Notes on the Program
BACH’S VIRTUOSO MUSICIANS A Young Prince, a Young Composer, and Some Laid-off Musicians Make Musical History Together by Jeannette Sorrell
22 s VIRTUOSITY | Fireworks from J.S. Bach
In 1713, a new Prussian king took the reins in Berlin. King (or “Elector”) Frederick William I was a serious and thoughtful leader. Unlike his father, he did not want to treat the royal treasury as his personal source of wealth. He was interested in making his small country better and stronger. He wanted to establish schools and hospitals. So he quickly sold off most of of his father’s horses, jewels, and furniture, in order to use the money for the public good. What most history books don’t mention is that this bout of royal budget-cutting by the Frederick William I of Prussia new king included what we would call Arts and Entertainment. He got rid of the palace orchestra. And so it was that about fifteen of Europe’s finest musicians – the leading virtuoso instrumentalists of Germany – found themselves without jobs. Laid off, as we would say. What would they do? Fortunately, in the small community of Köthen, a young prince named Leopold was just about to turn 21 and was beginning to set up his palace. He loved the arts and wanted to establish a small orchestra. So he sent word to Berlin that 8-10 of the departing musicians were welcome at Köthen. And they came. Three years later, the Prince recruited his conductor-composer of choice, a young and moody Saxon organist named Johann Sebastian Bach. And then the party got rolling. Bach’s six years with the excellent Köthen palace musicians (1717-1723) were an outpouring of
Prince Leopold von Köthen
