The Life And Music Of Johann Sebastian Bach

“It’s easy to play any musical instrument; all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself” – Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach had composed many musical compositions. Bach was married twice and had a total of 20 kids 17 of which survived. Even after losing his eyesight, Johann Sebastian Bach went on to become one of the greatest composers of the Baroque Era. Composing many musical works that many people enjoy today.

Johann Sebastian Bach came from a family of musicians, stretching back several generations Johann Sebastian Bach was born circa March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany. Johann Ambrosius Bach worked as a town musician in Eisenach, and it is believed that he taught young Johann to play the violin.

At the age of seven, Bach went to school where he received religious instruction and studied Latin and other subjects. Bach’s parents, Johann Ambrosius Bach and Maria Elisabetha Lämmerhirt died before he was 10. Johann Christoph Bach, one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s circa three brothers, took Johann Sebastian Bach in after his parents death. Johann Sebastian Bach was taught clavichord and harpsichord by Johann Christoph Bach.

Bach’s brother most likely helped with his musical training. By the time Johann Sebastian was 15 the was no longer room for him at Johann Christoph’s house. Bach then obtained a place at St. Michael’s School in Lüneburg. Bach had a great soprano voice which helped him land a spot in St. Michael’s, he benefited from his solid musical education and singing. At the age of 17 Johann’s formal education came to an end.

In 1702, Johann returned to his native Thuringia in hopes for a job. After being a temporary violinist at Weimar Ducal Court, Bach was appointed, not far from Weimar, as an organist at the New Church in Arnstadt, which is where he started his composing life. In the winter of 1705 and 1706, he made his legendary pilgrimage to Lübeck, allegedly on foot, to see a celebrated church organist by the name of Dietrich Buxtehude. When Bach returned to Arnstadt, his relationship with the church council deteriorated because he had a stubborn and at times arrogant streak, causing problems with all his employers. Bach took up a new post as an organist at the imperial free city of Mühlausen in the summer of 1707. After Bach had a salary change, he had felt able to marry his second cousin, Maria Barbara Bach.

Johann quickly became dissatisfied with conditions at Mühlhausen, even though his personal settled down. In 1708, he moved back to the Ducal Court at Weimar. Together Maria and Bach had four surviving children. Maria died suddenly while Bach was at a spa with his employer in May of 1720. The next year he remarried to Anna Magdalena Wilken. Anna had inherited the four surviving children and added another 13. Among the 13 children Anna added to the surviving four was a future composer, Johann Christian or the “English Bach” because he spent so much time in England. Wilken had proved a great asset to Bach, domestically and professionally. Anna was the daughter of a musician and she was also a harpsichordist, signer, and music copyist.

Bach began to compile two Clavierbüchlein or little keyboard books shortly after Bach’s and Wilkins’ marriage. The Clavierbüchlein is the 15 Inventions and Sinfonias and several preludes and fugues, which were later assembled with others as Das Wohltemperierte Clavier meaning The Well-tempered Clavier.

In Bach’s years at working in Leipzig, he was not only required to teach but also to supply music for Leipzig’s two town principle churches, St. Thomas, and St. Nicholas. One of Bach’s principal jobs was writing, wehearsong, and directing cantatas for Sunday services at the two churches. Bach’s output included

At Weimar Bach was court organist and a member of the orchestra (Johann Britannica). Weimar was a small town in the 18th century, its flory cam so 80 years later. Weimar is where Bach had started to compose cantatas in earnest for performance at court. Bach composed music for the orchestra too. Bach was happy and productive until 1713. In 1717, Bach accepted a position with Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. Before Bach left his other job his employer was so upset that he put Bach and his family on house arrest. In December of the same ye.ar Bach and his family were allowed to leave.

Bach died in Leipzig, Germany, on July 28, 1750. Some of his major works include Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Mass in B minor, Brandenburg Concertos as well as The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988’, it was named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg and it was published in 1741. After Bach’s death, musical fashions were changing fast. Bach was more celebrated as an organist than a composer. Bach one said “I was obliged to be industrious, whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well”.