NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra

Another German saying applies to the many branches of Johann Sebastian Bach’s musical family, namely: It’s well-known that many streams flow into the sea. Even if he was the most famous member of the Bach dynasty, Johann Sebastian also made a thorough study of the music written by his ancestors and other family members. And he continued work on a musical family archive which preserves for posterity the most notable compositions of his relatives. Among these are the orchestral suites of Johann Bernhard Bach the Elder, a colleague of Telemann’s at the court in Eisenach, the rest of whose works have been lost.
Another member of the family, Johann Christoph Bach I, was not only the uncle of Johann Sebastian’s first wife (who was in turn born as a Bach from other family line), but was actually regarded as the most talented Bach of his generation. His cantata »Es erhub sich ein Streit« was used by Johann Sebastian as inspiration for his own work. He illustrates the Archangel Michael’s struggle with the Devil in an intense choral opening.