Διαλέγω γι’ αυτό το post τη Μεγάλη Πέμπτη, μέρα που οι περισσότεροι συμπατριώτες μας ταξιδεύουν στην επαρχία για να κάνουν Πάσχα με τους συγγενείς τους : Το 1705, ένας 20χρονος JS Bach κάλυψε βαδίζοντας απόσταση 400 χλμ. όσα χώριζαν το Arnstadt, όπου εργαζόταν, από το Lübeck, στον καθεδρικό του οποίου ήταν οργανίστας ο Dietrich Buxtehude, νεανικό του ίνδαλμα, τον οποίο ήθελε να ακούσει από κοντά και να γνωρίσει. Ο Δανο-Γερμανός συνθέτης υπήρξε ένας από τους σημαντικότερους της εποχής του, από τις μεγάλες φυσιογνωμίες του γερμανικού μπαρόκ, και τεράστια επιρροή για τον Johann Sebastian. Σε επίπεδο λαϊκής αποδοχής ο DB ήταν ο “απόλυτος ροκ σταρ” του εκκλησιαστικού οργάνου, με πλήθη κόσμου να συρρέουν στην εκκλησία και στις νυχτερινές συναυλίες του. Η σχέση με το νεαρό JSB εξελίχθηκε σε αμοιβαία εκτίμηση, σε σημείο ο Buxtehude να του προτείνει να παραμείνει στο Lübeck και να γίνει διάδοχός του (πλησίαζε τότε το 70). Υπήρχε ένα πρόβλημα : σύμφωνα με την παράδοση, για να συμβεί αυτό, ο διάδοχος έπρεπε να παντρευτεί την κόρη του δασκάλου. Και όπως λέει ο θρύλος …η κόρη του Buxtehude ήταν ιδιαίτερα άσχημη – αυτός ήταν ο λόγος που κορυφαίοι σολίστ της εποχής όπως ο Matheson και Handel (!) αρνήθηκαν τη θέση – το ίδιο έκανε και ο JSB. Στην πραγματικότητα ο λόγος ήταν η ηλικία της : ήταν τριάντα χρόνια μεγαλύτερή του, και εκτός αυτού, ήταν ήδη αρραβωνιασμένος. 🟣 🟣 I’m choosing Maundy Thursday for this post a day when most of our fellow countrymen travel to the provinces to spend Easter with their relatives : In 1705, a 20-year-old J.S. Bach walked approximately 450 km — the distance separating Arnstadt, where he was working, from Lübeck. There, in the cathedral’s main church, the organist was Dietrich Buxtehude, his youthful idol, whom he wanted to hear up close and meet in person. The Danish-German composer was one of the most important figures of his time, one of the great personalities of the German Baroque, and exerted a tremendous influence on Johann Sebastian. In terms of popular appeal, Buxtehude was the “absolute rock star” of the church organ. Crowds flocked to the church and to his famous evening concerts. The relationship with the young JSB developed into mutual admiration. Buxtehude even suggested that he stayed in Lübeck and become his successor (as he was approaching 70 at the time). There was one catch, however: according to the custom of the era, the successor had to marry the master’s daughter. As the legend goes, Buxtehude’s daughter was particularly ugly — and this is supposedly why leading soloists of the time, such as Mattheson and even Handel (!), turned down the position. The same applied to JSB. In reality, the main reason was her age: she was about thirty years older than him. Besides, he was already engaged at the time.
00:00 Buxwv 225-Canzonetta In Α 01:57 Buxwv 140-Praeludium In D
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It was my old O Level and A Level music teacher who told me the story of Bach taking the 450 km walk to listen to Buxtehude. I have since told the story many times to my own music students and loved Buxtehude’s music almost as much as Bach’s. What I did NOT know about was the issue of the daughter! So thank you for filling in information I didn’t know before 🙂 I’m surprised my teacher didn’t tell me. He used to revel in telling us all the salacious stories of the composers (back in the days when you could do that as a teacher and not get in trouble) – including that of the alleged sacking of Bach for being found in the organ loft with an unmarried woman (his cousin, who he later married).
Maybe the reference to an ugly daughter meant crossing a line even before the woke era. Or maybe the “ugliness” was just a spicy gossip – which became a legend – and the real story had to do with her being just too old for youngsters like Bach …or Handel. 😃
So many of these “Rock Stars” from the past that I’ve never heard about. This one, as are all I’ve eard today are new to me. Thank you!