EXETER BACH SOCIETY

Patron: Peter Hurford Esq., OBE. DMus. FRCO
Hon President: Alderman Ramon Yeo

Registered Charity No. 1120011

The well-known but somewhat uninspiring portrait of Bach by Gottlob Hausmann (1746) is the only authentic likeness that we have, but in 1985 the citizens of Arnstadt, where Bach was organist from 1703 to 1707, commissioned this imaginative statue by Bernd Göbel of the composer as a younger man.

'Johann Sebastian Mighty Bach'

Born at Eisenach on 21 March 1685

Bach's CV is unexciting, and soon summarized. Born at Eisenach (central Germany) into a musical dynasty on 21 March 1685; both his parents died when he was ten years old; court musician at Weimar, and organist in various nearby towns, 1703-17; court musician at Cöthen 1717-23; from 1723 onwards Cantor at Leipzig, where he died on 28 July 1750. Two (successive) wives, twenty children, of whom ten survived infancy, and five became considerable composers. Composer, copyist, conductor, organist, harpsichordist, violinist, viola player, teacher (music and other subjects) at the Thomasschule, and of private pupils, publisher, piano salesman (as we now know); responsible for music at the four churches in Leipzig; director of music at the Leipzig musical society 1729-1740s; authority on and assessor of organs.

None of this would matter much if it were not for his activity as a composer. An enormous number of works, sacred and secular, vocal and instrumental, flowed from his pen: in 1723-27 alone he completed three cycles of cantatas for every Sunday in the year (over 200 survive). He also wrote five Passions, two of which, the St. Matthew and St. John, we possess complete; several short settings of the mass, and one 'great Mass' -- the B minor.

All this - and we have said nothing about his instrumental works -- orchestral, chamber and solo -- including an unparallel legacy for the organ. But it is the vocal works that explain why there are Bach Societies dotted all over the western world (and in Japan), and why we have one here in Exeter. His music forms the heart of the choral repertoire. We enjoy singing it; we hope you enjoy listening.

Engraving of 1735 showing the Thomas Schule (distant centre) and Thomas Kirche (right) in the town of Leipzig where Bach resided during his years as Director of Choir and Music from 1723 until his death in 1750.

EXETER BACH SOCIETY Patron: Peter Hurford Esq., OBE. DMus. FRCO Hon President: Alderman Ramon Yeo Registered Charity No. 1120011

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	The well-known but somewhat uninspiring portrait of Bach by Gottlob Hausmann (1746) is the only authentic likeness that we have, but in 1985 the citizens of Arnstadt, where Bach was organist from 1703 to 1707, commissioned this imaginative statue by Bernd Göbel of the composer as a younger man. 'Johann Sebastian Mighty Bach' Born at Eisenach on 21 March 1685 Bach's CV is unexciting, and soon summarized. Born at Eisenach (central Germany) into a musical dynasty on 21 March 1685; both his parents died when he was ten years old; court musician at Weimar, and organist in various nearby towns, 1703-17; court musician at Cöthen 1717-23; from 1723 onwards Cantor at Leipzig, where he died on 28 July 1750. Two (successive) wives, twenty children, of whom ten survived infancy, and five became considerable composers. Composer, copyist, conductor, organist, harpsichordist, violinist, viola player, teacher (music and other subjects) at the Thomasschule, and of private pupils, publisher, piano salesman (as we now know); responsible for music at the four churches in Leipzig; director of music at the Leipzig musical society 1729-1740s; authority on and assessor of organs. None of this would matter much if it were not for his activity as a composer. An enormous number of works, sacred and secular, vocal and instrumental, flowed from his pen: in 1723-27 alone he completed three cycles of cantatas for every Sunday in the year (over 200 survive). He also wrote five Passions, two of which, the St. Matthew and St. John, we possess complete; several short settings of the mass, and one 'great Mass' -- the B minor. All this - and we have said nothing about his instrumental works -- orchestral, chamber and solo -- including an unparallel legacy for the organ. But it is the vocal works that explain why there are Bach Societies dotted all over the western world (and in Japan), and why we have one here in Exeter. His music forms the heart of the choral repertoire. We enjoy singing it; we hope you enjoy listening. Engraving of 1735 showing the Thomas Schule (distant centre) and Thomas Kirche (right) in the town of Leipzig where Bach resided during his years as Director of Choir and Music from 1723 until his death in 1750.