Maria Barbara Bach facts for kids
Maria Barbara Bach (30 October [O.S. 20 October] 1684 – buried 7 July 1720) was the first wife of the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach. She was also related to him, being the daughter of his father's cousin, Johann Michael Bach.
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Early Life and Family Connections
Maria Barbara Bach was born in a town called Gehren, which was part of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Her parents were Catherina (who passed away in 1704) and Michael Bach (1648-1694). Her father worked as an organist and a town scribe in Gehren.
After her mother died in 1704, Maria Barbara lived with her godparents. They were Martin Feldhaus, a merchant and mayor in Arnstadt, and Magarethe Wedermann, who was the daughter of the Arnstadt town scribe.
Marriage to Johann Sebastian Bach
Maria Barbara was 23 years old when she married Johann Sebastian Bach. The Bach family was very close-knit, and since Maria Barbara was Johann Sebastian's second cousin, it's likely they knew each other since they were children.
They grew closer when Bach was working as an organist at St. Blasius Church in Mühlhausen. They were able to get married in Dornheim on 17 October 1707. This was possible because Bach received an inheritance of 50 gulden from his maternal uncle, Tobias Lämmerhirt. This amount was more than half of his yearly salary at the time! Not much is known about their daily life together, but it is believed they had a happy marriage.
Her Sudden Passing
In 1720, Maria Barbara's death was very sudden and unexpected. Johann Sebastian Bach was away at a spa called Carlsbad with his employer, Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen, when she passed away.
When Bach left Köthen, Maria Barbara was in good health. However, when he returned two months later, he was shocked to find out that she had died and had already been buried on July 7. The exact reason for her death is not known. Some people believe that Bach's famous Violin Partita No. 2, especially its final "Chaconne" movement, was written as a tribute to Maria Barbara. However, this idea is still debated by experts.
Children
Johann Sebastian and Maria Barbara had seven children together. Sadly, three of them passed away when they were very young.
- Catharina Dorothea (born 28 December 1708 – died 14 January 1774)
- Wilhelm Friedemann (born 22 November 1710 – died 1 July 1784)
- Johann Christoph (born 23 February 1713 – died 23 February 1713)
- Maria Sophia (born 23 February 1713 – died 15 March 1713), who was Johann Christoph's twin sister.
- Carl Philipp Emanuel (born 8 March 1714 – died 14 December 1788)
- Johann Gottfried Bernhard (born 11 May 1715 – died 27 May 1739)
- Leopold Augustus (born 15 November 1718 – died 29 September 1719)
About 17 months after Maria Barbara's death, Anna Magdalena Wilcke became Johann Sebastian Bach's second wife. She helped raise Maria Barbara's children along with her own children that she had with Johann Sebastian Bach.
