Die Furcht des Herrn

It is not often that the Bach on the program is someone other than Johann Sebastian, despite the fact that history records 50 Bach musicians active between 1600 and 1850. Their lives overlapped, their styles merged, and many shared the same names, which makes precise attribution of works difficult. All this pertains to Johann Michael Bach (1648-94), who was both cousin and father-in-law to Sebastian (yes, Sebastian married his cousin, Maria Barbara Bach). This Michael Bach must be distinguished from a later lawyer/composer by the same name, who lived 1745-1820 and worked in Wuppertal. Our Michael Bach was born in Gehren; among the few items known for certain about him, he assumed post of organist in Gehren in his 25th year. The remains of his compositional output were often attributed to other Bachs. Until very recently, the cantata Die Furcht des Herrn had been listed as a work by his brother, Johann Christoph Bach. He stayed close to his traditional roots, favoring clear, homophonic textures and occasional flourishes from the solo violin.

(c) Jason Stell