Bach's keyboard duel with Louis Marchand
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Bach: Compositions, children, biography and more facts about the great composer
7. Bach's keyboard duel with Louis Marchand
Every inch the thrusting young man, JS Bach once challenged fellow harpsichord wizard Louis Marchand to a keyboard duel in 1717. However, lily-livered Marchand proved unworthy of the challenge and fled on the day of the duel. It was said that Bach was too modest to speak of the event in his later life, and was perhaps a little ashamed to have embarrassed young Marchand.