marriage, three remained; and of thirteen by the second, six—in all, five sons and four daughters.
In appearance Bach was stalwart, with a full face dominated by keen eyes, arching brows and an ample forehead. His expression was grave, but brightened readily into kindliness or humor. In manner he was courteous, but decidedly dignified. He was reserved in conversation, but wrote with clearness and pungency. He formed intimate and loyal friendships with those whom he could respect. He was considerate as a critic, especially for earnest students, but had small patience with pretension. While perfectly aware of his abilities and dogged about his official rights, he hated parade and boasting. He was a prodigious worker, rising to supremacy as executant and composer by persistent self-discipline, sparing no effort to acquaint himself with all styles except that of the opera, and becoming also an expert in organ-building and a good musical engraver. He was a devout and orthodox Lutheran, and many facts show the depth of his religious sentiments and their bearing on his musical and social life.
118. His Style and Works.—The centre of Bach's art was organ music. Though first trained as a violinist and always eminent in dealing with stringed instruments, he instinctively fastened upon the concerted style of the organ as the field for his fullest expression. Here, in the union of several keyboards, each with its varied stops, and in the continuity and majesty of tone characteristic of the instrument, he found room for solid harmony, for manifold polyphony, for unlimited development, and for immense climaxes suitable to the noblest conceptions. Up to his time music had been groping after the formal means for sustained and cumulative effects. Bach realized the necessity for strong thematic material, for contrapuntal organization, and for marshaling parts and sections with the utmost artistic strategy. In his hands the chorale-elaboration, the toccata and the fugue attained an unsurpassed grandeur. And in whatever other direction he chose to work the influence of his organist's method of thinking and writing is obvious, whether with the smaller resources of the clavier, or with solo instruments in combination, or with voices as such instruments or in chorus.
In the details of structure Bach never fails to be a contrapuntist, but analysis shows how far his polyphony transcends that of the mere pedant. Its subject-material is almost all original, has character and meaning in itself, suggests more or less clearly a harmonic idea, and often achieves decided melodic beauty. As the subjects are unfolded, interwoven and combined with episodical matter, it is clear that the whole is greater
