Born: 21 March 1685 (O.S.) or 31 March 1685
(N.S.); Eisenach, Germany
Died: 28 July 1750; Leipzig, Germany
Nationality: German
Johann Sebastian Bach is a German composer
and musician of the Baroque era who was born on March 31, 1685 and died on July
28, 1750. He is famous for his instrumental works such as the Brandenburg
Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and the vocal music such as the St
Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. As Bach, forgotten by people, was revived
in the 19th century, he was re-evaluated as one of the greatest composers of
all time.
When Bach was born as the last child of a musician
family in Eisenach, there were already several composers in his family. When he
was orphaned at the age of 10, he lived with his eldest brother, Johann
Christoph for 5 years, and after which he continued his musical formation in Lüneburg.
Johann Ambrosius Bach, Bach's father
He returned to Thuringia and worked as a musician for Protestant churches in Arnstadt
and Mühlhausen from 1703. When he worked at courts in Weimar, he expanded his
organ repertory, and mostly composed chamber music in Köthen.
The Wender organ Bach played in Arnstadt
From 1723, Bach was
employed as Thomaskantor (cantor at St. Thomas) in Leipzig. He composed music
for the principal Lutheran churches of the city, and for its university's
student ensemble Collegium Musicum.
St. Thomas Church, Leipzig
From 1726, Bach published some of his
keyboard and organ music. In 1736, when his sovereign, Augustus, Elector of
Saxony and King of Poland, granted him the title of court composer, he had a
very difficult relationship with his employer in Leipzig.
1908 Statue of Bach in front of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig
Bach reworked and extended
many of his early works during the last decades of his life. He died of
complications after eye surgery in 1750 at the age of 65.
Bach's grave and altar in the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig
Thank you.
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