Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-11-20
Bach.

S0S
The law Of heredity, or the tendency
of living beings to repeat themselves in
their offspring, is strikingly illustrated
by the Bach family of Germany. For
nearly two hundred years the Bachs
were noted for their musical character
and reputation, and the faAiily num-
bered among its members fifty music
ians entitled to be mentioned with
honor. The father of the elan was II
miller of SaXc-Gotha, who, about the
year 1900, used to unite business with
pleasure b. playing the either 70 the
accompaniment of the Gathering mill
wheels. His sons adopted music AS Il
profession, ana the best positions rs
Organists in their country were filled
- Bachs. AT one Of the family meet
WEs, which were held every year for
four generations, one hundred and
twenty Bachs, all musicians, parti"ipa
ted in the musical performance which
marked the coming together of the
elan.
The greatest of the Bachs was John
Sebastian. known as ''the Father Of
German Music He WAS as modest
as he was great. '.iIow did YOU ac-
quirc your remarkable talent?' asked
an admirer.
.'By working hard, he replied; land
all who like to work as hard will sue
cecd just rs | have done"
When he WAS scarcely ont of his
teens. he showed his capacity for in
finite pains-taking, which Carlyle says
constitutes genius,
At the death Of his parents, he was
taken in charge by an elder brother,
an organist. who continued his musical
education. teaching nm the ylohn, the
gam, and the clavlchord. or ancient
0Aino. The young,tcr was ambitious
to play music which his brother
thought too difficult for a boy.
The brother had q manuscript vol
ume Of pieces for the clayichord by
celebrated composers, and Sebastian
had set his heart on mastering the col
lection. As the elder had locked the
volume IN "A cupboard the youpgstcr
MANAGED to draw it surrcptitiou,ly
through the lattice-work door. Having
no money to buy candles hc copied il
by the light Of the moon, spending the
moonlight nights of xix months i'm his
stealthy labors.
Thrown by his brothers. death upon
his w resources he supported himself
by singing in a choir at luneberg.
whence he frequently went to Ham
burg to hear Il celebrated organist
play.
He once stayed SO long AT Hamburg
that when he started for Luncbcrg, he
had BIZ tw" shiliings in his pocket. On
his way home he stopped, being very
hungrv. outside the kitchen of an inn,
to inilale the appetizirg odors.
Some lookcrs-on must have been
struck by the youths hungry appear
ance, for he heard a window open and
saw two herring heads thrown out into
the road. He picked them up and in
pulling them to pieces found a ducat
concealed in each.
Frederick the Great, who was fond
of music, invited Bach in his sixty
second year to visit Potsdam. His ar
rival was announced Just as the king
was beginning Il flute solo at a state
concert.
.'Gcntlemen," said the king, laying
aside the flute and addressing the mu-
s%icians, ..old Bach has comet
There was no flute playing that eve
ming, but Bach was taken from room
to Dol of the palace that he might
play on AL of the many ~pianotortes
which the king had collected. The
composer excited the greatest wonder
by his improvisations.
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