ADS in German, signed twice, “Joh. Seb: Bach,” one page both sides, 3.75 x 3, October 26, 1743 and 1745. Incredibly rare double-sided, twice-signed handwritten receipt by celebrated Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach, acknowledging the sum of five guilders from Martin Simon Hille and Johann Bode under the terms of Sabina Nathan’s legacy, which provided for the music performed at her annual memorial service. When the wealthy widow Sabina Nathan of Leipzig died in 1612, she made a bequest to have a motet sung in her memory every year on the feast day of St. Sabina in the Lutheran St. Thomas Church [Thomaskirche] in Leipzig. Bach, as Kapellmeister of this church, carried out the task from 1726 to 1749.
The first, in full: "Viel erwehntem Nathanischem Legato hat Herr Martin Simon Hille, als der Zeit Inspector obbesagten Legati, heute dato vermittelst Auszahlung derer gewöhnlichen 5 Gülden abermahlen völlige Genüge geleistet, wannenhero auch morgenden Tages in der Thomas-Kirche das Leichengedächtniß abgesungen werden soll."
The second, in full: "Vor gegenwärtiges Jahr hat der dasige Inspector des Nathanischen Legati Herr Johann Bode, wegen Absingung eines Sterbe Liedes, vermittelst richtiger Auszahlung der legirten fünff Gülden Meißnisch völlige Genüge geleistet, so hiermit bescheiniget u. darüber quittiret wird."
Professionally inlaid into a larger sheet and in fine condition, with a slit to the first and second lines due to ink erosion of a stricken-out correction. Bach's autograph is extremely rare in any form, this being the first we have ever offered. As a twice-signed piece relating directly to his illustrious musical career, it is truly a treasure of cultural history.
Provenance: Sold at Sotheby’s, 5 December 2003, lot 11.
Literature: Bach-Dokumente I: Schriftstücke von der Hand Johann Sebastian Bachs (Kassel, Bärenreiter, 1963), pp. 201-203, nos. 126 & 128.
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