Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-28
Mecca Of Tourists.

earliest days of spring to the frosty days
OF fall, and the boarding houses, the shop
Keepers and provision dealers, the livery
stables and garages all share in the reve-
nues, and the town is made richer there
by. 1t Is not entirely q summer resort,
however. During the winter months the
men and the maidens who wait upon
travellers SO attentively during the sum-
mer are busy making toys. dress trim
mtngs and other things, which are sold
through the regular trades. Hundreds of
dlnerent articles are manufactured at
Eisenach. Everybody is busy, and, al
though wages are low, everybody is pros
porous and the people seem to be happy
and cOntented.
Surrounded by Castles.
Eisenach is surrounded by castles in a
more or less state OF decay. Some of
them are historic; others were at one
time the headquarters of the robber
barons who terrorized this part Of Ger
many; several have been restored in re-
cent years and are occupied by their
owners during the summer months. The
chief one is the Wartburg, famous place
OF which l will tell you later. Eisenach
is the scene Of that Sunday school story
called THE Schonberg Gotta Family"
with many famous men, and its narrow,
generations ago. The town Is identified
with many famous men and it's narrow,
winding streets, its old-fashioned houses
with high-pitched roofs and innumerable
dormer windows, it's odd little shops
and monstrous churches are associated
tan Bach and the many musical men,
bers OF his family. There are statues
to both of these men and monument
to Bismarck A beautiful Grecian tenn
man students who fell in the war with
France in 1901; there is an obelisk
concentrating the foundation of the
German Medical Association. an indus
trial museum, museum of antiquities
and q museum filled with memorials Of
time.
The three most interesting places in
Eisenach are the Wartburg Castle. the
Luther house and the home of the Bach
family, which occupies conspicuous posi-
ton and is maintained as a museum filled
with relics Of those wonderful geniuses.
The house Is old and odd looking and is
covered with glorious vines. Shelves and
cabinets are filled with the original man
uscript of the compositions of the Bach
brothers, with the instruments they used
to play. the gifts that were bestowed
upon them by the kings, emperors and
other admirers, and various relics Of that
extraordinary family. The old woman
about them and will sell you little book
containing a catalogue and much interest
ing biography Of the Bach family
Bach Greatest organist.
Johann Sebastian Bach was probably
the greatest organist that ever lived, al
though 300 years have passed since his
death. The organ as a musical instru-
ment reached its highest glory under his
hands, and, as great writer has said.
Ills name would have been even more
i1lustrious In musical history but for his
own sons, six of whom became great
musicians and two almost as great as
he"
erations of musicians, who, however, were
engaged in trades and industries by which
they made their living and played the
organ and other instruments for their
own satisfaction, the worship Of God, or
the entertainment of their friends. Sew
eral of them composed the rusic they
played. Johann Sebastian Bach's father
was a miller and baker before he was a
music teacher. He lived in large house,
one Of the largest In Eisenach, and father,
mother, boys and girls made up an or
chestra Of twelve instruments which was
the wonder Of the town.
Every year after the family had scat
tered in different directions throughout
Germany in search of fortunes. they used
to return for a reunion I'm the great
house. and every evening the family gave
an informal concert for their own enjoy
ment and the entertainment OF their
neighbOrs who filled the rooms and the
halls, the front steps and the door yard.
so that late corners were Obliged to stand
in the street. These audiences never stir
red until the last note was sounded. then
they wandered slowly home, saying to
one another, What wonderful musicians
those Bachs boys and girls have be-
GOMEZ"
Sought His Fortune.
Sebastian Bach, the greatest Of the
sons, left home when he was eighteen
wears old. He went to Weimar first and
then wandered on until he came to Ham,
burg, then he went over to Denmark.
and to England, playing every organ he
found. and finally settled down at Wei
mar as Organist and leader of the choir
in the Stadt-kirche at salary of $1,000
a wear On that pay he married and
reared a family of twenty children. every
one of whom could play the organ and
other instruments. Bach added to his
income by installing new organs. train
ing choruses and conducting orchestras
in different places where he was called.
He became SO famous that he was sent
for by kings and cardinals. dukes and
archbishops. even SO far IS London in
one direction and Rome in another.
From Weimar he went to Leipsig and
there increased his fame while musical
director of the greatest musical school in
the world, and organist of st. Thomas
Church. There is a monument in his
honor in front Of that church, with his
figure in bronze, piece Of snusic in his
hand. He lived in Leipsig and taught
music for -twenty-seven years, and was
then sent for by Frederick the Great,
then the most generous patron of art,
music and literature in Europe.
memories Of the great musicians who
have worn that name, and one becomes
a little dizzy when he tries to keep their
identity separate in his mind. So many.
Of them were famous that it is din1cuit
to distinguish. but the musical genius of
the family appears to have been exhaust
ed, for II did not appear in the next
generation
Quaint Old Church.
E,ropfiner thu rEof Mara &c ,,ov>