Bach's Austrian Roots: Exploring His Heritage

There are several notable figures with the surname Bach who are from Austria. One is Johann Sebastian Bach, a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period, who was born in Eisenach, Germany. Another is Baron Alexander von Bach, an Austrian politician who instituted a system of centralized control under Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. There is also a small village called Bach, located in the Upper Lechtal Valley at an altitude of 1,070 meters and home to around 600 residents.

Bach is a small village in Austria, located in the Upper Lechtal Valley

Bach is a charming mountain village with several hamlets and farm groups, including the hamlet of Stockach, which even has its own church, fire department, and music band. The village is known for its beautiful frescoes on the facades of the buildings, depicting generations of seasonal workers from the Lechtal Valley who were forced to move abroad due to meagre incomes.

The village offers a range of outdoor activities and is an ideal starting point for tours in the Lechtal Alps. Popular destinations include the unoccupied Madautal Valley and the Sulztal Valley, which can be accessed via the Lechtal lift facilities. The Jöchelspitze mountain, reaching 2,226 metres, is a favourite spot for hikers and paragliders, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Lechtal and Allgäu Alps.

Bach also boasts a rich cultural heritage with two churches and two chapels, including the Purification of Mary Parish Church, which dates back to 1790. The village has a vibrant community life, with village fairs and concerts by the local bands contributing to a cheerful atmosphere during the summer months.

In the winter, Bach transforms into a winter wonderland, with sunny and well-groomed cross-country trails and winter hiking trails. The Jöchelspitze Skiing Area, located high above the village, opens its doors to skiers and snowboarders, while the valley floor offers plenty of trails for cross-country skiers.

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician

Bach's early cantatas, written during his time in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, showcase his compositional mastery and skill. He had a deep understanding of harmony, often employing surprisingly dissonant chords and progressions that were uncommon for his time. This, along with his extensive use of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and his adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly Italy and France, set him apart from his contemporaries.

Bach's most famous works include the orchestral Brandenburg Concertos, the solo cello suites, sonatas and partitas for solo violin, keyboard works like the Goldberg Variations and The Well-Tempered Clavier, and choral masterpieces like the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. He was highly prolific and composed music for a variety of instruments and forms.

Bach's influence extended beyond his lifetime, with composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn drawing inspiration from his work. In the 19th century, Bach's music began to be recognised more widely, and he gradually came to be regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music. Today, he remains an iconic figure in the world of classical music, with his works continuing to be studied, performed, and celebrated.

Baron Alexander von Bach was an Austrian politician

Alexander von Bach was a well-known liberal lawyer and was first called a "minister of barricades". He served as Minister of Justice in 1848 and 1849 and then became Minister of the Interior from 1849 to 1859. He was in favour of a departure from the absolute system of Metternich but did not support the Revolutionaries of 1848. His views have been described as "quite wonderfully unprincipled", and he was driven into conservative ranks by popular opposition. He gradually adhered to conservative views, endorsing the centralizing constitutional program of Prince Schwarzenberg in March 1849, which further inflamed Hungarian sentiments.

After the death of Schwarzenberg in 1852, von Bach largely dictated policy in Austria and Hungary. He centralized administrative authority for the Austrian Empire but also endorsed reactionary policies that reduced freedom of the press and abandoned public trials. This period in the history of the Austrian Empire became known as the era of "neo-absolutism", or Bach's absolutism. He was created Baron (Freiherr) in 1854 and was also the guardian of the Science Academy (Akademie der Wissenschaften) from 1849 to 1859.

His fall from power in 1859 was caused by the failure in the Italian war against the Kingdom of Sardinia and Napoleon III. His reforms of the military had led to industrialization being neglected, with barracks taking the place of factories and infrastructure expansion being weakened. After leaving his position, von Bach served as Ambassador to the Holy See from 1859 until his death in seclusion in 1893.

The village of Bach has around 600 inhabitants

The village of Bach is located in the upper Lech Valley, in the district of Reutte, in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is home to around 600 inhabitants. The place Bach was first mentioned in documents in 1427. The village is located at a height of 1070 meters above sea level and is part of the administrative region of Reutte.

Bach is surrounded by four watercourses, two of which are major. These are the river Lech, which flows through the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park, and the Alperschonbach, which merges with the Lech river. The other two are smaller watercourses: the Modertalbach and the Sulzlbach.

The village has a rich history that dates back to the 15th century. It was once subordinate to the court Ehrenberg and was politically referred to as a parish. The name "Bach" was not used until after 1854; until then, it was always referred to as Stockach.

Today, Bach is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. It offers hiking trails, such as the Lech River Trail and the Botanic Learning Trail, and is a good starting point for exploring the surrounding valleys. In the winter, the nearby mountain of Jöchelspitze welcomes skiers and snowboarders, while cross-country skiers can explore the trails on the valley floor.

The place Bach was first mentioned in documents in 1427

Bach was settled very late, as was typical in the Lech Valley. To obtain new land and farms, property owners commissioned farmers to clear the land and keep it under a special feudal relationship. The municipality was subordinate to the court Ehrenberg and was assigned to the lawyer Mitter Lechtal in 1500. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the political communities in the court Ehrenberg were referred to as parishes, and Bach was part of the parish Elbigenalp.

Until 1854, Bach was referred to as Stockach. The name Bach for the municipality only came into use after this time. As of 2019, the municipality of Bach has 612 inhabitants and 11 members on its council.

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