Spitta (i. 101 n.) characterises the statement as “a mythical exaggeration.” In a chapter devoted to the instrumental works of Johann Christoph and his brother he instances a collection of forty-four Organ Chorals by the former, not one of which is in five parts.
In the Bach genealogy already referred to C. P. E. Bach designates Johann Christoph a “great and impressive composer.”
A Lamento published under Johann Christoph's name seems actually to have been composed by his father Heinrich (see Pirro, J.-S. Bach, 9 n.). Johann Christoph, however, is the composer of the Motet Ich lasse dich nicht, so often attributed to Johann Sebastian.
See Table VI. He was the father of Johann Sebastian's first wife.
See note, p. 4 supra.
Spitta (i. 59 ff.) mentions twelve Motets by Michael Bach. Several of them are for eight voices. Forkel probably refers to the most remarkable of Michael's Motets, in which he detects the romantic spirit of Johann Sebastian. It is set to the words Unser Leben ist ein Schatten, (Life on earth is but a shadow). The first choir consists of 2 S., A., 2 T., B., and the second choir of A. T. B. only. Spitta analyses the work closely (i. 70-72). Novello publishes his five- part Motet Christ is risen with an English text.
He succeeded his cousin Johann Christoph at Eisenach in 1703.
Spitta (i. 24 ff.) mentions four Suites, or Overtures, Clavier pieces, and Organ Chorals as being by him. That Johann Sebastian Bach highly esteemed the Suites is proved by the fact that he copied the parts of three of them with his own hand at Leipzig.
It is a curious fact that, prior to the career of Johann Sebastian Bach, the composers of the Bach family occur invariably in other branches than his. With two exceptions, the gift of composition appears to have been possessed, or exercised, solely by Heinrich Bach (see Table VI.), his two sons Johann Christoph and Johann Michael, already discussed, and his grandson, Johann Nikolaus (son of Johann Christoph). Heinrich Bach was a very productive composer in all forms of musical art employed at that time in church (Sp. i. 36). His grandson, Johann Nikolaus, composed a Mass and a comic operetta (ib., 132 ff.). The only other Bach composer known to Spitta is Georg Christoph, founder of the Franconian Bachs (see Table IV.) and Cantor at Themar and Schweinfurt (ib. 155). The other Bach composer outside Heinrich Bach's branch is Johann Bornhard, already mentioned by Forkel.
In the Quodlibet different voices sang different well-known melodies, sacred and profane, and sought to combine them to form a harmonious whole. For an example see Variation 30 of the Aria mit 30 Veranderungen (Peters' ed., bk. 209 p. 83). In it Bach combines two popular songs of his period.