Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

Source: Codalario

Born on 21 June 1732 in Leipzig, Saxony, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach is a lesser known of the better known of the Bach musical dynasty as the fifth son of Lutheran composer Johann Sebastian Bach. JCF Bach was a transitional figure from late baroque through galant to classical. In addition to symphonies Bach's claim to fame consists of keyboard pieces being largely sonatas, chamber music and concertos. He also wrote arias and incidental music.

We should preface this glance at JCF Bach with a couple of the directories employed in the cataloging of his works. "BR" numbers refer to the Bach-Repertorium or, more specifically, 'Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke: Bach-Repertorium: Werkverzeichnisse zur Musikerfamilie Bach: Band IV' written by Ulrich Leisinger toward publishing by Carus-Verlag in April 2013 [info netz musik]. "Wf" numbers refer to 'Ein Komponist im Vorfeld der Klassik' written by Hannsdieter Wohlfarth toward publishing by Francke Verlag in 1971.

JCF studied at the famous St. Thomas School with his father before his first professional appointment in 1750 in Bückeburg [Wikipedia] as a harpsichordist to Count William of Schaumburg-Lippe. That worked out nice in a couple of ways. One, the young JCF was taken under wing by court organist, Ludolf Münchhausen, whose daughter, Lucia Elisabeth Münchausen, was a singer whom Bach married on 8 January 1755. Two, Bach became konzertmeister in 1759, henceforth to remain at the Court of Bückeburg for the rest of his career. He is thus called "the Bückeburg Bach" to distinguish him from the others.

Between the years of 1765 and 1772 Bach completed nine symphonies. His initial of eleven oratorios arrived in 1769 per 'Die Pillgrimme auf Golgatha' with text by Friedrich Zachariae and the Passion cantata, 'Der Tod Jesu' ('The Death of Jesus'), the latter to the 1760 revised libretto by Karl Ramler. Ramler's original version had been set to music by Carl Heinrich Graun in 1755 and Georg Philipp Telemann the next year. The keyboard sonata below was likely written for harpsichord rather than piano.

'Sinfonia in D minor'   BR C4   Wf I/3   Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

First of 16 symphonies   Sometime before 1769

Concerto Koln   22 Feb 2010 at the Conservatoire in Brussels

'Keyboard Sonata in F major'   BR A1   Wf XI/1   Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

First of 26 keyboard sonatas   Sometime before 1771

Pub as No.26 in 'Musikalisches Vielerley' in 1770

Piano: Gamma1734

IMSLP

In 1771 Johann Gottfried Herder arrived to Bückeburg with whom Bach collaborated on several works including 'Die Kindheit Jesu' ('The Childhood of Jesus') that premiered on 11 Feb of 1773. They produced their 'Die Auferweckung Lazarus' ('The Resurrection of Lazarus' BR D 6) that year as well. Come 'Michaels Sieg' ('Michael's Victory') circa 1775 before Herder moved onward to a position in Weimar in 1776.

'Entsetzt euch nicht!'   BR D5   Wf XIV/2   Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

'Don't Be Shocked!'

From the oratorio 'Die Kindheit Jesu' ('The Childhood of Jesus') premiering 11 Feb 1773

Libretto: Johann Gottfried Herder

Vocal: Barbara Schlick

Rheinische Kantorei w the Kleine Konzert / Hermann Max   2011

IMSLP   ScorSer

'Maria über dem Grabe'   BR D6a   Wf XIV/3   Arioso by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

'Mary over the Grave'

From the oratorio 'Die Auferweckung des Lazarus' premiering 23 April 1773

'The Resurrection of Lazarus'

Libretto: Johann Gottfried Herder

Gellert Ensemble /  Andreas Mitschke   2022

Bach Digital   IMSLP   Musikproduktion Jürgen Höflich

Bach traveled to London in 1778 to visit his brother, Johann Christian Bach. IMSLP bears a date of 1787-88 for his four-book collection, 'Musikalische Nebenstunden' ('Musical Leisure Hours') in which he included the song by his son, W.F.E. Bach, 'Seid gegrüßt, ihr grünbemooste Hügel' ('Greetings, you mossy green hills'). The keyboard concerto below was probably written less for piano than harpsichord. Though JCF did compose for pianoforte (piano), particularly for students, serious works called for harpsichord. By this time (1782) the pianoforte had been an instrument with "potential" for four score years. Composers usually employed the tried and true harpsichord instead, excepting for wealthy patrons who liked to keep up with the latest models of pianoforte. The yet finicky piano of 1782 sounded very little like the full rich grand piano which Cyprien Katsaris plays below, Bach probably preferring the less delicate harpsichord.

'Keyboard Concerto in E major'   BR C37   Wf II/1   Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach

Prob scored for harpsichord

Piano: Cyprien Katsaris

Orchestre de Chambre du Festival d`Echternach / Yoon K. Lee

Bach Digital

Bach spent 1792 into 1794 writing ten more symphonies. His last was 'Symphony in B-flat major' (BR C28 / Wf I/20) left incomplete at the time of his death in Bückeburg on 26 January 1795. Mozart would have been one day away from his 39th birthday if he hadn't died three years earlier in December 1791. Beethoven had just celebrated his 24th birthday in December of 1794.

Bach Musical Dynasty at VF History / HMR Project (chronological by birth):

All Music   Bach Digital   Rate Your Music   Wikipedia English (BR / Wf)

Recordings of Bach: Catalogs: Discogs   Music Brainz

Recordings of Bach: Select:

Die Kindheit Jesu / Rheinische Kantorei / Das Kleine Konzert / Hermann Max / 2011:

Capriccio (Austria)   JPC (Germany)

Die Kindheit Jesu / Chorus of the Martin Luther Church Trossingen / Gerd Witte / 1979:

Discogs (United States)

Sonatas & Trios by the Camerata Köln / 2005

Scores: IMSLP   Musicalics (vendor)   ScorSer

Authority Search: BNF Data   VIAF