Peter Medhurst

Bach connections in Weimar & Leipzig

These photographs show the world of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), arguably the greatest of all the late Baroque composers.  After early years as a child spent in Eisenach, and years spent as an organist in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, Bach is associated with three principal locations: Weimar, Köthen and Leipzig.  Each town/city drew from Bach contrasting aspects of his genius: Weimar – organ and vocal music, Köthen – sonatas and concertos, Leipzig – cantatas, passions and the encyclopedic works (Clavier-Übung, Goldberg Variations, Art of Fugue, Musical Offering)

Portrait of Bach, after Hausmann, Bach Musseum, Eisenach

The Handel Museum, Halle

Inside the Handel Museum, Halle

The old organ, Halle Dom, Halle

 The Bach Church, Arnstadt

Entrance to St Blasius Church, Mühlhausen

The organ in St Blasius Church, Mühlhausen

Plaque marking the house in Weimar where Bach lived from 1708-1717

The Court at Köthen where Bach worked from 1717 to 1723

‘Music’ by JF Courtin (1672-1752), Köthen Court

The chapel at the Köthen Court where Bach married his second wife

The Wartburg, Eisenach

The Wartburg, Eisenach

A window in the Wartburg, Eisenach

The Bach Museum, Eisenach

The Bach Museum, Eisenach

The Bach statue outside the Bach Museum, Eisenach

Clavichord in the Bach Museum, Eisenach

Schütz Museum, Weißenfels

Viols in the Schütz Museum, Weißenfels

The Mendelssohn House, Leipzig

Felix Mendelssohn, the Mendelssohn House, Leipzig

Early 19th century piano, Museum of Musical Instruments, University of Leipzig

Prof Dr Theodor Kroyer (1873-1945) musicologist and pioneer in the field of early music

Portrait in the Museum of Musical Instruments, University of Leipzig

St Cecilia, after a painting by Carlo Dolci, 1671

Portrait in the Museum of Musical Instruments, University of Leipzig

The Schumann House, Leipzig

Bach’s grave, St Thomas’ Church, Leipzig