Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (21 June 1732 – 26 January 1795)[1] was a German composer and harpsichordist, the fifth son of Johann Sebastian Bach, sometimes referred to as the "Bückeburg Bach".
Quick Facts Born, Died ...
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach |
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Born | (1732-06-21)21 June 1732
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Died | 26 January 1795(1795-01-26) (aged 62)
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Born in Leipzig[1] in the Electorate of Saxony, he was taught music by his father, and also tutored by his distant cousin Johann Elias Bach [de]. He studied at the St. Thomas School, and some believe he studied law at the university there, but there is no record of this. In 1750, William, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe appointed Johann Christoph harpsichordist at Bückeburg, and in 1759, he became concertmaster. While there, Bach collaborated with Johann Gottfried Herder, who provided the texts for six vocal works; the music survives for only four of these.
Bach wrote keyboard sonatas, symphonies, oratorios, liturgical choir pieces and motets, operas and songs. Because of Count Wilhelm's predilection for Italian music, Bach had to adapt his style accordingly, but he retained stylistic traits of the music of his father and of his brother, C. P. E. Bach.
He married the singer Lucia Elisabeth Münchhausen (1728–1803) in 1755[2] and the Count stood as godfather to his son Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach. J.C.F. educated his son in music as his own father had, and Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst went on to become music director to Frederick William II of Prussia.
In April 1778 he and Wilhelm travelled to England to visit Johann Christian Bach. J. C. F. Bach died 1795 in Bückeburg, aged 62.
The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica says of him "He was an industrious composer, ... whose work reflects no discredit on the family name." He was an outstanding virtuoso of the keyboard, with a reasonably wide repertory of surviving works, including twenty symphonies, the later ones influenced by Haydn and Mozart; hardly a genre of vocal music was neglected by him.[3]
A significant portion of J. C. F. Bach's output was lost in the WWII destruction of the Staatliches Institut für Musikforschung in Berlin, where the scores had been on deposit since 1917. Musicologists Hansdieter Wohlfahrth, who catalogued his works, and Ulrich Leisinger consider Bach a transitional figure in the mold of his half-brother C. P. E., his brother Johann Christian, the Grauns (Carl and Johann), and Georg Philipp Telemann, with some works in the style of the high Baroque, some in a galant idiom, and still others which combine elements of the two, along with traits of the nascent classical style.
"BR-JCFB" denotes "Bach-Repertorium Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach". "Wf" denotes "wohlfahrt verzeichnis". Bach Digital Work (BDW) pages contain information about individual compositions.
Chamber music
The "Sonatas" denotes the Trio Sonata form.
- BR-JCFB B 1 \ Cello Sola in A major (Wf X/3)(1770)[4]
- BR-JCFB B 2 \ Cello Solo in G major (Wf X/1)
- BR-JCFB B 3a \ Trio for traverso flute, violin & bc in A major (Wf VII/1)
- BR-JCFB B 3b \ Trio for traverso flute and keyboard in A major (Wf VII/1)
- BR-JCFB B 4 \ Trio for flute, viola & bc in E minor
- BR-JCFB B 5 – 10 \ Six Trios for two Flutes and Basso continuo – composed by May 1, 1770 – lost.
Two trios for two Violins and Basso Continuo – Composed before December 23, 1768.
- BR-JCFB B 11 \ Trio for 2 violins & b.c. in A major (Wf VII/2)
- BR-JCFB B 12 \ Trio for 2 violins & b.c. in F major (Wf VII/3)
- BR-JCFB B 13 \ Trio for 2 violins & b.c. (lost)
- BR-JCFB B 14 \ Trio for keyboard and violin/flute in E-flat major (Wf VIII/2)
Six Sonatas for Keyboard and flute (violin) – one of the most widely performed work by composer – published 1777
- BR-JCFB B 15 \ Flute Sonata No. 1 in D minor (Wf VIII/3.1)
- BR-JCFB B 16 \ Flute Sonata No. 2 in D major (Wf VIII/3.2) – two versions 16a and 16b.
- BR-JCFB B 17 \ Flute Sonata No. 3 in C major (Wf VIII/3.3)
- BR-JCFB B 18 \ Flute Sonata No. 4 in C major (Wf VIII/3.4) – two versions 18a and 18b.
- BR-JCFB B 19 \ Flute Sonata No. 5 in A major (Wf VIII/3.5)
- BR-JCFB B 20 \ Flute Sonata No. 6 in C major (Wf VIII/3.6)
versions 16b and 18b were versions made after the published collection, meaning that 16a and 18a are those found in the collection
Two Sonatas for keyboard and violin from Musikalische Nebenstunden
- BR-JCFB B 21 \ Sonata in G major (Wf IX/2)
- BR-JCFB B 22 \ Sonata in D major (Wf IX/3)
- BR-JCFB B 23 – 24 \ 2 Flute Sonatas (lost)
Three Sonatas for keyboard and flute (violin) – composed around 1770/80
- BR-JCFB B 25 \ Sonata in F major (Wf VIII/1)
- BR-JCFB B 26 \ Violin Sonata in F major (incomplete)
- BR-JCFB B 27 \ Violin Sonata in D major (incomplete)
- BR-JCFB B 28 \ Sonata for Keyboard and Violin in G major (Wf IX/1) (lost)
- BR-JCFB B 29a \ Sonata for keyboard and flute/violin in D major (Wf VII/4)
- BR-JCFB B 29b \ Sonata for Harpsichord concertato and flute/violin and Violoncello in D major (Wf VII/4) – later version
Six Sonatas with keyboard – composed around 1780 not before 1777 – for Keyboard, Flute, Violin and Viola
- BR-JCFB B 30 \ Sonata No. 1 (lost)
- BR-JCFB B 31 \ Sonata No. 2 in G major (Wf VII/5)
- BR-JCFB B 32 \ Sonata No. 3 in A major (Wf VII/6)
- BR-JCFB B 33 \ Sonata No. 4 (lost)
- BR-JCFB B 34 \ Sonata No. 5 in C major (Wf VII/7)
- BR-JCFB B 35 \ Sonata No. 6 (lost)
- BR-JCFB B 36 \ Sonata in A major (Keyboard, Cello) (Wf X/4) (lost)
Six Quartet for Flute, Violin, Viola and Basso Continuo – composed around 1768/69 and not before 1766
- BR-JCFB B 37 \ Quartet No. 1 in D major (Wf VI/1)
- BR-JCFB B 38 \ Quartet No. 2 in G major (Wf VI/2)
- BR-JCFB B 39 \ Quartet No. 3 in C major (Wf VI/3)
- BR-JCFB B 40 \ Quartet No. 4 in D major (Wf VI/4)
- BR-JCFB B 41 \ Quartet No. 5 in F major (Wf VI/5)
- BR-JCFB B 42 \ Quartet No. 6 in B-flat major (Wf VI/6)
Six Quartet for 2 Violins, viola and Basso Continuo – composed in England around 1778
- BR-JCFB B 43 \ String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat major
- BR-JCFB B 44 \ String Quartet No. 2 in B-flat major
- BR-JCFB B 45 \ String Quartet No. 3 in A major
- BR-JCFB B 46 \ String Quartet No. 4 in D major
- BR-JCFB B 47 \ String Quartet No. 5 in G major
- BR-JCFB B 48 \ String Quartet No. 6 in F major
- BR-JCFB B 49 \ (Wind) Septet for Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons and 2 Horns in E-flat major (Wf IV/1) (lost)
- BR-JCFB B 50 – 53 \ 4 Marches for wind band (lost)
- BR-JCFB B Inc1 \ Trio Sonata for 2 violins & b.c. in B-flat major (Wf XX/3)
- BR-JCFB B Inc2 \ Trio Sonata for 2 flutes & b.c. in C major (lost)
- BR-JCFB B Inc3 \ Cello Sonata in D major (Wf X/2) (lost)[5]
- BR-JCFB B Inc4 \ Violin Sonata (lost)
Orchestral works
Seven Symphonies – composed before December 23, 1768
- BR-JCFB C 1 \ Symphony in D major (Wf I/5) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 1b \ Symphony in D major – keyboard reduction (Wf I/5)
- BR-JCFB C 2 – 3 \ 2 Symphonies (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 4 \ Symphony in D minor (Wf I/3)[6]
- BR-JCFB C 5 \ Symphony in F major (Wf I/1)[6]
- BR-JCFB C 6 \ Symphony in B-flat major (Wf I/2)[6]
- BR-JCFB C 7 \ Symphony in E major (Wf I/4)[6]
Three Symphonies – composed by 1770
- BR-JCFB C 8 – 9 \ 2 Symphonies(lost)
- BR-JCFB C 10 \ Symphony in C major (Wf I/6)
Three Symphonies à 6- composed until 1770
- BR-JCFB C 11 \ Symphony in D major (Wf I/8) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 12 \ Symphony in G major (Wf I/7) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 13 \ Symphony in D major (Wf I/9) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 14 \ Symphony in E-flat major (Wf I/10)
- BR-JCFB C 15 – 17 \ 3 Symphonies (lost)
Six Symphonies à 8 or à 10 – composed by 1792
- BR-JCFB C 18 \ Symphony (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 19 \ Symphony no. 2 in D major (Wf I/11) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 20 \ Symphony no. 3 in F major (Wf I/12) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 21 \ Symphony no. 4 in D major (Wf I/13) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 22 \ Symphony no. 5 in C major (Wf I/14) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 23 \ Symphony no. 6 in G major (Wf I/15)
- BR-JCFB C 24 \ Symphony in E-flat major (Wf I/18) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 25 \ Symphony in E-flat major (Wf I/19) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 26 \ "Grand Symphony" in D major (Wf I/16) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 27 \ Symphony in C major (Wf I/17) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 28 \ Symphony in B-flat major (Wf I/20) – composed until August 1794
- BR-JCFB C 29 \ Keyboard Concerto no. 1 in E-flat major (incorrectly attributed to JCB (Warb YC 90)
- BR-JCFB C 30a \ Keyboard Concerto no. 2(Orchestral version) in A major – until mid-May 1768 (Incorrectly attributed to CPE Bach and JC Bach) H383 and H490, Warb YC 91
- BR-JCFB C 30b \ Keyboard Concerto no 2. (Keyboard solo) in A major – until mid-May 1768 (Incorrectly attributed to CPE Bach and JC Bach) H383,H384
Six Keyboard Concerto – Composed in England around 1778 or immediately after his return.
- BR-JCFB C 31 \ Keyboard Concerto "London No. 1" in G major
- BR-JCFB C 32 \ Keyboard Concerto "London No. 2" in F major
- BR-JCFB C 33 \ Keyboard Concerto "London No. 3" in D major
- BR-JCFB C 34 \ Keyboard Concerto "London No. 4" in E-flat major
- BR-JCFB C 35 \ Keyboard Concerto "London No. 5" in B-flat major
- BR-JCFB C 36 \ Keyboard Concerto "London No. 6" in C major
- BR-JCFB C 37 \ Harpsichord Concerto in E major – 1782 (Wf II/1)
- BR-JCFB C 38 \ Keyboard Concerto (1766) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 39 \ Keyboard Concerto (1788) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 40 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major – 1782 (Wf II/4)
- BR-JCFB C 41 \ Harpsichord Concerto in D major – around 1780/85 (Wf II/2)
- BR-JCFB C 42 \ Keyboard Concerto in A major (Wf II/3) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 43 \ "Concerto Grosso" in E-flat major – before September 1792 (Wf II/5) (1792)
- BR-JCFB C 44 \ Concerto for Keyboard and Viola in E-flat major – around 1790 (wf S. 152)
- BR-JCFB C 45 \ Concerto for Keyboard and Oboe in E-flat major (Wf III) (lost)
- BR-JCFB C 46 \ Keyboard Concerto in C major – identity of composer is uncertain – before 1749
Vocal works
Liturgical Works
Oratorios
- BR-JCFB D 1 \ Die Pillgrimme auf Golgatha – incorrectly attributed to CPE Bach H 862
- BR-JCFB D 2a \ Original version Der Tod Jesu (Wf XIV/1) – (BWV 244/3, 244/62) – Performed April 13, 1770
- BR-JCFB D 2b \ Later version Der Tod Jesu (Wf XIV/1) – erformed April 8, 1784
- BR-JCFB D 3a \ Original version Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu (Wf XIV/10) – Performed April 19, 1772
- BR-JCFB D 3b \ Later version Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu (Wf XIV/10) – around 1785
- BR-JCFB D 4 \ Die Hirten bey der Krippe Jesu (Wf XIV/9) (lost)
- BR-JCFB D 5a \ Early version Die Kindheit Jesu (Wf XIV/2) – performed February 11, 1773
- BR-JCFB D 5b \ Revised version Die Kindheit Jesu (Wf XIV/2) – around 1784/85
- BR-JCFB D 6a \ Original version Die Auferweckung Lazarus (Wf XIV/3) – performed April 23, 1773
- BR-JCFB D 6b \ Later version Die Auferweckung Lazarus (Wf XIV/3) – around 1785/90
- BR-JCFB D 7 \ Der Fremdling auf Golgotha (Wf XIV/7) (lost)
Cantata
- BR-JCFB D 8a \ Mosis Mutter und ihre Tochter (Wf XVII/3) (incomplete) – before February 1788
- BR-JCFB D 8b \ Keyboard reduction Mosis Mutter und ihre Tochter (Wf XVII/3) (incomplete) – before February 1788
Mass/ Mass set/ Magnificat
- BR-JCFB E 1a \ Miserere
- BR-JCFB E 1b \ Miserere
Cantatas
- BR-JCFB F 1 \ Pfingstkantate (Wf XIV/4) (lost)
- BR-JCFB F 2 \ Sieh, Bückeburg, was Gott an Dir getan (lost)
- BR-JCFB F 3 \ Himmelfahrts-Musik (Wf XIV/8)
- BR-JCFB F 4 \ Michaels Sieg (Wf XIV/5)
- BR-JCFB F 5 \ Nun, teures Land, der Herr hat dich erhört (lost)
- BR-JCFB F 6 \ Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (Wf XIV/11) (lost)
- BR-JCFB F 7 \ Gott wird deinen Fuß nicht gleiten lassen (Wf XIV/12)
- BR-JCFB F Inc1 \ Funeral Music for Count Philipp Ernst (lost)
- BR-JCFB F Inc2 \ Heut ist der Tag des Dankens, ihr Völker (lost)
Arias, cantatas and incidental music
- BR-JCFB G 1 \ Luci amate ah non piangete (Wf XVIII/8)
- BR-JCFB G 2 – 11 \ 10 Italian Arias (lost)
- BR-JCFB G 12 – 26 \ 15 Italian Cantatas (lost)
- BR-JCFB G 27 \ L'Inciampo (Wf XVIII/2)
- BR-JCFB G 28 – 44 \ 18 Italian Cantatas (lost)
- BR-JCFB G 45 \ Scenes for Il pastor fido (lost)
- BR-JCFB G 46 \ Cassandra (Wf XVIII/1)
- BR-JCFB G 47 \ Die Amerikanerin (Wf XVIII/3)
- BR-JCFB G 48 \ Ino (Wf XVIII/4)
- BR-JCFB G 49 \ Prokris und Cephalus (Wf XVIII/6)
- BR-JCFB G 50 \ Pygmalion (Wf XVIII/5)
- BR-JCFB G 51 \ Ariadne auf Naxos (lost)
- BR-JCFB G 52 \ Brutus (Wf XVII/1) (lost)
- BR-JCFB G 53 \ Philoktetes (Wf XVII/2) (lost)
- BR-JCFB G Inc1 \ Stimmt an, greift rasch in eure Saiten (lost)
- BR-JCFB G Inc2 \ Va crescendo il mio tormento
Songs
- BR-JCFB H 1 \ Lied: Ein dunkler Feind (Wf XIX/1.1)
- BR-JCFB H 2 \ Lied: Die Gespenster (Wf XIX/1.2)
- BR-JCFB H 3 \ Lied: Die Zeit (Wf XIX:/1.3)
- BR-JCFB H 4 \ Lied: Der Sieg über sich selbst (Wf XIX/1.4)
- BR-JCFB H 5 \ Lied: Der Nachbarin Climene (Wf XIX/1.5)
Other works in Wohlfarth's catalogue
- Wf V \ Sextet for piano, winds & strings in C major (see Johann Christian Bach WarB B 78)
- Wf XV/1 \ Ich lieg und schlafe ganz mit Frieden
- Wf XV/2 \ Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, chorale motet on the hymn by Philipp Nicolai
- Wf XV/3 \ Dem Erlöser
- Wf XV/4 \ Unsere Auferstehung durch die Auferstehung Jesu
- Wf XVI/1 \ 5 Geistliche Lieder
- Wf XVI/2 \ 50 Geistliche Lieder
- Wf XVIII/7 \ O, wir bringen gerne dir
- Wf XVIIII/2 \ 24 Lieder
- Wf XX/1 \ Keyboard Concerto in C minor
- Wf XX/2 \ Keyboard Concerto in G major
- Wf XX/4 \ Fugue for keyboard in C minor
- Wf XXI/1 \ Arrangement of CPE Bach's "Weynachtslied"
- Wf XXI/2 \ Arrangement of CPE Bach's "Dancklied"
- Wf XXI/3 \ Arrangement of CPE Bach's "Der thätige Glaube"
Works not referenced in any catalogue
Notes
Sonata first published along with other works by his brother, C. P. E. Bach, in Musikalisches Vielerley, 1770 (pp. 118–125). source
Sources
- Ulrich Leisinger, "Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach," Grove Music Online
- Eugene Helm, "Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach" The New Grove Bach Family, Macmillan 1985 pp. 309–314