Story-Lives of Great Musicians | Page 7

and, consequently,
when, in 1707, he was offered the post of organist of St. Blasius', at
Mühlhausen, near Eisenach, he accepted it at once. The invitation was
coupled with a request that he would name his own salary--a
compliment to his powers to which he modestly responded by fixing
the sum at that which he had lately received; but, in addition to pay, his
emolument comprised certain dues of corn, wood, and fish, to be
delivered free at his door. His post at Arnstadt was filled by his cousin,
Johann Ernst, to whom, as he was very poor, and had an aged mother
and a sick sister to support, Bach generously handed over the last
quarter's salary which was due to him on leaving.
With this improvement in his worldly prospects Bach deemed that he
might prudently marry. He had been contemplating this step since the
time, some months before, when he had incurred the displeasure of the
Arnstadt authorities by introducing a 'stranger maiden' into the choir--a
proceeding altogether contrary to rule, but one which, like the rest of
his faults, was condoned for the sake of hearing him play. The 'stranger
maiden' was no other than his cousin, Maria Barbara, the youngest
daughter of Michael Bach, of Gehren, with whom he had fallen in love,
and to whom he was married on October 17, 1707.

It was customary in those days for organists to maintain their
instruments in repair, and Bach's first duty on entering upon his new
post was to undertake some extensive alterations in the organ
committed to his charge. The completion of these repairs, however, was
left to his successor, for Bach did not retain his position at Mühlhausen
for more than a year. He was filled with a desire to raise the standard of
Church music, reverently desirous of clothing the old services in a new
dress--one which should elevate the thoughts of the worshippers to a
higher plane by giving to the words of Scripture a fuller and more
sympathetic interpretation. In this longing for freedom from the old
modes of Church music, by which, owing to the rigid simplicity of the
Lutheran services, the truths of religion were trammelled and obscured,
Bach hoped to have secured the support and sympathy of his
congregation; but he soon found that his efforts were unappreciated.
For us, who now see this longing for the first time clearly expressed in
his life, and who know what important fruits it was destined to bear in
the future, this stage in the career of Sebastian Bach possesses a
peculiar interest. In his letter to the town council announcing his
resignation he explains that he has 'always striven to make the
improvement of Church music, to the honour of God, his aim,' but that
he has met with opposition such as he sees no chance of being enabled
to overcome in the future. Moreover, he states that, 'poor as is his mode
of living, he has not enough to subsist on after paying his house-rent
and other necessary expenses.'
The shortness of his means, with a wife and the near prospect of a
family to provide for, no doubt had a good deal to do with Bach's
decision to resign his post at St. Blasius' at once. He had, in fact,
already received the offer of a more important engagement. An
invitation to perform before Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar early in
the year 1708 had been seized upon in the hope that it might lead to an
appointment at the Court. The hope was not disappointed, for the Duke
was so delighted with Bach's playing that he immediately offered him
the post of Court and Chamber Organist. Bach had always been on the
best of terms with the elders of St. Blasius' Church, however, and the
separation was accompanied by marks of friendliness on both sides.
Thus we see Bach acting once more on his own initiative--choosing his

path deliberately as he saw the opportunity for furthering the great
objects he had in view.
The wider scope for which he had been longing was now within his
grasp, and from the date of his appointment at Weimar he began to
compose those masterpieces for the organ which in after-years were to
help to make his name famous. Hitherto we have followed the fortunes
of Sebastian Bach as a zealous student, self-dependent, and almost
entirely self-instructed as regards his art, battling against poverty with
stolid indifference to the drawbacks and discomforts that fell to his
share, unmindful of fatigue, seeking neither praise nor reward, but with
his mind wholly set upon the accomplishment of his life-purpose--the
furtherance of his beloved art. The promise of his childish days had
been largely sown in sorrow and disappointment. He had not been
hailed as