Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach (1759-1845)
- Westphalens Freude, ihren vielgeliebten König Friedrich Wilhelm
bey sich zu sehen, eine Cantate in Musik gesetzt und in Minden vor Sr.
Majestät dem Könige aufgeführt,
auch in einem Clavierauszug gebracht
(1791)
Performers: Ingrid Schmithüsen (soprano); Regina Kabis (soprano);
Veronika Winter (soprano); Claudia Schubert (alto); Howard Crook
(tenor); Klaus Mertens (bass);
Das Kleine Konzert; Hermann Max (conductor)
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German composer. Son of Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-1795) and
grandson of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), he grew up at the court
of Schaumberg-Lippe, where he was instructed by his father and Christian
Friedrich Geyer, the local cantor. In 1782 he and his father paid a
visit to his uncle, Johann Christian Bach, in London, where he stayed
until 1784. Following travels through the Netherlands and France, he
arrived in Minden, where he functioned as music director of the city
(although there was no formal title or post). Following successful
performances of cantatas for the Prussian royal family, he was appointed
as Kapellmeister to the dowager queen Elisabeth Christine in 1789,
further being keyboard tutor to the Prussian royal family of Friedrich
Wilhelm III until 1811, when he was pensioned. He was still alive in
1843 and attended the unveiling of the Bach memorial in Leipzig. Like
his father, he was fully versed in the styles of music of the later 18th
century, though it is difficult to trace a stylistic development due to
much of his music being lost. His sextet contains parts of considerable
virtuosity for horns, and his symphonies show a good sense of thematic
contrast. He is perhaps best noted, however, for his sense of humor. The
piano piece for six hands, Das Dreyblatt, for example, requires a large
male teacher seated between two smaller female pupils with his part
being simultaneously the highest and lowest in the work; another example
is the “concerto buffo” for bass voice, fortepiano, and toy
instruments. His works include a Stabat mater, five secular cantatas, a
ballet-pantomime (of 43 movements), three odes, 23 Lieder, seven
symphonies, three piano concertos (and one for two pianos and
orchestra), nine violin sonatas, six piano trios, seven larger chamber
works for various instrumental combinations, 13 keyboard sonatas, and a
host of small keyboard works.
