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Johann Christian Weyrauch (Composer, Lute, Organ, Copyist, Notary, Bach's Pupil) |
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Born: January 13, 1694 - Knauthain, near Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
Died: April 1, 1771 - Leipzig, Saxony, Germany |
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Johann Christian Weyrauch was a German composer, lutenist and organist. He probably learnt to play the lute at an early age; his father, Johann Weyrauch, was Kantor and schoolmaster in the village of Knauthain, near Leipzig, where his lutenist contemporary Adam Falckenhagen was raised. In 1717 he entered the University of Leipzig (enrollment for the winter semester 1717), where he studied law. For some years he aspired to musical career, applying several times for posts as organist, without apparant success. For example, in 1729 he was unsuccessful with his application for position as organist at the Neukirche (New Church) in Leipzig. From 1730 he seems to have made his living as a lawyer (notary public) in Leipzig and died there in 1771.
On January 14, 1730, J.S. Bach provided testimonial to Johann Christian Weyrauch. The certificate, which was issued for a ultimately unsuccessful application of J.C. Weyrauch for the Kantor office at St. Jacobi in Chemnitz, only refers to an examination and certifies skills on various instruments, in singing and in composition. In the previous year, J.C. Weyrauch had unsuccessfully applied for organist service at the Leipzig New Church, but was defeated by Carl Gotthelf Gerlach (B-7) recommended by J.S. Bach. A further testament to their close friendship is the fact that J.S. Bach acted as a godfather to Weyrauch's son, Johann Sabastian, on April 18, 1743, the other godfather being the lute and violin maker J.C. Hoffmann. J.C. Weyrauch was apparently a gifted performer and composer; his lute pieces were known to be difficult, but none has survived. He arranged two of J.S. Bach's works for the lute (BWV 997 and BWV 1000); the tabulature copies in his hand are now in the Musikbibliothek der Stadt Leipzig.
References: Koska: B-19; GND: 140853898; Bach Digital: 00005404 |
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Works of Bach he copied [Manuscript No. in Bach Digital / Work / Performance date] |
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D-LEm Becker III.11.4, Faszikel 1: BWV 1000 (arr.)
D-LEm Becker III.11.5: BWV 997/1,3,4 (arr.) |
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Fugue BWV 1000 arranged by Johann Christian Weyrauch (Musikbibliothek der Stadt Leipzig) |
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Sources:
1. Article by Tim Crawford in Oxford Composer Companions J.S. Bach (Editor: Malcolm Boyd, OUP, 1999), pp 523-524
2. fine-print footnotes in the Bach-Dokumente
3. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
4. Bach Digital Website (July 2019)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2014, May 2020); Thomas Braatz (January 2011) |
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Links to other Sites |
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WEYRAUCH, Johann Christian (Enciclopedia de la guitarra) [Spanish]
Weyrauch, Johann Christian (Bach digital) |
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Bibliography |
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Sources 1:
DBok ii, 135-1366, 192, 201, 223, 407-408, 449 & 555
Hans-Joachim Schulze: 'Wer intavolierte Johann Saebastian Bachs Lautenkompositionen?' Die Musikforschung 19 (1966), 32-39
Hans-Joachim Schulze: '"Monsieur Schouster"- ein vergessener Zeitgenosse Johann Sebastian Bachs', in W. Rehm, ed., Bachiana et aliamusicologia: Festschrift für Alfred Dürr (Kassel, 1983), 243-250
J.S. Bach "Drei Lautencompositionen in zeitgenössischer Tabulatur" (BWV 995, 997, 1000) Faksimiledruck / Handschriftlichen Originalen / Musikbibliothek der Stadt Leipzig
Sources 3: Dok I, Nr. 67; Dok II, Nr. 261; Löffler 1929/31, Nr. 12; Löffler 1953, Nr. 21; H.-J. Schulze, Wer intavolierte Johann Sebastian Bachs Lautenkompositionen?, in: Die Musikforschung 19 (1966), S. 32–39; J. S. Bach, Drei Lautenkompositionen in zeitgenössischer Tabulatur (BWV 995, 997, 1000). Faksimiledruck, hrsg. von H.-J. Schulze, Leipzig 1975, 21979, S. VIf.; M. Bärwald, Barocke Musikpflege auf dem Land. Knauthain 1637 bis 1740, Magisterarbeit Leipzig 2008, S. 70–76 |
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