Most people immediately think of Johann Sebastian Bach by the name Bach, but in the 17th and 18th century many more composers lived with that name, all of them related to Johann Sebastian. One of his most important predecessors, Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703), was his father's cousin. Johann Christoph became organist at the age of 23 in Eisenach, at the church where Johann Sebastian was baptized
… 10 years later. He also managed to secure a position at court as a harpsichordist. Fortunately, because the wages of the city organist were very modest and Johann Christoph needed money to take care of his regularly ill wife and children. It was not an easy life and perhaps that is why he was able to set a text such as by Wie Bist Du Denn O Gott so moving: 'Vor trauer hab ich fast kein Mark mehr in den Beinen. Die Augen became Blut, und schwellen auf vom Weinen. Des Jammers Unmuts hat mir allen Mut taken. Ich bin vor Kümmernis fast um mir selbst kom. ' Gerard Lesne and Il Seminario Musicale will perform this work alongside arias and cantatas by Johann Michael Bach (the brother of Johann Christoph), Georg Melchior Hoffmann and Johann Sebastian Bach. An exciting CD. (CP)more
