Non-Musical Offspring of JS Bach

[Fredrick zinos]

I have devoted several milliseconds to a through study of the lives and adventures of the non-musical sons of the luminous JS Bach.

There are indeed many surprises here. We know that just as Bach used the figured bass to speed up the composition process, he obviously used a similar device to speed procreation. He did this by ommiting their full names and used only initials. Therefore, on the musical side we have WF Bach, CPE Bach and others.

Using the initialling technique, on the non-musical side, Bach gave us:
An accountant named CPA Bach
A Bach who tinkered with early computers, CPU Bach
Bach who drove an ambulance, CPR Bach
The Philosopher Bach who questioned everything, WTF Bach

But I think my favorite was the Bach son who left Germany at the first opportunity and immigrated to the fledgling United States. He settled in what is now Fairfax county Virgina and got into the Tobacco growing business. He was wildly successful. As luck would have it, he was.
(wait for it).... LSMFT Bach.

[Kristofer Emerig]

My favorite of JS Bach's descendents (of the musical variety) is undoubtedly PDQ Bach.

Here's just a tidbit from his masterwork "Cantata: “Blaues Gras” (“Bluegrass” Cantata)":

Duet: Ich Sehe

Tenor: I see that you’re a real Georgia cracker.
Bass: You see that I’m a real Georgia cracker.
Tenor & Bass: We see, see we.
Tenor: I see that to go back home you hanker.
Bass: That’s right, I hanker.
Tenor & Bass: Hanker, hanker, hanker, hanker, hanker, hanker,
Bass: Hanker something terrible.
Tenor: So get lost; who needs you?
Take a trip!
Too many like you here already.
Tenor & Bass: Too many like you here already.

[Fredrick zinos]

Ah yes PDQ. Somewhere he has written an aria and chorus in the old cantata style, wherein the last words of the aria are taken up by the full chorus and expanded. Unfortunately the words of the aria are: "Oh, what it is to be chased, only he who is Running Knows."

[Kristofer Emerig]

On a more serious note-

I have often pondered, if one were to take the time and effort to investigate Bach's lineage, how likely it is that he has existing descendants in ordinary stations in life today (say for example, a diner waitress or realtor or whatnot), going obliviously about their mundane affairs while the blood of greatness runs through their ordinary veins. I suppose the same musings apply to any famous historical figure, but I've applied the thought to Bach specifically on more than a few occasions. Imagine, Hans the HVAC technician, descendant of Bach!

[Fredrick zinos]

My understanding is that the last of JS Bach's direct descendants died in the middle of the 19th century. But as to the extended family.. I dunno.

Here's an odd one; Ludwig Beethoven's nephew, Carl, moved to the United States and for a while worked for the Union Pacific railroad. I found this tidbit in the book "Beethovens Hair" so don't know how true it is. Or maybe it should be "Beethoven's Heir"

[Kristofer Emerig]

Interesting... The lineage of a man who fathered 20 terminating within a century.and a quarter or so. It seems overt humanism and secularism in European societies has choked the birth rate to the point of negative population growth. I haven't done my part, being nearly 40 with two children, but so many of my peers have no interest in marriage or children it's almost alarming. Everybody's too wrapped up in whatever it is they are pusuing; They view family as detrimental to those ends and a drain of their time and resources. Having children in one's thirties is good timing. It offers an impetus at exactly the point in life when we might start losing steam, feeling disallusioned, and becoming jaded. Well that's how it worked out for me anyway. Nevertheless I digress badly- again.