Bach, as we have seen, was appointed organist and “Kammermusikus” (chamber-musician)—his salary for the first three years being 156 gülden, 15 groschen (£15, 13s. 3d.), which was always punctually paid, but in 1711, 1713, and 1714 it was considerably increased.
The organ of the castle was small, but had a good pedal. There were 9 stops on the Great, 8 on the Choir, and 7 on the Pedal. The pitch was a minor third below the kammerton or ordinary pitch.
As Kammermusikus Bach played the harpsichord and violin, and afterwards became “Concertmeister” or leader. The number of musicians was about twenty-two, including singers, but the latter could also play some instruments, and many members of the band performed on several. The orchestra would also be occasionally strengthened by the addition of the town musicians. Johann G. Walther was organist of the town church, and a great friendship sprang up between the two men. He was connected with Bach by marriage, his mother being a Lämmerhirt. One of his chorales has been erroneously ascribed to Bach. It is Peters, vol. 245, Book vi., No. 24—“Gott der Vater wohn’ uns bei.”
Bach stood godfather to Walther’s eldest son, and a friendly rivalry in composition arose between them. Later on, however, some unfortunate disagreement seems to have arisen between the friends, for Walther, in his Lexicon, omits the mention of events and compositions during the nine years’ period at Weimar, which must have been well known to him.
Sight-Reading Poser
Forkel tells the following anecdote:—Bach, while still at Weimar, had advanced so far in clavier playing that he said to a friend that he believed he could play anything at first sight. His friend invited him to breakfast in a week’s time, and for a joke placed on the harpsichord a newly composed piece which looked simple enough. While the friend was preparing breakfast in the next room, Bach instinctively began playing what he saw on the harpsichord, but was not able to advance very far. He tried several times, but always with the same result. On joining his friend, he laughingly acknowledged that no one could play everything at first sight, it was not possible.
Amongst other things Bach began to study Italian instrumental music at Weimar, especially with regard to the forms then in use, the concerto, the suite and the sonata. To this period may therefore perhaps be assigned some of the concertos for clavecin and other instruments, the suites for violin, etc., and the sonatas for harpsichord and violin.
The sonata of this date was usually performed by two violins and a violoncello, with a figured bass part for a harpsichord or organ (e.g. the twelve sonatas of Purcell in Italian style, and the four sets of twelve sonatas each by Corelli op. 1, 2, 3, 4). These sonatas had nothing in common with the modern sonata as begun by Emanuel Bach and perfected by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Bach has left some examples in the sonatas for two violins and clavier (Peters, 237); for flute, violin, and clavier (Peters, 237): by clavier must be understood here a part for figured bass, which would be played by violincello or double bass and harpsichord. Besides this, he adopted the form for other combinations, such as violin and figured bass, flute and figured bass (Peters, 232 to 235) viola da gamba and figured bass, etc. (Peters, 239).
Bach and Walther had plenty of encouragement in this kind of music, since the Duke’s nephew Joh. Ernst (who unfortunately died young) had considerable skill on the violin, and also was a fair composer. They vied with one another in arranging Italian concertos for the harpsichord and organ. Sixteen of Vivaldi’s violin concertos were arranged by Bach for the harpsichord (Peters, 217) and three for the organ (Peters, 247).[28] Walther arranged thirteen for organ from the works of Torelli, Taglietti, Albinoni, etc., and they are preserved in MS. in the Royal Library at Berlin. The arranging of these concertos led Bach to the use of the new form for clavier compositions, of which the well-known Italian concerto is an example. Is it possible that the friendly rivalry was the commencement of the estrangement with Walther?