Story-Lives of Great Musicians | Page 9

coming for some time with
impatience, and at length the news was brought that Marchand had left
the city suddenly that morning! It transpired that on the previous day
Bach had been performing on the organ in one of the principal churches
of the town, and Marchand, attracted by the crowd, made his way into
the building and listened to Bach's wonderful playing. So greatly had
the music impressed him that, when he learnt who the player was, he
began to tremble for his success at the coming contest. As the time
approached his fears grew apace, and at length, without a word to
anybody concerning his intentions, he fled from the city.
The year 1717, in which the above event took place, was marked by a
further advancement in Bach's fortunes, for on his return from Dresden
he was appointed Capellmeister to the young Prince Leopold of
Anhalt-Cöthen. His new position left him abundant leisure in which to
follow the bent of his genius in regard to the composition of
instrumental music, and many of his finest works were written at this
time. His relations with the Prince were of the most cordial character.
The latter was an enthusiastic lover of music, and on his frequent
journeys to various towns in order to gratify his taste he insisted on
having Bach as his travelling companion. Thus, for several years Bach
continued to lead a life which in every respect brought him much
happiness, and added not a little to his fame. Then a great sorrow befell

him, for during one of these expeditions with the Prince, when, owing
to their movements, he was unable to receive news from home, his wife
died suddenly, and when he returned to Cöthen it was to find the family
plunged into grief, and the mother already buried.
The close of the year 1721 saw Bach married to his second wife, Anna
Magdalena Wülkens, a daughter of the Court trumpeter at Weissenfels.
Anna Magdalena was in every way suited for the wife of a musician,
for she had a deep love for music, in addition to possessing a beautiful
voice. Moreover, as time went on, her reverence for her husband's
genius, which she used every effort to promote and encourage, did not
fail to make itself felt in influencing the musical tastes of her children.
Life, meanwhile, at the Court had not proceeded so happily for Bach as
heretofore, and in the year of his marriage he made a journey to
Hamburg with the object of competing for the post of organist at the
Jacobi-Kirche. His playing on this occasion excited the greatest
admiration, though, as a matter of fact, this was not the first time he
had awakened the enthusiasm of Hamburg audiences by his
performances; but the organ on which he now played was an
exceptionally fine one, and responded so perfectly to his touch as to
assist in imparting to his improvisation the character of an inspired
performance. When the trial came to an end, every one present felt
certain of the result. Not one of the competitors had approached Bach
in feeling or execution. Yet, notwithstanding the popular verdict in his
favour, the prize was snatched from him and given to another--younger,
unknown, and even insignificant man, who, however, was enabled to
offer four thousand marks for the position, whilst Bach could only
present his genius.
Nevertheless, Bach, with his characteristic indifference to fortune,
made no protest against this unfair treatment, but went quietly on with
his work at Cöthen, waiting for a fresh opportunity to present itself. He
had now become personally known to the famous and aged organist of
Hamburg, Reinken. At one of his visits he improvised on a theme
composed by the master in the latter's presence, and when he had
finished, Reinken seized him by the hand, and as he shook it exclaimed

with emotion, 'I thought that this art was dead, but I see that it still lives
in you!' This was the last meeting between Bach and the organist from
whose playing he had derived so much profit, for shortly afterwards
Reinken died at the age of ninety-nine, holding his post up to the last.
His life at Cöthen was largely devoted to composition. His only pupils
appear to have been his wife and his sons, in whose musical education
he evinced the deepest interest, and for whose benefit he wrote many
works, including several books of studies and his famous 'Art of
Fugue.'[1] Another of his great works, the 'Wohltemperirte Klavier'
(Well-tempered Clavichord), better known in England under the title of
'The Forty-eight Preludes and Fugues,' was begun at this time. It is,
perhaps, the most popular of all Bach's works, and the idea of writing it
is said to have occurred to him