Leipzig, his father providing for his musical formation...
(* 11 May 1715; † 27 May 1739). - Leopold Augustus (* 15 November 1718 ; † 29 September 1719).
Anna Magdalena Wilcke
Anna Magdalena Bach
Anna Magdalena Bach was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach.-Biography:...
became Johann's second wife a year and a half after Maria's death, and she took care of Maria's children along with her own.