[51] These pianos were made in the years 1746-7 after the invention of Cristofori of Florence, who was the first to use the hammer action. This action, however, did not suit Bach’s touch, and though he praised the tone, he does not appear to have become possessed of one. The writer was shown one of the above-mentioned Silbermann pianos in the Palace of Sanssouci at Potsdam in 1884.
[52] See page 79.
[53] It can be found in Bitter, vol. ii. p. 317, Spitta, vol. iii. p. 231, and elsewhere.
[54] h being the German term for B♮.
[55] This story may or may not be true—we give it for what it is worth.
[56] Burney devotes nearly a whole volume to Handel, and only one paragraph to Bach.
[57] The original tune would be, with the above words—
[58] See Griepenkerl’s Introduction to Peters, vol. 244.
[59] According to Gesner the keyboard of the Rück-positiv (back choir) of the St Thomas’ organ stood apart from the chief organ, and was used by Bach to conduct from (see the frontispiece of Walther’s Lexicon, 1732). If there was an organ obbligato part, it would be played on this manual, while another person played the continuo on the chief organ.