Bach House Eisenach 2024

The Bachhaus, with over 300 original exhibits over an area of 600 m2, is one of the most significant exhibitions focussing on Bachʼs life and music. One of its unique features is the performance each hour of short concerts in the “instrument hall”: on two organs (built in around 1650 and around 1750), a clavichord (1770), the Silbermann spinet (c. 1760) and the harpsichord (1705, copy). In the half-timbered building, built in 1456, residential rooms (bedroom, living room, kitchen) furnished with original furniture illustrate what life was like in the time of Bach. This is where we can see the puzzling “Bach Goblet” and Bachʼs meticulously reconstructed “theological library”. In the adjoining new building, valuable exhibits, multimedia art works and individual listening facilities come together to create an exciting representation of Bachʼs music. There is also a childrenʼs corner with a tricky organ puzzle.

To mark the double anniversary of 500 years of hymnbooks –  300 years of Bach's chorale cantatas, the Bachhaus Eisenach is presenting an exhibition with numerous originals, including the First Lutheran hymnal, Martin Luther's ‘Achtliederbuch’ from 1524 and an autograph from 1724. The year 1524 is considered the origin of the church hymnal: the ‘Achtliederbuch’ was published in Nuremberg and the ‘Erfurter Enchiridion’ in Erfurt. Hymnbooks were a byproduct of Luther's Reformation: hymnbooks for the congregation did not exist before, yet today they are an integral part of church services of every denomination. The year 2024 also marks the 300th anniversary of Bach's second Leipzig cantata series, the so-called chorale cantatas, which Bach performed in Leipzig's main churches starting 11 June 1724. Bach's idea of basing each of these cantatas on an old hymnbook chorale was unprecedented in music history. It makes sense to see them as Bach's own contribution to the 200th anniversary of the hymnal at the time. The exhibition in Eisenach is dedicated to this double anniversary with a special exhibition from 11 July, which ends on 3 November 2024 with the Eisenach Bach Festival. For restoration reasons, a longer exhibition period is not possible.

Special exhibition:
Eight Hymns: 500 years of hymnbooks - 300 years of Bach's chorale cantatas
11.07.-03.11.2024

Permanent exhibition in the old and new building open daily, 10 am - 6 pm. Live music every hour.
Bach House Eisenach, Frauenplan 21, 99817 Eisenach

www.bachhaus-eisenach.de/en