Baptism Song.
Christ unser Herr, zum Jordan kam.
The Ten Commandments.
Mensch willt du leben seliglich.
Chapter II
Bach’s attitude towards art—His birth—Death of his father—Removal to Ohrdruf—Performances in the Ohrdruf choir—Removal to Lüneburg—His industry as a boy—Expeditions to Hamburg and Celle—Joins the Court Orchestra at Weimar—Is appointed organist at Arnstadt—Troubles with the church authorities—Successfully competes for a new post.
Bach’s attitude towards Art
The life and character of John Sebastian Bach have a peculiar interest, not only for musicians and amateurs of music, but for every one who can appreciate sterling worth, combined with genius of the highest rank, and a modesty as great as it is rare. “Anyone,” said Bach, “could do as much as I have done if he worked as hard.” And this capacity for hard work is perhaps not the least among the many remarkable characteristics of the man. We find in him little of that desire for applause, for recognition, which is usually one of the strongest motives in an artist. He was content to labour as few men have laboured, in a remote corner of Germany, simply for art, and art alone. His greatest works never saw the light of publication during his life-time: he seemed to compose just because he obeyed the inward spirit of genius which drove him onward, and though his chamber works became fairly well known, his larger compositions were rarely performed outside the church or place for which they were composed. “The sole object of all music,” said he, “should be the glory of God and pleasant recreation,” and the “glory of God” was the mainspring of every action of his simple and pious life.
