bach

Everyday

1. Bach is the surname of Johann Sebastian Bach, a famous German composer of classical and church music who lived long ago (a name). tree →
2. (New Zealand) A bach is a small, simple holiday house, often by the beach or a lake. tree →
3. (informal, US, old) To bach it means to live alone as a bachelor (rare). tree →

In the lessons

In music lessons, pupils listen to Bach's music, for example his preludes for keyboard and his church music such as cantatas. In New Zealand everyday life, families go «to the bach» for summer holidays; in some parts of the South Island the same kind of house is called a «crib». Phrases: «Bach's music», «go to the bach», «the family bach».

Examples

• We listened to a piece by Bach in music class. tree →
• Bach wrote a lot of music for church organs. tree →
• Every summer we stay at our bach in the Coromandel. tree →
• The bach has no TV, just a deck and the beach. tree →
• Johann Sebastian Bach came from a family of musicians. tree →
• Gran's bach is by the lake. tree →

Note

The composer's name is said «bahk» (with a throaty sound at the end in German). The New Zealand word is said «batch». Capital B for the composer; lower case for the holiday house. Plural of the house: baches.