The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-09-18
Master of Music.

John Sebastian Bach, the most cele-
brated of a numerous family of re,
nowned musicians, was born at Eisen-
each, on March "a, 1855, and began his
musical career at the early age of II
years. Immediately on the death of his
father, who was a court musician, he
went to live with his brother at Ohrd-
ruff. This brother placed numerous OBJ
stacles to the studies of the young mu-
stefan, and, dying shortly afterward, the
| subject of our sketch had to strike out
for himself, and at first earned his liv-
ing by choir singing in the churches of
| Luneberg. So devoted was he to mu-
steal study. that he appeared at the
! early age of IS as a violinist at Weimar,
! which he exchanged a year later for
| that or Organist to the principal church
! in Arnstadt, where his remarkable ex-
| ecutionary powers attracted widespread
attention, and which decided him to re-
! turn to Weimar in 1903 as an organist
of the first rank.
! Here, again. his remarkable abilities
manifested themselves-thi time as a
| composer-his fame spreading with such
rapidity that Prince Leopold of Anhalt-
Kothen appointed him musical director
to the court. About this time Bach was
subjected to much inconvenience, and
not little annoyance, owing to the
vaunted pretensions of French organ
list named Marchand. These pretensions
! daily gaining in publicity eliminated in
Bach challenging Marchand to pub
lie contest on the organ, which was
accepted When the appointed day
arrived Marcnand made himself con-
spicuous by his tbsence-he having Sc
! rv-a flr- 1Cfk
less, Bach's performance on the occa-
sion earned for him the foremost posi-
ton among musicians He severed his
connection with Weimar in 1928 to take
up the position of musical director of
st. Thomas, in Leipsic, which position
he held until his death, which occurred
on July 30, 1850, consequent on two sue
cessful operations for Sataract of the
eyes, brought on by overstudy.
Although Bach is more widely known
in connection with organ composition
his interchangeable work in connection
with that instrument earning for it.
during his time, the title of king of in
struments"-yet it is not on work for il
alone that his claim for eminence rests.
There is nothing. for instance. in the
present-day world of music that can
surpass, in religious pathos, subIimity
VI etlSCt, VI ueplN Oh JnOuSnt, MS treat
ment of THE Passion of Our Lord:
besides, his numerous sacred cantatas
and masses, set for voices and instru-
ments combined, are, in themselves in
Irritable. He also wrote numerous
pieces, with instrumental accompani-
ment: likewise sonatas for piano and
violin, and concertos for several solo in
struments, with accompaniment; while
his OratOrieS, anthems, chOrales fam
tasias, hymns, arias, etc, are too nu-
merous to mention, all are invested with
masters intellectually and expressive
sublimity. In fact so overwhelming
prominent are these attributes fixed
throughout Bachs entire compositions.
vocal and instrumental, that the title of
Father OF Modern Music" has been
universally accorded him.
Like other of the great masters. too.
some of his most important works We're
not accorded anything approaching
due appreciation of their merits till long
after his decease. 1t is on record that
Bach, although he wrote more than anv
other man of his age, yet he never com
posed anything that he did not correct
as often IS he had to recopy it. He took
exceptional precautions to ensure as alb
solutely perfect as he could all that
flowed from his pen. He left behind him
eleven sons. four of whom became dis
hinguished musicians.