The Last of the Musical Bachs
In the German music journal ‘Neue Zeitschrif fur Musik’ dated 4th May 1843 the composer and music editor Robert Schumann describes a visit to Leipzig for the unveiling of a statute to JS Bach. (It had recently been donated to the city by Felix Mendelssohn). But what surprised everyone assembled there was the appearance of a remarkable looking old man. Of whom Schumann wrote later -
‘Honour was paid not only to Bach but also to the appearance of his only surviving grandson, a man named Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach, a man of around 84 years old, still full of ener
gy, who was also present with his snow-white hair and expressive features. (No-one even knew of his existence at that time, not even Felix Mendelssohn, who had lived in Berlin for so long he supposed he had covered every trace of Bach that could possibly be discovered). And yet, remarkably, this man, his grandson, had been living there for almost 40 years. No information was received about his circumstances except he once filled the office of Kapellmeister to King Willelm Friedrich 3rd and now lives on a pension’
(W.F.E. Bach died aged 86 and, with him ended the direct male lineage to his grandfather).
W.F.E. Bach (1759-1845)
Overture and Recitative
From Cantata ‘Westphalens Freude’
Rheinische Kontorei
Das Kleine Konzert
Hermann Max, Conductor
http://www.mediafire.com/?18bga096xng45ta
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Originally Posted by TacoButt
) although I probably prefer Frederick Delius. But then there's also Bax, Elgar, Finzi, Roger Quilter, John Ireland, Ivor Gurney, Peter Warlock, Herbert Howells, William Alwynn, Walton, and Ernest Moeran... all pastorally beautiful at times... and then there's perhaps the greatest Brit of the century: Benjamen Britten.
