German Musical Presences from the European Baroque Period in Bessarabia: Johann Jacob Bac

Abstract

The present study aims to draw attention to a lesser-known subject: the presence of the German musician Johann Jacob Bach (the older brother of the famous Johann Sebastian Bach) on the territory of Bessarabia during the European Baroque period. The text is based on the few documentary sources identified to date, adopting an interpretative approach that highlights the historical dimension of the topic. Born in 1682 in Eisenach, Germany, J. J. Bach began his career as an oboist in the municipal ensemble. Starting in 1704, he travelled, as a musician, with King Charles XII of Sweden, accompanying him throughout his campaigns in Eastern Europe. Upon Bach’s departure from his homeland, J. S. Bach composed, for his brother, the work Capriccio sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dillettissimo (Caprice on the departure of his beloved brother) with an Aria di Postiglione (1704). Following the defeat of the Swedish army at Poltava (1709), J. J. Bach followed the King to his forced refuge in Bender, Bessarabia. The sovereign and his entourage remained in this territory for five years, during which the King continued to govern his country from exile. In 1710, J. J. Bach left Bender for Constantinople, where he deepened his musical studies with the French flautist Pierre Gabriel Buffardin. He returned to Bender in 1712, taking over the leadership of the royal court’s musical ensemble, temporarily established in Bessarabia. His duties included performing music required by the court protocol. J. J. Bach stayed in Bessarabia until 1714, departing from Bender to Stockholm via a route that passed through Moldova, Wallachia, Transylvania, and Germany. Johann Jacob Bach’s musical contributions, although not as well-known as those of his younger brother, are significant for the development of the Bach family’s musical tradition, reflecting the diverse influences he accumulated during his travels across Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Among his compositional contributions, the Sonata in C minor for oboe and basso continuo in four movements, signed with the pseudonym Signor Bach, stands out.