Johann Sebastian Bach is considered one of the greatest composers of all time. His works such as "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" and "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" have survived for centuries, and are still widely recognized by audiences today. He was a revolutionary songwriter whose musical complexity and use of counterpoint (the combination of two or more melodies) earned him the title of the best composer of the Baroque era and one of the most important figures in all of classical music.
Early Life:
Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685, in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany to Johann Ambrosius and Elizabeth Lämmerhert Bach. He came from a long line of musicians dating back to his great-grandfather Viet Bach, a professional violinist. His first instructor was his father, who taught him to play violin at a young age. He was orphaned at the age of ten and placed in the care of his older brother
Johann Cristoph. Later he attended St. Michael's School in Lüneburg, Germany
where he met the composer Georg Böhm who influenced some of Bach's early
compositions. He graduated from St. Michael's in 1702, and in 1703 he began his
first job as musician at the court of Duke Johann Ernst in
Weimar.
Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685, in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany to Johann Ambrosius and Elizabeth Lämmerhert Bach. He came from a long line of musicians dating back to his great-grandfather Viet Bach, a professional violinist. His first instructor was his father, who taught him to play violin at a young age. He was orphaned at the age of ten and placed in the care of his older brother
Johann Cristoph. Later he attended St. Michael's School in Lüneburg, Germany
where he met the composer Georg Böhm who influenced some of Bach's early
compositions. He graduated from St. Michael's in 1702, and in 1703 he began his
first job as musician at the court of Duke Johann Ernst in
Weimar.
Career:
After Weimar, Bach worked in many different places throughout his almost
fifty year long career. He next went to Arnstad where he played organ and
directed the choir, but he and members of the church did not get along well, so he left for new position at Mühlhausen. His position there was there was short-lived because the pastor of the church preferred very simple liturgy and music, whereas Bach preferred elaborate pieces with extensive instrumentation. Bach won the support of the city council, but the tension between Bach and the pastor convinced him to seek a new position. He married his first wife Maria Barbara Bach during this time.
Bach's next employer was an orthodox Lutheran church in Weimar. During his time there Bach wrote many organ pieces, including the famous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. He worked in Weimar for several years until Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen offered him a position. Bach accepted the job, but his current employer was not willing to let him leave, so he imprisoned Bach for a month before Bach finally gained release. Bach's first wife died in 1720 and he married his second wife Anna Magdalena Wülken in 1721. Bach enjoyed his time in Cöthen, but it came to an end all too soon when the prince’s new wife discouraged his interest in music. Bach’s next position was in Leipzig where he was responsible for writing church music and teaching at the local school. He held this position until he died. During the last year of his life, Bach began to go blind. He tried to correct his vision through surgery, but the operation left him completely blind. He died on July 28, 1750.
After Weimar, Bach worked in many different places throughout his almost
fifty year long career. He next went to Arnstad where he played organ and
directed the choir, but he and members of the church did not get along well, so he left for new position at Mühlhausen. His position there was there was short-lived because the pastor of the church preferred very simple liturgy and music, whereas Bach preferred elaborate pieces with extensive instrumentation. Bach won the support of the city council, but the tension between Bach and the pastor convinced him to seek a new position. He married his first wife Maria Barbara Bach during this time.
Bach's next employer was an orthodox Lutheran church in Weimar. During his time there Bach wrote many organ pieces, including the famous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. He worked in Weimar for several years until Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen offered him a position. Bach accepted the job, but his current employer was not willing to let him leave, so he imprisoned Bach for a month before Bach finally gained release. Bach's first wife died in 1720 and he married his second wife Anna Magdalena Wülken in 1721. Bach enjoyed his time in Cöthen, but it came to an end all too soon when the prince’s new wife discouraged his interest in music. Bach’s next position was in Leipzig where he was responsible for writing church music and teaching at the local school. He held this position until he died. During the last year of his life, Bach began to go blind. He tried to correct his vision through surgery, but the operation left him completely blind. He died on July 28, 1750.