Bach Was Put in Jail

admin · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:55 am Post subject: Bach Was Put in Jail

http://www.dumbartonconcerts.org/ProgramNotes/Preludes.htm

There is evidence to suggest that Bach composed some of the pieces prior to writing his son’s Clavier-Büchlein, during a particularly humiliating episode in 1717, when the composer actually was imprisoned by his employer. Having decided to leave the court in Weimar, Bach was continuing to work for a few weeks in his old job before starting his new position in Cöthen. Something happened that caused Bach to lose his temper—either with the Duke for whom he worked, or with another court official. The result was that Bach was put in jail from November 6 to December 2 before being dishonorably released from his job. In an early biography, the son of a man who studied with Bach wrote that the Well-Tempered Clavier had been composed “in a place where ennui, boredom, and the absence of any kind of musical instrument forced him to resort to this pastime.” Surely Bach did not write all of the Well-Tempered Clavier in his jail cell, but it is likely that he put several pieces on paper during his confinement.

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http://www.bellevuechamberchorus.net/Research/Baroque/Composer/JSBach.htm

Johann Sebastian Bach has become known as the greatest composer of the Baroque period. He came from a long line of musicians in Germany, and began learning music from his father. At the age of ten his parents died and Bach then went to live with his brother. While with his brother, this is where Bach learned to play the organ. At the age of eighteen he took the position of church organist. In 1708 he was then hired as the court organist for the Duke of Weimar. He stayed with the Duke for nine years, being promoted to the rank of Concertmaster of the court orchestra. But when Bach was passed over for another promotion, he asked for his dismissal for he had accepted an offer from the Prince of Anhalt-Cöthen. Unfortunately the Duke would not give him his dismissal, and when it became such a fight, the Duke had Bach arrested and put in jail for a month. In the end the Duke did let Bach out and gave him permission to leave to pursue the new position.

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http://www.dsokids.com/2001/dso.asp?PageID=238

Bach once had to spend a month in jail because he tried to quit his job composing and playing for a duke. During that month in jail, he wrote forty-six pieces of music, many of which are still performed today.

Bach, a dazzling organist and church musician, had to compose all kinds of original pieces for every church service including pieces for choir, organ, harpsichord and orchestra. Since most of his music was written to be performed in a church service only once and then thrown out, very little of his music was published during his lifetime. It was for this reason that Bach composed more music than almost any other composer. However, his musical genius was not recognized until about 100 years after his death.

Bach was famous for his music and for something else - Bach had twenty children! Five were named Johann, two Johanna and four grew up to become famous composers. He may be remembered long after other composers because in 1977, the Voyager spacecraft was launched into space carrying recordings of three pieces by Bach.
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Jenny · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:46 pm Post subject:

There's a movie about this. It's from the same series as "Beethoven Lives Upstairs." I think the one about Bach is called "Bach's Fight for Freedom." Pretty cool movie. I showed it to my musical day camp students this summer and most of them really enjoyed it.
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"Out of my way, you butterfingered bassoonist!" --JS Bach

admin · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:57 am Post subject:

I think I saw that for sale at a kiosk at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Will have to check that out.
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