BACH, Wilhelm Friedemann  (1710-1784)

HISTORY                         Composers

Makers

Violin History & Timeline

PERFORMERS

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass 

Gamba, etc. 

The Roots of Famous Violinists

TEACHERS

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass   

DEALERS                        

Bach, Wilhelm Friedemann (the “Halle” Bach), eldest son of Johann Sebastian; b. Weimar, Nov. 22, 1710; d. Berlin, July 1, 1784. He was a pupil of his father; studied at the Thomasschule in Leipzig (1723—29); also studied violin with IC. Graun in Merseburg (1726); in 1729 he enrolled at the Univ. of Leipzig, where he took courses in mathematics, philosophy, and law. In 1733 he became organist of the Sophienkirche in Dresden; in 1746 he was appointed organist of the Liebfrauenkirche in Halle, a post he held until 1764. In 1774 he went to Berlin. As a composer, he was highly gifted; his music reflects the influences of the Baroque and Rococo styles. An ed. of selected works was begun by the Abteilung für Musik der Preussischen Akademie der Kunste; vol. I contains 4 trios (Leipzig, 1935). His Sinfonias opp. 64 and 65 have been ed. by W. Lebermann (Mainz, 1971), opp. 67—71 by M. Schneider (Leipzig, 1914). His piano compositions have been ed. by W. Rehberg in Die Sohne Backs (1933); 3 excerpts are in K. Geiringer, Music of the Bach Family: An Anthology (Cambridge, Mass., 1955). His organ works are printed in E. Power Biggs and G. Weston, eds., W.F. Bach: Complete Works for Organ (N.Y., 1947).