Sorge and Bach

Johnny wrote:

> Bach
> and Sorge were "friends" according to Mark Lindley. The old Grove
> says: "Sorge
> was unfortunately a very conceited man." Brad, if he did study with
> Bach,
> do you think he would admit it, being so conceited and all? Might we
> say he
> studied from J.S. Bach from a distance? : ) J

Well, Lindley also chided Sorge in print (in the _Oxford Composer Companion: Bach_) for having not ever tried smaller intervals than 1/12 PC in his temperaments. Not surprisingly, some of Lindley's other articles do the same thing: asserting that Bach-style temperaments somehow must have used finer distinctions than Sorge and Neidhardt would ever do, smaller fragments of comma juggling than 1/12. Since it would cross against Lindley's own hypothesis, Sorge's work as witness must have been incomplete in that way. Hmm.

Anyway, don't you think that if Sorge *had* ever formally studied with Bach, he'd probably be the first and loudest person to brag about to it anybody and everybody? He asserted Bach's authority on several occasions, and lauded Bach's work and opinions to the utmost, but without saying he'd ever studied with him. Have you read the preface of Sorge's book of chorale preludes from 1750, and what he said about Bach in there? A facsimile and translation are available on pages 113-115 of Christoph Wolff's book _Bach: Essays on his life and music_, if you're curious. And I played Sorge's little setting of "Vater unser in Himmelreich" from that Wolff facsimile for my recording; an attractive piece, and it accomplishes Sorge's stated aims.

Brad Lehman

Brad, you ask:

"Anyway, don't you think that if Sorge *had* ever formally studied with
Bach, he'd probably be the first and loudest person to brag about to it
anybody and everybody?"

Me: Not necessarily. There are some complex personalities. Bach was
singular in not accepting Johann Mattheson's request for an autobiography, for
example. You and I would have. I don't believe anyone is listed as having been
Sorge's teacher. Kirnberger had a year and a half with Bach, formerly, but
he was sick the whole time.

Don't you have people that say they studied with you on their resumes, but
who never took a formal lesson? (I have.)

You: He asserted Bach's authority on several
occasions, and lauded Bach's work and opinions to the utmost, but
without saying he'd ever studied with him.

Me: Exactly.

Johnny

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