A LECTURE GIVEN BY HENRY WOOD. NOTTINGHAM, 1901

Syllabus and transcription of the surviving pages

Section I. John Sebastian Bach: his ancestry. – Eisenach in Saxony (his birthplace), March 23, 1685. – Martin Luther living there two centuries before Bach. – His hymn and chorales as forerunners of Bach's music. – The great Lords of Thuringia pawning villages and other goods. – Ambrosius (his father) the Viol-player. – Eisenach described. – Death of his mother. – Goes to his brother at Ohrdruf. – Saxony as it was but sixty years ago. – The swineherd the last descendent of Luther. – Luther's metal jug. – The fulsomeness of biographers.

Music – Harpsichord

Section II. Sebastian steals a book. – Sets out to earn his living at Luneberg. – Visits Hamburg and hears Reinken. – Becomes organist at Arnstadt. – Walks fifty miles to Lubeck to hear Buxtehude and outstays his leave. – Receives a citation on his return. – His stubbornness. – His pretty cousin Maria Barbera [sic]. – Her daring. – Sebastian reprimanded. – Is appointed to Mulhausen. – His marriage. – Borrows a cart. – Organist at Weimar for nine years. – Is Master of the Band to the Prince of Cothen. – Has a pleasant time. – Travels with the Prince. – Death and burial of his wife during his absence.

Music – Viol da Gamba and Harpsichord.

Section III. Bach still at Cothen with his family of four children. – His Weisenfels friends. – Anna Magdalena, daughter of the Duke's Trumpeter, whom he marries. – She is twenty-one years old; he thirty-six. – After six years of office leaves Cothen. – Is installed as Cantor of Leipzig. – The busy city. – The old Rector Ernesti, 70 years old, prefers the old ways. – Bach finds the authorities ‘strange folk’. – His arduous duties. – The music-work on Sundays. – His 300 cantatas. – ‘The only Crab’.

Music – The Lute

Section IV. Bach's position at Leipzig. – Contentiousness of the officials. – His lack of humbleness. – The new Rector Gesner a friend of Bach. – Bad state of the St Thomas School. – The rebuilding. – Ten years of troubles. – House hired for Bach. – Gesner resigns.