The "Oberkirche," on the left, and the "Liebfrauenkirche"
were the more significant churches in Arnstadt, and here we find Heinrich
Bach, grandson of Viet, as organist for 51 years, from 1641-1692, and at
both of the churches. The "Liebfrauenkirche" was built ca. 1200,
and is built in one of the most significance building-styles, second only
the the Naumberger church in the area, but not in Arnstadt. Both are in
the romanesque-gothic style of 1180 - 1330. The other significant church
in Arnstadt is the "Oberkirche," built in 1275, and initially
called the "Saalkirchen des Franziskanerkloster" (church of the
Franziskaner cloister). In 1559 the "Liebfrauenkirche" was converted
to the "Liebfrauenkloster" (cloister), and the "Oberkirche"
became the foremost church of the town, attended primarily by the nobility
and the elite of town. It also contained the most impressive and valuable
art, paintings, sculpture, etc. (In 1506 Martin Luther had lived there as
a monk, but shortly after he left, in 1517 he pinned his "95 Theses"
on the door of the church in Wittenberg, not too far away but in Saxon-Anhalt,
and inadvertently began the Protestant Reformation.) In ca. 1540 the "Oberkirche"
was converted to a protestant church, since in 1533 the "Graf"
(nobleman) had accepted protestantism, and from that day forth Roman Catholicism
was "out." At that time the library had an almost complete first
edition of the many Luther writings.
The third, and lesser church in town, the "Bachkirche," actually
named the "Bonifatiuskirche," dating from 1333, but had lain in
ruins from the fire of 1581 for almost a century. However in approximately
1670 the inhabitants of Arnstadt found that the "Oberkirche" was
no longer large enough to accomodate all of them, and hence they decided
to rebuild this church. The first photo shows not only the "Bachkirche,"
but also the "Hopfenbrunnen" (Hop statue, and well).
the second photo shows the entrance to the church from the market-place.
They used the old stone and whatever else was still useable to rebuild the
"Bonifatiuskirche," and in 1676 they re-named it the "Neue
Kirche" (new church). With the rebuilding of the church, a new organ
was also needed, and in 1699 Johann Friedrich Wender of Mühlhausen
was commissioned to build the new organ. Although he was mandated to have
the organ completed by 24 June 1701, as is often the case, it was finished
considerably later, actually the beginning of July, 1703. At that time Johann
Sebastian, at that time still studying in nearby Weimar, but by now most
knowledge in organs, their tones and tunigs, etc. was invited to test the
new organ in the "Neue Kirche." One month later Johann Sebastian
was hired as the organist there, possibly under suspicious circumstances.
Did the influential Bach family have anything to do with his appointment?
No other organists were considered! And it is here in Arnstadt that we find
the stories of the arrogant, and rebellious young musician who fought with
a chorister in the town-square, and who "made music with a young maiden
in the organ loft," as well as the deliquent musician who overstayed
his "leave-of-absence" to visit Lübeck to hear Buxtehude
play.
The actual events of Bach's personal life in Arnstadt are far from complete
or even extensive. We do know that for his initial appointment as organist
he was paid a good salary, - 25 Florin from the "Biergeldern,"
or "Brauzinskasse," ( a beer tax), 25 Florin from the "Gotteskasten,"
(church collection), and 30 Taler from the rich "St. Georg hospital."
However, since he was a young bachelor, obviously without any family, he
did not have any firm, recorded address. We do know that he lived with an
uncle, Johann Christoph in Kohlgasse 7, just off the market-place, and diagonally
over the market-place from the "Bach Kirche" for a period of time.
However, it is assumed that he lived in numerous other places, basically
with relatives or very good friends.
Finally shortly before leaving Arnstadt, Johann Sebastian has a fairly large
hospital bill. Apparently late one night, Johann was on his way home, and
encountered six students sitting on a long stone bench in the market-place,
and Geyersbach was among them. On the next day, Johann was in the hospital,
possibly his personal war!