including the charming French Suites and English Suites and the pretty Inventions, showing with how light a touch Bach could handle the smaller forms of his school of composition, in composing chamber music and for the orchestra. It is notable that while organ-playing usually ruins the pianoforte touch, Bach appears to have been equally proficient on organ and clavichord. Bach's greatest fame among musicians rests on the religious works composed during the Leipzig period of his career. It is noteworthy that these were composed for the Protestant Church, the Church of Saint Thomas being Lutheran; and that, in consequence, their majesty is enhanced by an august severity in keeping with the simpler forms of Protestant worship. Bach has been compared with Milton, and not inaptly, except that the composer could unbend, as witness his Coffee and Peasant's cantatas and his ditty upon his tobacco pipe. The Edifying Reflections of a Tobacco Smoker, which he composed as a bit of pleasantry for his wife. Of church cantatas he is understood to have composed nearly 300, a complete cycle for 5 church years. Of these cantatas some 200 are extant. All except about 30 date from the Leipzig period. He greatly developed this form of church music by freer treatment of the instrumental portions, as well as by his mastery of vocal composition. The chorales are especially rich and beautiful. Of the two Passions it has been well said that the Saint John Passion is the perfection of church music; the Saint Matthew ‘reaches the goal of all sacred art’ (Poole). The latter, composed in 1720, so much overshadows the former that it is always meant when ‘Bach's Passion Music’ is spoken of; and it is a question whether the majority of musicians consider this Passion (composed at intervals during 1733-38) or the B minor Mass the greatest of Bach's works. Bach also composed an Ascension Oratorio (usually classed with his cantatas), and Easter and a Christmas Oratorio, the latter in 6 divisions for performance respectively on Christmas and the two days following, New Year's, the first Sunday of the year, and Epiphany. Mozart, while on a visit to Leipzig in 1789, hearing one of Bach's motets, exclaimed, “Here is a new thing from which I may learn!”
Bibliography. For the most authoritative biography of Bach, consult Spitta, Johann Sebastian Bach, English trans. (London, 1884-85), a monumental work. Consult, also: Forkel, Ueber J. S. Bachs Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke (Leipzig, 1802), which is interesting because the author was a pupil and friend of Bach's sons Friedmann and Emanuel; and Poole, Bach: His Life and Works (London, 1882), a good short biography.
BACH, Karl Philipp Emanuel (1714-88).
Styled the ‘Berlin’ or ‘Hamburg’ Bach. He was the second son of Johann Sebastian, and was
born at Weimar. He attended the famous Thomasschule, and afterwards the University of Leipzig. In 1740 he went to Berlin, where he was appointed chamber-musician to Frederick the Great. In 1767 he became kapellmeister at Hamburg, where he passed the remainder of his life. His most ambitious composition is the oratorio of Israel in the Wilderness. The greater portion of his numerous works was written for his favorite instrument, the clavier (the piano of that
day). His essay on The True Method of Clavier
Playing was long a standard work, and contains
invaluable information on the styles of playing
prevalent at the time. Clementi professed to have
derived from Bach his distinctive style of
pianoforte-playing, and Haydn is said to have
acknowledged his deep obligation to Bach's works.
It was from these works that Haydn learned in
embryonic form the cantata and symphony, of
which Bach “may fairly claim to have been the
originator, though Haydn enriched it and gave
it permanence.” As a psalm, ode, and song
writer, Bach surpassed his contemporaries, and
gained great popularity. His idea of the purpose
of music he explained by saying: “In my opinion
the grand object of music is to touch the heart;
and this end can never be obtained by mere noise,
drumming, and arpeggios — at all events, not
by me.”
BACHARACH, biir/a-rar,. A town of the
Rhine Province, Prussia. Germany, picturesquely
situated on the left bank of the Rhine, at the
entrance of the Steeger Valley, 8 miles north-
west of Bingen. From the Tenth to the Sixteenth
Century, it was one of the most important wine
markets in the Rhine Valley. Its commerce and
population have greatly diminished, but it is
still noteworthy on account of its interesting
historical associations and mediæval remains,
which include the commanding Castle of Stahleck crowning the hill, the old town walls and towers, the fine ruins of the Thirteenth-Century Gothic Church of Saint Werner, and a timbered hostelry of the Fifteenth Century. Bacharach
wine had such high repute that by command, a cask was annually sent to Rome for Æneas Sylvius (Pope Pius II.), and four tuns were accepted yearly by Emperor Wenzel as tribute for the freedom of the town. Through the Steeger Valley, also called the Blucher Valley, Blucher pursued the French troops after crossing the Rhine, on January 1, 1814. Population,
in 1900, 1904.
BACHE, bäch, Alexander Dalles (1806-67). An American physicist. He was born in Philadelphia, and was a grandson of Benjamin Franklin. He graduated at West Point,' in 1825, became a lieutenant in the corps of engineers, and
remained some time at the Military Academy as instructor. He was employed under Colonel Totten on the fortifications at Newport, where he married Nancy Clarke Fowler. P.ache was appointed professor of natural philosophy and chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania, in 1828, and was an early number of the Franklin Institute, publishing many valuable scientific papers in its journals. He established the first
magnetic observatory in the United States, where the periods of the daily variations of the magnetic needle were fully determined, and other interesting observations made. A magnetic survey of Pennsylvania, made by Professor Bache,
marks the beginning of the magnetic work since carried on by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. In 18;30 he became president of the trustees of Girard College, and visited Europe to examine educational systems for the information of the board, who were about to organize that institution. His report, submitted in 1838. was of great value in suggesting improvements in educational methods. Before the college was organized. Bache became connected
with the public-school system of Philadelphia, and developed the system of free education in
