Saturday, August 11, 2018

Antigua: Bach anniversary

The island nation of Antigua (also Antigua and Barbuda)  issued this miniature sheet (Scott 2339) of a single stamp in 26 June 2000, presumably for the 250th anniversary of the death of JS Bach. The sheet  shows the Bach statue which is located outside the St Thomas Church in Leipzig Germany. The background is a music image denoted BMV 900. One assumes that should read "BWV" the generally used cataloging nomenclature for Bach works. It's a piano prelude and fugue. Bach was of course music director and teacher at the St Thomas church and school from 1723 until his death. The statue was erected in 1908, built by Carl Seffner. The composer is at the forefront of the statue but behind him is a representation of a pipe organ. It's not very clear on the stamp, but the image below makes it quite clear. Antigua was identified as part of the Leeward Islands for some time; it became a crown colony in 1956 and an Associated State in 1967. It gained independence in 1981 and took the name Antigua and Barbuda.


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