Thüringen

Native country of the most eminent dynasty of musicians in history: the Bach family. A genealogy is included here, listing the majority of (male) musicians named Bach. The adjacent numbers are derived from Bach's own family chronicle and will be added in the present website when family members occur; when 'Bach' is written without first name, Johann Sebastian [24] is meant.

Advertised as Bach's birthplace, but it is not - Bach memorabilia and rich collection of instruments - library, archive - outside: the monument  from 1884.

The real location of Bach's birthplace in former Fischergasse; house rebuilt

Well preserved house of Bach's parents from 1671 until c. 1680 - birthplace of J. Christoph [22]

Former 'Stadtpfeiferturm' - Ambrosius Bach [11] worked here, his predecessors had lived here too.

Bach studied here 1692-95 - front altered, rear more original.

House of J. Christoph Bach [10], the most distinguished composer of the elder Bachs and highly admired by Sebastian, who visited him frequently.

Christoph [10], Bernard [18] and other Bachs worked here as organist - organ front from 1719 - baptismal font of Sebastian. Bach monogram in the gate.

Location of Telemann's house until 1712.

Telemann worked at this ducal court (1708-12), as did before him his father-in-law Daniel Eberlin and violinist Pantaleon Hebenstreit.

Built in 1878 - theatre and concerts.

Collection of Wagner memorabilia and documents, collected by the Viennese N. Oesterlein and sold to the city of Eisenach in 1895.

The 'Sängersaal' with frescoes by Moritz von Schwindt remembers the 'Sängerkrieg' (c.1207), a meeting of prominent Minnesänger - several Wagner visits (because of Tannhäuser!).

Other residence of the Eisenach dukes, built in 1712 - Telemann composed for them until 1730  -  Concert hall 'Telemann-Saal'.

The birthplace of the composer Joh. Melchior Molter (1696-1765) still exists, but was tastelessly renovated

Summer residence of the dukes of Meiningen from 1736, extended in the 19^th century. Visits by Brahms; Brahms memorial room.

Birthplace of Athanasius Kircher (°1602) - jesuit scholar with speculative theories about acoustics and musical psychology and -therapy. He invented fantastic mechanical instruments.

Ducal court since 1675 - in the 17^th century J. Ludwig (72) and Nicolaus Ephraim (73) Bach worked here. Musical life reached its peak from 1862 until 1914 under the theatre and music loving duke Georg II, with whom Brahms was befriended. Hans von Bülow and Max Reger were active then. Under Bülows baton the court orchestra became world famous; Richard Strauss was engaged as his assistant and successor, but he stayed only one season (1885-86).

Exhibitions on theatre- and music history, instruments, paintings by Ludwig Bach's descendants [75, 76 and 85] - Reger archive - two Bachs [72, 73] worked in the court chapel, now concert hall.

J. Ludwig Bach [72] worked as organist and court musician 1699-†1731. His cantatas were respected by his distant relative Sebastian and performed in Leipzig

Built in 1831, rebuilt after fire in 1909 - musical theatre and ballet

Hans von Bülow worked as conductor of the court orchestra from 1880 until 1885 and made it famous

Max Reger worked as conductor of the court orchestra from 1911 until 1914 - most of his orchestral works were composed in this period.

the clarinettist of the Meiningen orchestra Richard Mühlfeld. Brahms admired him and composed for him his marvelous op. 114, 115 and 120.

Reger monument, unveiled in 1937 during a Reger festival - in this park are performances during summer

Brahms monument by A. von Hildebrand (1899) - Brahms performed his Second Piano Concerto here (1881); FP of  Fourth Symphony (1885).

Graves of Richard Mühlfeld, †1907, and of the music loving duke Georg and his wife.

Court residence since 1675 (castle destroyed). In 1751 the prince of Hildburghausen lived in Vienna and supported Carl Ditters, the later composer Ditters von Dittersdorf. -  In 1796 appearance of the theatre company of Franz Anton Weber; his 10 years old son Carl Maria was entrusted to piano teacher Heuschkel for more than a year.

Built in 1722 as a fencing hall and ballroom, from 1755 theatre.

House of court musician Joh. Peter Heuschel; Carl Maria (von) Weber stayed here as his pupil, 1796-97.

Organ by Caspar Schippel, 1711, I/p/11. In 1721 an 'Echowerk' with 7 more stops was added on a distance of 20 meters, controlled from the first console via the ceiling.

Organ by Daniel Meyer, 1589, I/-/6.  Wooden pipes, partly covered with ivory, and painted wings - built over altar and pulpit (unity of rite, word and music)

Organ by Tobias Heinrich Trost, 1730, III/p/55.

Monument of J. Christian Friedrich Haeffner, born here in 1759. From 1781 he lived and worked in Sweden, succesful as organist, conductor and composer.

Duchy of Saxe-Gotha since 1640; emphasis on church music and education. In 1675 the duchy was divided in seven portions. Composers: 17th c. Wolfgang Briegel;  18th c. Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (fine Brockes Passion) and Georg (Jiří) Benda (melodramas); 19th c. Louis Spohr and Andreas Romberg (Das Lied von der Glocke).
 In 1812 Weber stayed three months with the eccentric duke August (in some respects comparable with Ludwig II of Bavaria).
  -  From 1826 the duchies of Gotha and Coburg were joined. Duke Ernst II (1818-93) was an amateur composer (opera Santa Chiara)

Collection of instruments - interesting court library - 'Ekhof theatre' built in 1683 and equipped with smart machinery, still in original state.

Until 1620, Caspar Bach (far related to the known Bach dynasty) blew the trumpet as 'Stadtpfeifer' from the tower of the present town hall.

Between 1837 and 1840, two equal theatres were built in Gotha and Coburg; that of Gotha was destroyed, today theatre and concert in an altered movie theatre from 1940.

House of Louis Spohr, 1805-12 working as 'Hofkapellmeister'. Here he married with the harpist Dorette Scheidler.

The organist and composer Georg Böhm was born here in 1661, but only in the parish register his name was found. He made career in Lüneburg (> d13).

Veit Bach [1], a baker and amateur musician from Slovakia, is considered the forefather of the Bach dynasty in Thuringia - his restored house is a museum about Bach and Thuringian instrument making. In the courtyard is a large pedigree with over 500 names of Bach descendants, up to the present time.

Old mill, used by Veit Bach - the family chronicle regards his playing on a Cythringen during the grinding as the beginning of the musical tradition of the family

In this street J. Christoph Bach [22] lived and, after their parents death in 1695, his younger brothers  J. Jacob [23] and J. Sebastian [24]; house destroyed. The story about Sebastian, copying sheet music  in moonlight and thus spoiling his eyes, occurred in Ohrdruf - he left the house in 1700 for Lüneburg.

Christoph was the organist of the Michaelikirche, of which only a part of the tower has survived the last war. At his wedding here, Johann Pachelbel was a guest; his present was the famous Canon.

Former residence of the local nobility; no doubt the Bachs have appeared here. Today museum with Bach exhibition - concerts in the rococo hall.

Bach was organist here from 1703 until 1707 and was succeeded by his nephew J. Ernst [25] - The organ by Wender (II/p/24) was frequently altered, but recently reconstructed

Bach monument by Bernd Göbel, 1985 - not the usual severe master but a defiant youngster who clashed frequently with the church council.

There is no certainty about Bach's house - perhaps at the Ledermarkt

House of uncle J. Christoph [12] and nephew J. Ernst [25]

The Bach family meetings in the inn Zu den nackenden Kindlein were full of singing, from chorales to juicy quodlibets. The inn still exists, but was renamed and much altered.

Museum with Bach exhibition (formerly in the house Palmbaum) - original organ console and bench from the Neukirche.

Caspar Bach worked as 'Stadtpfeifer' and bassoonist at the castle and lived from 1620 until 1635 in this tower, the only remnant of the old ruined castle.

House of Caspar Bach, 1635-40 - he was related to the Bach dynasty, but the kind of relationship is not quite clear; not numbered in the family chronicle.

Arnstadt is a Bach town par excellance:  17 Bachs were born here and 24 Bachs were interred on this former cemetary - the gravestones all disappeared, only commemorative tablet.

Organ by Johann Albrecht, examined by Bach in 1706 - the organ was replaced in 1845, but the front is original.

J. Michael Bach [14] worked here as organist and instrument maker, was an interesting composer and besides Sebastian's father-in-law - his house and his church were demolished in 1828.

J. Sebastian and Maria Barbara married on 17.X.1707 in the church of Dornheim - organ and interior since then altered

Bach was Kantor of the pietist St. Blasius church, 1707-08. Bach's organ (Wender, II/p/37) was reconstructed in 1959 at instigation of Albert Schweitzer - Bach's successor was J.Friedrich Bach [29], 1708-30

FP of the both Ratswechselkantaten by Bach (1707, 1708) - J.G. Bernard Bach [47] organist 1735-37 -  now secularised; museum, concerts. - Bach's friend pastor Elmar lived in the parsonage.

Brass plaque on the church organ in honour of Matthias Weckmann, °1619 in Oberdorla (alleged geographic centre of Germany!) and active as organist here.

Little stone plaque on the church wall with the inscription M.P.C.[= Michael Praetorius Creuzbergensis] - The composer and theorist Praetorius was born here in 1571 as Michael Schultheiß.

Beautiful medieval castle with Praetorius exhibition

Birthplace of the music theorist, -historian and -lexicograph Hugo Riemann, °1849.

The princedom of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen held a court orchestra from the 17^th century, but the greatest fame is related to the Loh-orchestra, established in 1801; its best known Kapellmeister was Max Bruch 1867-70, who finished his famous violin concerto here. In the book Soirées dans l'orchestre by Berlioz, the musical town named 'Euphonia' was modelled on Sondershausen.

exhibition on the local music history - autograph of Bruch's Violin concerto -

House of Max Bruch, 1867-70. In the 1990s a ruine, plaque kept in the town hall; actual state unknown.

Former Fürstliches Konservatorium für Musik -  Max Reger was a pupil of Riemann here in 1890.

Music academy since 2005, connected with the Achteckhaus,an interesting octagonal music pavillon from 1809.

Monumental theatre built in 1917. From the glorious opera repertoire in the 1920s not much has remained - cooperation with Loh-Orchester Sondershausen

From 1804 to 1815, the local Kantor organised four musical festivals, which became the first Musikfeste in Germany. All performances were held in this church. Louis Spohr was deeply involved as main performer, conductor and composer

Johannes Bach [4], mid 17^th century; Johann Pachelbel 1678-90 and his successors JH Buttstedt, -1727, J Adlung, -1762, and Bach pupil JC Knittel, -1809.  Organ front by Compenius, 1649.

First house of Johannes Bach [4] from 1635 - he was a member of the Ratsmusikanten-Kompanie, like several relatives after him

In one of these extant houses lived Pachelbel, besides the twins J. Christoph [12] and J. Ambrosius [13] Bach

church of the university -  J.Aegidius Bach [8] - organ front from 1652 in the Trinity chapel

Marriage of J. Ambrosius Bach [13] with Elisabeth Lämmerhirt on 5.IV.1668; they went to Eisenach in 1671 and became the parents of J. Sebastian

In the Dom tower is Germany's largest bell Gloriosa from 1497, weighing 11 tons  -  'DomStufen-Festival' during summer since 1994, with theatre and concerts.

Built in 2003 (architect Friedrich) - all kinds of music theatre, concerts.

 -  Duchess Anna Amalia of Saxe-Weimar played harpsichord and guitar and composed 'Singspiele' on texts by Goethe; she established the splendid library that bears her name in the 'Grüner Schloß'.

Old hotel, rebuilt - here, and in the demolished Erbprinz hotel on nr. 19, stayed Paganini, Weber, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Wagner, Berlioz, Rubinstein, von Bülow a.o. during their Weimar visits.

On this spot Bach's house stood (demolished in 1803) - his sons Wilhelm Friedemann [45], Carl Philipp Emanuel [46] and J. Gottfried Bernard [47] were born here, resp. in 1710, 1714, 1715

Former residence of the 'Mitregent' duke J. Ernst -  in 1703 Bach was in his service and lived in the castle, also in the period 1708-17 he appeared here as chamber musician

Library est. in 1766 by duchess Anna Amalia with splendid interior; MSs by herself, Gluck, Haydn, Mozart; all first prints of Liszt's works and much more; great damage by fire in 2004. - Bach monument

Former 'Landschaftshaus' from 1774/1889 - today Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, one of the leading music academies of Germany  - concert hall -   > www.hfm-weimar.de

Goethe: a source of inspiration for many composers.Himself he prefered Reichardt, Zelter and Mozart - host of Mendelssohn, Hummel, Spontini, Clara Wieck a.o. - fortepiano by Nanette Streicher

Grave of Jan Nepomuk Hummel, †1837 - also graves of the musicians Carl Eberwein and Walter Abendroth, and (of course) of Goethe and Schiller

Hummel monument - he worked successfully as Hofkapellmeister from 1819 until 1837

House of R. Strauss, kapellmeister 1889-94 - FP Don Juan and the failed opera Guntram(1893); during rehearsals a clash with singer Pauline de Ahna, his future wife!..

other building of the music academy with the department of musicology - several archives  > www.hfm-weimar.de

Built in 1908; theatre and concert hall - predecessors from 1780 (led by Goethe) and 1826 (Liszt, R. Strauss; FP Lohengrin 1850)

In the Wittumspalais Anna Amalia lived; later seat of the Orchesterschule - the Kloster next door is an annex of the music academy

Joh. Gottfried Walther 1707-48 organist and  J.Gottfried Herder clergyman; Herder was engaged in church music and folksong (Stimmen der Völker in Liedern, 1778-79)

Grave of Joh. Gottfried Walther, †1748

The old castle, Bach's main field of activity, was destroyed in 1774, only the tower and 'Bastille' suvived  -  Bach bust. The new castle was built in 1803.

House of Liszt and Carolyne von Sayn-Wittgenstein 1848-61 - Liszt Salon (concerts) - Liszt society

House of Liszt 1869-86 - he lived alternately here and in Rome or Budapest - numerous guests and pupils - house and home contents well preserved furniture and memorabilia.

Liszt monument (H. Hahn, 1902)

The 12 years old Anton Rubinstein appeared here in 1824. In the park other buildings of the academy and a concert hall

Tiefurt was the summer palace of Anna Amalia - music room with some nice instruments. In the park Mozart monument, erected by Goethe in 1799

Organ by Peternell, 1860, 2 manuals.  Liszt presented here the organ music by Bach or arrangements of it in 'Orgelkonferenze' - sometimes concerts

From 1726 until 1988, bells were founded in Apolda, hence a museum on the history of bells, bell founding etc. - recordings of bell playing

Birthplace of J. Friedrich Fasch, °1688 - the house was built in 1585. There used tp be a Fasch plaque, but it disappeared after an 'improvement' in 1898 - backside most authentic

The town organist, named Heinrich Schütz (!), regaled his friend Goethe on fresh fish and on music by Bach

In 1742/43 Bach visited Berka to examine the organ by Heinrich N. Trebs, for which he had designed the disposition - only the nice front survived

The fine 'Liebhabertheater', built in 1799 near the castle of the couple von Stein, is sometimes used for small scale performances

The music theorist Joh. Philipp Kirnberger, a pupil of Bach, was born in 1721 in the 'Thauersche Haus' which was demolished in 1914

In baroque era important music centre - Trauer-, Lust- und Mischspiele in the 1660s were the first festivals on German ground - The music director of the Dutch court, Christian Ernst Graaf, born here in 1726.

Built as Komödienhaus in 1792, altered in 1867, 1952 and 1984 - appearances by Paganini (1829) and Wagner (1834, 18 times with his Magdeburg company) - today cooperation with Saalfeld and Eisenach

Houses of three Hofkapellmeister: nr. 38: Georg Gebel d.J., 1748-†1753  -  nr 31: Christian Traugott Scheinpflug, 1753-70  -  nr. 8: Maximilian Eberwein, 1797-†1831.

Nr. 39: house of Hofkapellmeister Philipp Heinrich Erlebach, 1662-83  -  nr. 49: house of Richard Wagner in 1834, where he composed parts of Das Liebesverbot and an unfinished Symphony in E.

Last house (rebuilt) of PH Erlebach, 1683-†1714. He was a renowned and very prolific composer, but  his dramatic works, 90% of his instrumental works and the majority of his church music are lost.

J.Nicolaus Bach [27] nearly lifelong city and university organist; he composed church music and, for students, Jenaische Wein- und Bierrufer and was an instrument maker too - JG Bernard Bach [47] died here

Built in the 16^th-18^th century; Das Akademische Koncert since 1767. In the 19^th century appearances by Liszt and FPs of Brahms' Altrhapsodie (1870) and Wagner's Siegfried Idyll in public (1878).

Built in 1903 in art nouveau style - concerts by Jenaer Philharmoniker, ballet.

House of Max Reger, from 1915 until his death in 1916; he had recieved in 1908 a honorary doctorate at Jena university - composition of Trios op. 141 and Clarinet Quintet

Library with the famous Jenaer Liederhandschrift from the 14th century and numerous writing on music theory

Here Georg/Jiří Benda died in 1795 - his house was demolished, plaque at the church.

First Schütz monument (bust by Otto Patz, 1950).

 'Oberschenke', house of the Schütz family 1550-90 and birthplace of Heinrich Schütz, *1565  - Outside: second Schütz monument, B. Wilde 1985; no portrait, impetus on the terror of the Thirty Years War.

Painted coffin of prince Heinrich Posthumus Reuß with the text of Schütz's Musikalische Exequien,1635. The object, wandering since 1922 about several locations in Gera, landed in  2007 in the 'Alte Feierhalle'.

Bach visited Gera in 1724 and examined the new organs of this church and the Johanniskirche, both destroyed by fire in 1790. Salvatorkirche rebuilt, belonging to the gymnasium Ruthenäum. 

 'Musis Sacrum' built in 1902, theatre and concert hall - previously theatre performances were since 1787 in the nearby Orangerie

Built in 1871, modelled after the Semperoper in Dresden - cooperation with Gera

Organ by Tobias Heinrich Gottfried Trost, 1735-39, 2 manuals, 37 stops incl. 32' Posaune - Bach played on it in 1739 - Bach's pupil Joh. Ludwig Krebs organist 1756-80, his son Gottfried until 1814

Fine organ by Silbermann, 1737, 2 manuals, 27+ stops

Fine organ by Silbermann, 1743, 1 manual, 12 stops - interesting castle.

Monument of Heinrich Albert, Schütz's cousin, born here in 1604. His eight books of Arien (Königsberg 1638-50) are a landmark in the history of baroque song