(Barbara Katherina, second cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach and older sister of Maria Barbara, Bach’s future wife)
My dear sister, María Bárbara, have you heard the news? Our JS has just obtained permission to go to Lübeck to listen to the famous organist Dietrich Buxtehude at St. Mary’s. He has been talking about this trip for so long and now the city council has given him four weeks during Advent to go to Lübeck. Of course, he has asked our cousin, Johann Ernst, to take his place here at the Neukirche, so that the music can continue as usual. JS tells me that he will walk 200 miles to hear the great Buxtehude and his Advent Abendmusik concerts.
Finally, just when he had almost given up hope and started to think that the rumor that Johann was marrying Herr Buxtehude’s eldest daughter Anna Margareta was true in order to get the position of organist in Lubeck, has returned. Did he realize that he had been absent for sixteen long weeks from his post at the Neukirche? Let me tell you, the authorities knew how long Johann Sebastian had been away and they are angry. They have argued and argued with JS, but he is unapologetic about his behavior and the length of his absence. And really why should he, our cousin Johann Ernst performed quite well at the Neukirche while he was gone?
María Bárbara, were you at church yesterday? Did you hear what our JS was playing? I think it was an organ piece with our favorite chorale “How Brightly Shines the Morningstar” hidden in all those different sound sections somewhere. Our old serious congregation really didn’t like that, did they? I think our JS learned a lot from Herr Buxtehude and Herr Scheidt while he was in Lübeck, don’t you think?
Then to make matters worse, did you hear the accompaniment to the hymn he played on LOBT GOTT, IHR CHRISTEN? Heavens, it was hard to sing that hymn to that wild accompaniment, if I did say so myself. Why did I hear people complaining around us. They were really confused. Some even said they couldn’t hear the melody. I imagine all that novel ornamentation will not sit well with all those serious-faced men.
Maria Bárbara, please tell me you weren’t the woman someone heard singing to JS’s organ accompaniment in the church choir the other day. If it was you, you’re in so much trouble! First you, a woman in the choir and second, horror of horrors, they even heard you sing in the choir! Just think of the mess you’ve created for our dear Johann Sebastian now, and just when things were starting to calm down a bit. What were you thinking?
Oh, did you hear that he’s looking for another job? And why would our Johann need a different job? So that it can finally settle down and what? Marry you, Maria Bárbara? Is that what you are thinking, my dear little sister?
(The story above is one of a dozen vignettes from the organ and multimedia program, Bach and Sons, hosted by Concert Organist Dr. Jeannine Jordan).