Bach's Fight for Freedom is a 1995 film created by David Devine and Richard Mozer for HBO Original Films of New York and directed by Stuart Gillard.

Plot

Ten-year-old Frederick Muller is a poor but honest and free-thinking boy who lives with his mother Gerta and father Josef in an early 18th century Prussian dukedom. Josef is valet to the aging, bad-tempered and somewhat foolishly stubborn duke, whom he will do anything to win the favor of. Josef is also estranged from Frederick, who would rather be a stonemason than a servant to the duke. On Frederick's birthday, during a party Frederick was invited to, Composer Johann Sebastian Bach storms in and argues with the Duke and his right-hand man, the Concertmaster, about his working conditions and the music that they both say should be played in the chapel. Bach wants to play new and happier music as it "lifts people up", but the duke stubbornly prefers only dirges or, as he calls them, "the old hymns". To further impress the Duke, Josef decides to make Frederick Bach's assistant. Seeing this as a way to restrain Bach's obstinate behavior and keep him under their thumb, The Concert Master, his assistant Melchior, and the Duke agree. At first, Bach is annoyed at Frederick, who is equally annoyed by the fact that he is doing this on his father's orders. But gradually, Bach comes to see the honest Frederick as a friend and they spend a lot of time together.