Skip to content
    skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    Listen

    On Air Now

    David Mellor's Melodies 9pm - 10pm

    David Mellor's Melodies

    Now Playing

    Russian Easter Overture Opus 36 Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov

    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Lifestyle
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Podcasts
    • Events
    • Dating
    • Follow us on:
      Follow Classic FM on Twitter
      Follow Classic FM on Facebook
      Follow Classic FM on Instagram
      Follow Classic FM on Youtube

    Composers

    Bach

    • Bach Home
    • Music
    • Album reviews
    • Pictures
    • Guides
    • More Composers

    William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (1662 - 1728)

    This image appears in the gallery:
    Bach's friends, family, and important people in his life

    William Ernest Duke Saxe-Weimar Bach

    8. William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (1662 - 1728)

    In 1708, J. S. Bach was offered a position as a Court chamber musician by Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar. When Wilhelm’s Kapellmeister Johann Samuel Drese died in 1716, Bach solicited his post but the Duke appointed Drese's son instead. Furious, Bach solicited his dismissal from the Duke's service. Annoyed at Bach's impertinence, the Duke had Bach jailed for four weeks in a fortress.

    1. Image 1: Gera Thuringia Germany Bach
    2. Image 2: Bach stammhaus Wechmar
    3. Image 3: Johann Ambrosius Bach Sebastian father
    4. Image 4: Bach Johann Christoph uncle Sebastian
    5. Image 5: Michaelis monastery Lüneburg Georg Erdmann Johann Sebastian Bach
    6. Image 6: Bach Johann Christoph brother Sebastian
    7. Image 7: Bach George Bohm organist
    8. Image 8: William Ernest Duke Saxe-Weimar Bach
    9. Image 9: Dietrich Buxtehude organist
    10. Image 10: Telemann Georg Philipp 16 images

    See the full gallery: Bach's friends, family, and important people in his life

    Bach latest features

    See more Bach latest features

    20 of the greatest piano concertos of all time. Pictured (L-R): Arsha Kaviani, Mitsuko Uchida, Yuja Wang.

    The 20 best piano concertos of all time

    Discover Music

    Kadiatu and her son, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, present a joint show together on Classic FM for Mother’s Day.

    ‘Bach’s music belongs to us all’ – Kadiatu and Sheku Kanneh-Mason present a Mother’s Day special on Classic FM

    Sheku Kanneh-Mason

    The legendary cellist played a small but important part in the first 5 minutes of the new Netflix mystery film

    Yo-Yo Ma’s ‘Bach’ cameo in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery explained

    Yo-Yo Ma

    Christmas is upon us, which means it's time to rediscover all those favourite festive pieces of music

    The 20 best pieces of classical Christmas music

    Christmas

    All the classical music played in ‘Wednesday’ on Netflix

    What classical music is played in ‘Wednesday’ on Netflix?

    Discover Music

    Halloween classical music for children

    13 spooky pieces of Halloween music for children

    Discover Music

    Baroque composers

    10 of the best Baroque composers

    Discover Music

    JS Bach Happy Birthday

    ‘Happy Birthday’ – but it’s in the style of a Johann Sebastian Bach fugue

    Bottlenose dolphins enjoyed listening to Bach as part of the study

    Dolphins behave better after listening to Bach and Beethoven, study finds

    10 pieces of classical music for a perfect night’s relaxation

    10 pieces of classical music for a perfect night’s relaxation

    Discover Music

    Best classical music

    See more Best classical music

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    Discover Music

    Best symphonies: Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonin Dvorak and Florence Price

    The 15 greatest symphonies of all time

    Discover Music

    4 eras of classical music

    The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

    Discover Music

    Women composers gallery

    21 of the greatest women composers in classical music

    Discover Music

    Best pianists of all time

    The 25 best pianists of all time

    Discover Music

    Most romantic opera duets (Stacey Alleaume as Violetta and Liparit Avertisyan as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata in Sydney, 2022)

    The 10 most romantic opera duets of all time

    Discover Music

    Latest on Classic FM

    Sergei Rachmaninov, born 150 years ago.

    12 ways Sergei Rachmaninov changed music forever

    Rachmaninov

    Bradley Cooper stars in and directs the upcoming Netflix film, ‘Maestro’; a biopic of Leonard Bernstein’s life

    Maestro: everything to know about Bradley Cooper’s upcoming Bernstein biopic on Netflix

    Bernstein, L

    Rachmaninov comes alive in artist’s striking 3D portrait ahead of 150th anniversary

    Rachmaninov comes alive in artist’s striking 3D portrait ahead of 150th anniversary

    Rachmaninov

    Italian piano superstar Ludovico Einaudi wins Best Classical Artist at the Global Awards

    Ludovico Einaudi wins Best Classical Artist at the Global Awards 2023

    Global Awards

    Josafat Raman performs Einaudi’s popular solo piano work, ‘Experience’ on TikTok

    Pianist with congenital hand disability astounds with Einaudi melody in viral TikTok

    Discover Music

    Girl and her great-grandfather play a piano duet

    Toddler plays a heartwarming piano duet with her 100-year-old great-grandfather

    Discover Music

    The introduction of the £1 Ticket Scheme will help families access music-making events at the London chamber music venue

    Wigmore Hall launches £1 ticket scheme for families who face financial barriers, to access music

    Nicolò Foron won the 17th Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition with a programme of Wagner, Grieg and Berlioz.

    Joyous moment 25-year-old conductor wins competition with storming Berlioz symphony

    LSO

    James Bowman sings at Leeds Town Hall, 1972

    Leading countertenor James Bowman, who ‘inspired a generation’, has died aged 81

    Andrea Bocelli and HAUSER duet in New York

    Andrea Bocelli and cellist HAUSER perform a glittering New York Times Square duet

    Andrea Bocelli

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • Listen to Global Player
    • Alexander Armstrong on Classic FM
    • Google Doodle
    • Quizzes
    • Mozart
    • Debussy
    • Music theory
    • Instruments
    • Classic FM Live
    • Brahms
    • Vivaldi
    • Bach
    • LBC News
    • Tchaikovsky
    • Chopin
    • Andrea Bocelli
    • Florence Price
    • Beethoven
    • Best classical music
    • Classic FM Requests
    • Best pianists
    • Harry Potter music
    • Saturday Night at the Movies
    • Star Wars soundtrack
    • Composer or pasta
    • Music for Studying
    • Best violinists
    • Classical music tearjerkers
    • Relaxing classical

    Useful Links

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • How To Listen
    • About Classic FM
    • Company Details
    • Cookies
    • Privacy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Advertise
    • Global Jobs

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2023
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager