Born: March 31, 1685

Died: July 28, 1750

Period: Baroque

German Composer

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany as the eighth child of Johann and Maria Bach a well-established family of musicians. His father Johann Ambrosius Bach was the court trumpeter for the Duke and the director of the town musicians. Other family members held positions as organists, court musicians, trumpeters and composers.

Johann Ambrosius Bach began teaching his son, Johann Sebastian Bach the violin and harpsichord at an early age. He was also introduced to the organ by his uncle Johann Christoph Bach who held the position as organist at Georgenkirche. Johann Sebastian moved to Ohdruf in February 1695 where he began to study the organ and harpsichord under his brother Johann Christoph. Johann Sebastian was encouraged to study music composition by copying the music by German organist composers. During his time in Ohdruf, Johann Sebastian was enrolled in one of the most progressive grammar schools in Germany. He made astounding progress in Greek, Latin and Theology as was employed as a choir boy.

He become a violinist in the Lüneburg Orchestra in 1700 and an accompanist playing harpsichord for the choir. At this time Johann Sebastian met the organist of Johanniskirche, Georg Böhm who introduced JS Bach to the organ traditions of Hamburg. Bach left Lüneburg in 1702 in search of a position as a musician at the church in Arnstadt. Johann Sebastian was invited by the Arnstadt Town Councel to try its newly completed organ, the people of Arnstadt were so impressed by his playing that he was instantly offered the post of church organist. At the age of eighteen Johann Sebastian was now responsible for providing music for the church in Arnstadt. He held this position from 1703-1707. Johann Sebastian applied for the position of organist at St Blasius Church in Mühlhausen in 1707. After a successful audition he was accepted for the position.

At the beginning of his term in Mühlhause, Bach began to organize its poor musical facilities, and made a large collection of the best German music available, along with some of his own compositions. He then set out to train the choir and the new orchestra. In the year 1708 the Duke of Weimar Germany offered Bach a post in his Court chamber. At this point Bach resigned his position at Mühlhause.

While in Weimar, Bach held a position in the chamber orchestra along with being the Court Organist. Here he became the leader of the chamber orchestra and composed many pieces for the organ. The pieces he wrote during this time pushed him to become very well-known throughout Germany. His fame encouraged many organ students to come from across the country to study under him as well as requests to test organs. By 1717 Bach was offered the position as Capellmeister to the Court of Cöthen, the highest position given to a musician during the Baroque period.

Bach’s master at the Court of Cöthen was prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. The prince was known for choosing the best musicians from across the country. The prince was also skilled with the harpsichord, violin and viola da gamba, and frequently preformed with the orchestra. Bach was required to compose and perform cantatas for the New Year and the Princes birthday. By 1722 Bach applied for his dismissal at Cöthen. Shortly after he left for Leipzig where he would live for the remainder of his life.

Leipzig had a population of 30,000 and was the center of the German printing and publishing industries and very important to the European trading center. Bach worked as a Cantor which was the Director of Choir and Music in Leipzig. The duties of Cantor were to organize the music in the four principal churches in Leipzig and to form choirs for these churches. He was also required to instruct the musically talented scholars in the playing of instruments. In Leipzig Bach’s schedule was strict unlike court of Cöthen and he no longer could compose whenever he liked however he still composed regularly.

Bach became one of the most celebrated German musicians, was an outstanding organist, harpsichordist, composer and an expert on organ building. He created the highly celebrated Brandenburg Concertos, the Well-tempered Clavier and the Mass in B minor along with many other masterpieces. Bach brought together many forms, styles and national traditions throughout his life. Bach died at the age of 65 on July 28th, 1750.