Commemoration of Johann Sebastian Bach, Kantor
Saturday, July 28,
2012
The Lord be with you
July 28 is the anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian
Bach (1685-1750) and the date he is commemorated on our calendar. Born in Eisenach
and orphaned at the age of ten, Bach was mostly self-taught in music. He was a
highly skilled violinist and organist, and a brilliant composer. His
professional life as conductor, performer, composer, teacher, and organ
consultant began at age nineteen in the town of Arnstadt
and ended in Leipzig, where for the
last twenty-seven years of his life he was responsible for all the music in the
city’s four Lutheran churches.
Although his musical compositions are overwhelming, during
his lifetime Bach was known much more for his playing skills. After his death,
his compositions were ignored. They were seen as “old fashioned” compared to
the new classical style. This, even though the great composers of the classical
age all seemed to recognize Bach’s genius. Still, the compositions of Bach had
to wait until the 19th century to get much recognition. Felix
Mendelssohn was one to the key reasons for the revival of interest in Bach.
Before he gave a concert, instead of practicing the pieces he would be
performing, he would play Bach. When asked why, Mendelssohn said, “If you can
play Bach, you can play anything.” Today Bach is recognized as one of the
greatest composers of all time.
One of the outstanding features of Bach was how he kept his
Christian Faith front and center in his life. He was a devoted Lutheran. In his
day and age, orthodox Lutheranism was under attack by those who sought to
compromise with Reformed theology or the current cultural trend called “the
Enlightenment.” Bach’s music filled the churches being a major force in keeping
the Church focused on Christ. His influence was so pervasive that Archbishop
Nathan Söderblom called him “the fifth evangelist.” Bach insisted that all his
music was for the glory of God and for the life of the Church.
Bach married twice. His first wife was Maria Barbara Bach (a
distant cousin). She died in 1720. A year later, he married Anna Magdalena
Wülcken. Bach had twenty children, nine who survived him and four who had
significant musical careers.
Prayer: Almighty
God, beautiful in majesty and majestic in holiness, You have taught us in Holy
Scripture to sing Your praises and have given to Your servant Johann Sebastian
Bach grace to show forth Your glory in his music. Continue to grant this gift
of inspiration to all Your servants who write and make music for Your people,
that with joy we on earth may glimpse Your beauty and at length know the
inexhaustible richness of Your new creation in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who
lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Appropriate prayers
include:
- For all who make music for the church
- For a renewed appreciation of music as a gift from God
- For God to raise up new musicians for the church and his people
- For the worship life of the church
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert
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