especially for instruments. Until far into the 18th century, none of them enjoyed opportunities for travel or study at musical centres outside their own region, but their enterprise and intuition enabled them to keep well abreast of progress in their art. It is hard to describe the massive value of their cumulative influence, not only in Saxony and its neighborhood, but far
ter 17th century led worthily toward their supereminent renown
in the 18th in the careers of Johann Sebastian Bach and his talented sons.
During the three centuries from 1550 to 1850 perhaps 400 Bachs are
known. Of these about 60 occupied positions of some official importance.
The full genealogy is intricate, being complicated by the intermarriage of
cousins. In general, it is to be noted that in the third generation two
great branches separate, the first of which splits into three—giving four
principal lines. For reference, the names are tabulated on page 206, each
person being marked by his initials.
I.
1. Hans of Wechmar.
II.
2. Veit (d. 1619).
III.
3. Hans 'the Player' (d. 1626).
4. Lips (d. 1620), presumably his brother.
IV.
Sons of Hans (3)—
5. Johann of Erfurt (d. 1673).
6. Christoph of Erfurt and Arnstadt (d. 1661).
7. Heinrich of Arnstadt (d. 1692).
Son of Lips (4)—
8. Wendel of Gotha (d. 1682).
V. Sons of Johann (5)—
9. Joh. Christian of Erfurt and Eisenach (d. 1682?).
10. Joh. Egidius of Erfurt (d. 1717).
11. Joh. Nikolaus of Erfurt (d. 1682).
Sons of Christoph (6)—
12. Georg Christoph of Schweinfurt (d. 1697).
13. Joh. Ambrosius of Eisenach (d. 1695).
14. Joh. Christoph of Arnstadt (d. 1694).
Sons of Heinrich (7)—
15. Joh. Christoph of Eisenach (d. 1703).
16. Joh. Michael of Gehren (d. 1694).
17. Joh. Günther of Arnstadt (d. 1683).
Son of Wendel (8)—
18. Jakob of Ruhla (d. 1718).
VI. Sons of Joh. Christian (9)—
19. Joh. Jakob of Eisenach (d. 1692).
20. Joh. Christoph of Gehren (d. 1727).
Sons of Joh. Egidius (10)—
21. Joh. Bernhard of Eisenach (d. 1749).
22. Joh. Christoph of Erfurt (d. after 1735).
