Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/494

 18th century in Bach, was exhausted. It is true that no second Bach appeared to carry the development to new heights. But the lapse in interest that occurred after Bach's death was now succeeded by a revival that merits attention, if for no other reason because of its service in recalling the works and style of Bach himself to popular memory and appreciation. It seems strange that he should ever have been forgotten or ignored, but, since he was, a positive movement was needed to restore him to his rightful place. The most useful single agent in bringing to light the Bach traditions as preserved by his pupils was the eminent organist Rinck, but the Englishman Wesley and later the youthful Mendelssohn were powerful coadjutors. In consequence, the number of strong players and composers in this noble branch of musical art suddenly advanced, introducing a new strain of serious expression that had value in shaping later progress. In both the Lutheran and the Anglican Churches this was somewhat coincident with a renewed attention to the enrichment of public worship in other ways.

Christian Rinck (d. 1846) was born in Thuringia in 1770 and was brought up in contact with much organ music. From 1786 he studied with Kittel of Erfurt, the last survivor among Bach's best pupils, in 1790 became town-organist at Giessen and in 1805 took a similar post at Darmstadt, where from 1819 he was court-organist, besides teaching in the gymnasium. His tours as a virtuoso, with his numerous and varied works, gave him an immense reputation and attracted a host of pupils. His genius as a composer was not of the highest class, but his style had solidity and vigor, so that its influence was wholesome. He published almost countless preludes, postludes, chorale-elaborations, variations, etc., and a famous Orgelschule (1818), besides a large number of sacred vocal works, including a mass, a Vater Unser, cantatas, duets, solos, a Choralbuch for Hesse (1814) and other collections, not to speak of some piano works.

Michael Gotthard Fischer (d. 1829) was trained by Kittel at Erfurt, and worked all his life there as organist in the two leading Protestant churches and as teacher. He was well known as a player and as a fertile composer, not only of large numbers of organ-pieces, including some fugues, but of 2 symphonies, some choral works and a chorale-collection (1821).

Johann Christian Bartel (d. 1831), educated at Leipsic, was from 1792 teacher near Chemnitz, from 1797 cantor at Greiz, then toured as a virtuoso, and from 1804 was Krebs' successor as court-organist at Altenburg. He produced many organ works, cantatas, psalms and some piano-pieces, of which only a few have been published.

Christian Gottlob August Bergt (d. 1837), at first educated at Dresden and Leipsic for the church, from 1802 was organist at Bautzen, where he led a