What Oil and Water, and Bach in Mulhausen Have in Common
The year in Muhlhausen as told by Maria Barbara Bach, JS Bach's first wife.
With the many challenges for Johann Sebastian in Arnstadt, I decided to talk with my relative Johann Bellstedt in Muhlhausen.
I told him Johann was very unhappy and was looking for a new position as a church organist.
Upon learning this news, Herr Bellstedt, immediately asked Johann to come try out the new organ at St.
Blaise's in Muhlhausen-on Easter Sunday no less! Well, of course everyone was very impressed with Johann's virtuosity and the board decided on the spot that my JS was the man for the organist position.
It is so exciting.
Now, with this new position and its great salary of 85 gulden and a promise of 54 bushels of grain, two cords of wood and six bundles of brushwood, my Johann tells me we can get married and that we will immediately move to Muhlhausen to start our new life together.
We got married on October 17, 1707.
It was a lovely affair starting in Arnstadt and continuing in Dornheim four miles away.
We had such a grand time walking with all our family and friends to the little village church in Dornheim where a friend of the family married us.
After our celebration, we immediately moved to Muhlhausen where Johann had already begun his work several months earlier.
I will now be with Johann to support him, provide a home for him, and to encourage him in all his musical efforts.
Things are definitely looking up in Muhlhausen.
Students have started coming to Johann Sebastian asking for lessons.
If you are a genius, it is a gift to be taught by Johann Sebastian Bach.
If not...
well things can be a little tough.
However, now that we are settled in Muhlhausen, we are finding that the congregation at St.
Blaise's is basically Pietist.
We now know that Pietists believe in extreme simplicity - simplicity in everything including their music.
I am told they are afraid of the excessive use of music and art in worship, with its temptations to worldliness.
Some church people even wanted a complete ban on instrumental music in the service.
This was not good, because what my Johann plays for them is his wonderful but complex contrapuntal music.
I have begun to wonder if St.
Blaise's in Muhlhausen is such a good place for us or not.
What were they thinking when they hired my Johann Sebastian Bach? (The story above is one of a dozen vignettes from the multi-media and organ program, Bach and Sons, presented by Dr.
Jeannine Jordan, concert organist.
)
With the many challenges for Johann Sebastian in Arnstadt, I decided to talk with my relative Johann Bellstedt in Muhlhausen.
I told him Johann was very unhappy and was looking for a new position as a church organist.
Upon learning this news, Herr Bellstedt, immediately asked Johann to come try out the new organ at St.
Blaise's in Muhlhausen-on Easter Sunday no less! Well, of course everyone was very impressed with Johann's virtuosity and the board decided on the spot that my JS was the man for the organist position.
It is so exciting.
Now, with this new position and its great salary of 85 gulden and a promise of 54 bushels of grain, two cords of wood and six bundles of brushwood, my Johann tells me we can get married and that we will immediately move to Muhlhausen to start our new life together.
We got married on October 17, 1707.
It was a lovely affair starting in Arnstadt and continuing in Dornheim four miles away.
We had such a grand time walking with all our family and friends to the little village church in Dornheim where a friend of the family married us.
After our celebration, we immediately moved to Muhlhausen where Johann had already begun his work several months earlier.
I will now be with Johann to support him, provide a home for him, and to encourage him in all his musical efforts.
Things are definitely looking up in Muhlhausen.
Students have started coming to Johann Sebastian asking for lessons.
If you are a genius, it is a gift to be taught by Johann Sebastian Bach.
If not...
well things can be a little tough.
However, now that we are settled in Muhlhausen, we are finding that the congregation at St.
Blaise's is basically Pietist.
We now know that Pietists believe in extreme simplicity - simplicity in everything including their music.
I am told they are afraid of the excessive use of music and art in worship, with its temptations to worldliness.
Some church people even wanted a complete ban on instrumental music in the service.
This was not good, because what my Johann plays for them is his wonderful but complex contrapuntal music.
I have begun to wonder if St.
Blaise's in Muhlhausen is such a good place for us or not.
What were they thinking when they hired my Johann Sebastian Bach? (The story above is one of a dozen vignettes from the multi-media and organ program, Bach and Sons, presented by Dr.
Jeannine Jordan, concert organist.
)