Ben Wilson

When first as a child, he doesn't perform remarkably well. And part of that is because he misses so much school. Now, the classic interpretation of this fact is that he was apprenticing to his father and was needed back at the family business. So his parents were pulling him out of school so that he could go apprentice.

When first as a child, he doesn't perform remarkably well. And part of that is because he misses so much school. Now, the classic interpretation of this fact is that he was apprenticing to his father and was needed back at the family business. So his parents were pulling him out of school so that he could go apprentice.

But later scholarship dug up some interesting facts about the school at the time. Basically, the headmaster had completely lost control, and this school was like a den for brigands and bullies to beat up on each other and commit petty crimes.

But later scholarship dug up some interesting facts about the school at the time. Basically, the headmaster had completely lost control, and this school was like a den for brigands and bullies to beat up on each other and commit petty crimes.

So the second interpretation is that he was being victimized or bullied, or at the very least distracted, so his parents might have pulled him out of school for long stretches to get him away from this sort of dangerous environment. So that's kind of the second interpretation. However, John Elliott Gardner has a very interesting take on the second hypothesis.

So the second interpretation is that he was being victimized or bullied, or at the very least distracted, so his parents might have pulled him out of school for long stretches to get him away from this sort of dangerous environment. So that's kind of the second interpretation. However, John Elliott Gardner has a very interesting take on the second hypothesis.

And he basically says, well, how do we know that Bach was a victim in all this bullying? And he brings up, you know, facts. Bach was quite large, quite tall. He ended up about 5'11", which was very tall for the age. He was very spirited. He frequently quarreled in later years. He got into a fist fight at least once. He was thrown in jail once.

And he basically says, well, how do we know that Bach was a victim in all this bullying? And he brings up, you know, facts. Bach was quite large, quite tall. He ended up about 5'11", which was very tall for the age. He was very spirited. He frequently quarreled in later years. He got into a fist fight at least once. He was thrown in jail once.

He was once reprimanded for bringing an unknown single lady into the choir loft and teaching her about music. So this is someone who was...

He was once reprimanded for bringing an unknown single lady into the choir loft and teaching her about music. So this is someone who was...

uh very energetic could be mischievous he would end up fathering 20 children like if you're picturing him as this dusty nerdy guy in a powdered wig hunched over a harpsichord all day that is not who bach was he was a presence and he often managed to impose his will so the point that john elliott gardner makes is if the rebelliousness of the school was the reason that bach was pulled out of school for a time how do we know that he was the victim and not the victimizer

uh very energetic could be mischievous he would end up fathering 20 children like if you're picturing him as this dusty nerdy guy in a powdered wig hunched over a harpsichord all day that is not who bach was he was a presence and he often managed to impose his will so the point that john elliott gardner makes is if the rebelliousness of the school was the reason that bach was pulled out of school for a time how do we know that he was the victim and not the victimizer

And I like this image. I like to think of Bach the schoolyard bully turning kids upside down and stealing their lunch money. And like, do I think that's actually true? Probably not exactly. Ultimately, we can never know what did or did not happen when he was just a child in school.

And I like this image. I like to think of Bach the schoolyard bully turning kids upside down and stealing their lunch money. And like, do I think that's actually true? Probably not exactly. Ultimately, we can never know what did or did not happen when he was just a child in school.

But what we do know is at the very least, he was a prankster and he probably was not a shrinking violet who was just bullied all day. And so his parents had to take him out of school. In a letter to Bach's biographer, his son, Emmanuel Bach wrote, there are many adventurous stories about him. A few of them may be true and concern useful pranks. The deceased never liked to hear them mentioned.

But what we do know is at the very least, he was a prankster and he probably was not a shrinking violet who was just bullied all day. And so his parents had to take him out of school. In a letter to Bach's biographer, his son, Emmanuel Bach wrote, there are many adventurous stories about him. A few of them may be true and concern useful pranks. The deceased never liked to hear them mentioned.

So pray omit these humorous things. Okay. I think that's a real shame because of that. Like those stories just never got passed down. So we know Bach was a prankster. But what those pranks were is lost the time. So, yeah, like probably Bach was on some level caught up in like participating in some of the mischief making that was going on in the school. To what extent, we don't know.

So pray omit these humorous things. Okay. I think that's a real shame because of that. Like those stories just never got passed down. So we know Bach was a prankster. But what those pranks were is lost the time. So, yeah, like probably Bach was on some level caught up in like participating in some of the mischief making that was going on in the school. To what extent, we don't know.

And what his pranks actually were, we cannot tell. And by the way, this is one of the great commonalities of great achievers. They are pranksters when they're young. Steve Jobs was a great prankster. So was Thomas Edison. So was Lee Kuan Yew, Alexander Hamilton, John Wooden. The list goes on and on. Add Bach to that list, okay? So when you're looking for great people, look for the pranksters.

And what his pranks actually were, we cannot tell. And by the way, this is one of the great commonalities of great achievers. They are pranksters when they're young. Steve Jobs was a great prankster. So was Thomas Edison. So was Lee Kuan Yew, Alexander Hamilton, John Wooden. The list goes on and on. Add Bach to that list, okay? So when you're looking for great people, look for the pranksters.