What is the Bach and Sons Organ and Media Event Like?

Let the audience members and hosts of our recent Bach and Sons performances tell you in their words about our Bach and Sons organ and media experience.

Bach and Sons…

“is magical with different camera angles of the organist, photographs, videos and other resources projected to a huge screen.”  Glenn Rodgers, Music Minister, First United Methodist, Moorestown, NJ and Regional Councillor for Region III of the American Guild of Organists

“is educational.  I learned so much about Bach and his family.”  audience member

“Everybody enjoyed this live event. Get this program for your chapter or concert series if you possibly can” – Evelyn Larter, Dean SW Jersey Chapter of American Guild of Organists

“captures the human side of Bach.” music lover

“integrates graphics which really compliment and lead the audience through the story of Bach.”  Alan Chambers, Director of Rodeheaver Series, Warsaw, Indiana

“is more than the organist playing the spots and showing off her technique.  It is a story told with music, and words, and visuals.”  organist

“Dr. Jeannine Jordan presented a spectacular “Bach and Sons” program for the Newport community last week. The younger students were riveted throughout the entire performance as was the rest of the full house. It could not have been better.”   Rita Warton, President, Lincoln County District, OMTA

“This kind of presentation is melded perfectly into the mission of the Evensong Concert Series. Your idea of bringing Bach’s music to so many people in an informative and accessible way is fantastic. It was just what I was hoping for and I know many people came away inspired and renewed.”  Paul Klemme, Director of Music Ministries and Coordinator of the Evensong Concert Series of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Salem, Oregon

“includes some of the most incredible music ever written for the King of Instruments.”  Alan Chambers

To discover more of the Bach and Sons experience,
please visit our website at www.bachandsons.com or
contact me via email at jeannine@bachandsons.com
to ask questions, present ideas,
or schedule a concert for your corner of the world.

Dr. Jeannine Jordan, concert organist and David Jordan, media specialist are the creators and presenters of Bach and Sons.

Who Were Barbara Katharina and Maria Barbara Bach?

(Barbara Katharina Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach’s second cousin and elder sister of Maria Barbara Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach’s future wife)

Maria Barbara, did you hear who is coming to town? It is Johann Sebastian, our dear cousin Ambrosius’ son. He has been away from Eisenach so long I am not sure I would recognize him. When his parents died he was sent to live with his brother Christoph in Ohrdruf for a few years, then I believe he was sent all the way to Luneburg for school. Lately, though I heard that Johann Sebastian had been playing the violin for the Duke’s court in Weimar.

Now, Johann Sebastian has just been appointed the organist at the Neukirche right here in Arnstadt where that incredible new organ was just built! I was told that the concert Johann Sebastian gave when he came to try out the new organ was simply astounding and the committee just had to appoint him organist! I think I also heard, though, that he has to conduct the boy choir at the Neukirche. I wonder if he knows about that? I really do hope Johan Sebastian is up to the task of working with those ornery boys at the school. They sing so badly and can just be so awful!

However, the best news of all is that Sebastian is coming to visit his relatives next week when he gets to Arnstadt. That means us! We will be seeing our dear cousin Johann Sebastian very soon. You know he will be living at the Mayor’s house, don’t you? I can hardly wait to see him again!

Maria Barbara, have you heard? Johann Sebastian was just in a fight. I happened to be walking down the street near the Neukirche when this brawl erupted and that awful bassoonist Gegenbach

The Bassoonist

and our dear JS had come to blows. I think our cousin Johann got the best of that little bassoon player, though, as Johann drew his sword and just cut to tatters Gegenbach’s clothing! I was there! I saw it! And more than that, I am going to testify to the city authorities that the fight was not Johann Sebastian’s fault! Poor Johann Sebastian is just so bothered by those awful no-count untalented boys at that school. It is too bad he can’t just compose his beautiful organ music and be left alone.

The organ music dear Johann is composing now is so interesting. He tells me a wonderful composer named Georg Bohm that he met while he lived in Luneburg influenced him greatly. He just loves to compose variations on our wonderful hymns. Why sometimes just to be different, he puts the melody in the pedal in many of the pieces he is composing right now. He really is a genius, that cousin of mine.

(This story above is one of many vignettes from the multi-media and organ program, Bach and Sons, presented by Dr. Jeannine Jordan, concert organist with media artist, David Jordan.)

A Woman Singing In The Choir Loft To JS Bach’s Accompaniment

(Barbara Katharina Bach, JS Bach’s second cousin and Maria Barabara Bach’s sister, is horrified at the music Johann Sebastian is playing in church and that he has accompanied Maria Barbara’s singing in the church choir loft.)

Maria Barbara were you in church yesterday? Did you hear what our Johann Sebastian  played? I think it was an organ piece with our favorite chorale “How Brightly Shines the Morningstar” hidden in all those different sounding sections somewhere. Our staid old congregation really did not like it did they? I think our JS learned a lot from Herr Buxtehude and Herr Scheidt while he was in Lubeck don’t you?

Then to make matters worse, did you hear the hymn accompaniment he played on LOBT GOTT, IHR CHRISTEN? Heavens, it was hard to sing that hymn with that wild accompaniment, if I say so myself. Why I heard people complaining all around us. They truly were confused. Some even said they could not hear the melody. I imagine all that new-fangled ornamentation, is not going to sit well with all those serious faced men.

The Bach Organ in Arnstadt, Germany

Maria Barbara, please tell me you were not the woman someone heard singing to Johann Sebastian’s accompaniment in the church choir loft the other day? If it was you, you are in so much trouble! First, you-a woman actually in the choir loft and second, horror of horrors, you were even heard singing in the choir loft! Just think of the mess you have created now for our dear Johann Sebastian, and just when things were starting to settle down a bit. What were you thinking?

Oh, so you have heard he is looking for another job? And, why would our Johann need a different job? So he can finally settle down and what? Marry you, Maria Barbara? Is that what you are thinking, my dear little sister?

(This story above is one of many vignettes from the multi-media and organ program, Bach and Sons, presented by Dr. Jeannine Jordan, concert organist with media artist, David Jordan.)