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Donald Macleod explores Johann Christian Bach’s early years in Germany and Italy.

Composer of the Week explores the life and music of the ‘English Bach’, Johann Christian Bach, whose blending of German technique with Italian lyricism in his music made him not only the leading composer in London but a favourite too with the likes of Mozart. He was the youngest son of JS Bach, and the first of Bach’s numerous sons to visit Italy, where he had lessons with Padre Martini. JC Bach spent much time composing sacred music whilst in Italy, but he soon got the opera bug, and it was a commission for the Haymarket theatre in London which enticed him to travel to England, where he remained based for the rest of his life. Bach became a music tutor to members of the royal family, and his operas were soon wowing London audiences. He also set up a famous series of London concerts with another musician, CF Abel. Celebrated singers of the age all wanted to perform arias by Bach, and when the Mozart family visited London, Bach became a mentor to the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. JC Bach also produced operas for European stages in Paris and Mannheim, and his works became so popular that many pirated editions appeared in print during his lifetime.

Born in 1735, Johann Christian Bach grew up in a bustling and musical household. His father’s job as director of music to all four of Leipzig’s churches, meant a great deal of music making went on, not least with the pupils of the school attached to St. Thomas’s church. It was in this very early period that his father JS Bach, argued with the rector of the school over which student should be the new choral prefect. This argument escalated into the courts, and became a very public affair.

JC Bach would have had some form of music instruction from his father, but when JS Bach died in 1750, he soon found himself travelling to Berlin to live with his half-brother CPE Bach, who now supervised the music JC composed. A few years later, CPE Bach organised a job for JC as organist in Zittau, but J.C. rejected this and soon with the support of Prince Lobkowitz, found his way to Milan where Count Litta would become his patron. Bach remained in Italy for eight years, where he not only studied with Padre Martini and composed a great deal of sacred music, but he was also appointed as second organist to Milan Cathedral.

Symphony in G minor, Op 6 No 6 (excerpt)
Academy of Ancient Music
Simon Standage, director

Magnificat a 4 in C, W. E22 (excerpt)
Joélle Harvey, soprano
Arcangelo
Jonathan Cohen, director

Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, W. C73
Anthony Halstead, harpsichord and director
The Hanover Band

Laudate pueri, W.E 19 (excerpt)
Joanne Lunn, soprano
Georg Poplutz, tenor
Concerto Köln
Gerhard Jenemann, director

Sinfonia in D, Op 3 No 1
Budapest Camerata
Hanspeter Gmur, conductor

Artaserse, T. 217 (Vo solcando un mar crudele)
Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor
Le Cercle De L’Harmonie
Jérémie Rhorer, director

Produced by Luke Whitlock