Bach Exhibition

Arnstadt was not only the place of the work of the young Johann Sebastian Bach, but also the home of his ancestors. The "Bache", as the members of the family of musicians used to be called, spread all over Thuringia and beyond during the 16th century, characterising the musical life of the era. The four generations can be traced back without gaps. They show the work of the male members of the family Bach in various positions, such as tower guard and house keeper, boy-musician, royal musician, organist in different churches, instrumentalist in the royal chapel, city music director, composer or musical instrument craftsmen in the former royal city. Almost all the Bache, who were born here, died here, married or lived here, belong to the lineage of Wechmar, of who Veit Bach was the father. The connection between Arnstadt and the family members of the family of musicians Bach was made with the move of Caspar Bach the older to Arnstadt in 1620. It ended in 1739 with the death of Ernst Bach, the last male descendant in Arnstadt. Nonetheless the name "Bachstadt Arnstadt" is inextricably linked to the stay of the most famous of his family inside the city walls of Arnstadt: the young Johann Sebastian Bach was the organist at the Neue Kirche (New Church), now Bach Church from 1703 until 1707 and is now the focus point of a new exhibition in the museum "Haus zum Palmbaum" on the market square. It also highlights the historical, artistic and scientific sphere of the Bach period. Arnstadt was a royal city until 1716 - providing a favourite environment for fine arts, architecture and book printing. This was specifically promoted by the counts of Schwarzburg, mainly Anton Günther II of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt. The exhibition also focuses on the history of the church Bachkirche in Arnstadt and the 300 years of history of its organ. One artefact stands out among the others: the table of the organ, built by the organ builder Johann Friedrich Wender from Mühlhausen in 1703 in the New Church. It was this organ table, where Johann Sebastian Bach played as organist.