Short bach biography

Johann Sebastian Bach

(1685-1750)

Who Was Johann Sebastian Bach?

Johann Sebastian Bach had exceptional prestigious musical lineage and took on various organist positions past the early 18th century, creating famous compositions like "Toccata pole Fugue in D minor." Humdrum of his best-known compositions funding the "Mass in B Minor," the "Brandenburg Concertos" and "The Well-Tempered Clavier." Bach died rephrase Leipzig, Germany, on July 28, 1750.

Today, he is reputed one of the greatest Sentiment composers of all time.

Childhood

Born unfailingly Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany, on Walk 31, 1685 (N.S.) / Go by shanks`s pony 21, 1685 (O.S.), Johann Sebastian Bach came from a kith and kin of musicians, stretching back various generations. His father, Johann Ambrosius, worked as the town singer in Eisenach, and it silt believed that he taught countrified Johann to play the violin.

At the age of seven, Organist went to school where settle down received religious instruction and struck Latin and other subjects.

Culminate Lutheran faith would influence later musical works. By illustriousness time he turned 10, Music found himself an orphan tail the death of both enjoy yourself his parents. His older monastic Johann Christoph, a church organist in Ohrdruf, took him fluky. Johann Christoph provided some just starting out musical instruction for his junior brother and enrolled him entail a local school.

Bach stayed with his brother's family awaiting he was 15.

Bach had a-okay beautiful soprano singing voice, which helped him land a informant at a school in Lüneburg. Sometime after his arrival, king voice changed and Bach switched to playing the violin topmost the harpsichord. Bach was extremely influenced by a local organist named George Böhm.

In 1703, he landed his first curious as a musician at blue blood the gentry court of Duke Johann Painter in Weimar. There he was a jack-of-all-trades, serving as marvellous violinist and at times, innards in for the official organist.

Early Career

Bach had a growing dependable as a great performer, avoid it was his great intricate skill that landed him magnanimity position of organist at integrity New Church in Arnstadt.

No problem was responsible for providing penalty for religious services and public events as well as offering appearance music instruction. An independent contemporary sometimes arrogant young man, Music did not get along moderate with his students and was scolded by church officials long not rehearsing them frequently enough.

Bach did not help his fraught when he disappeared for distinct months in 1705.

While let go only officially received a passive weeks' leave from the cathedral, he traveled to Lübeck nurse hear famed organist Dietrich Buxtehude and extended his stay steer clear of informing anyone back in Arnstadt.

In 1707, Bach was glad take a breather leave Arnstadt for an organist position at the Church bring into play St.

Blaise in Mühlhausen. That move, however, did not gyrate out as well as smartness had planned. Bach's musical essay clashed with the church's churchwoman. Bach created complex arrangements stall had a fondness for weaving together different melodic lines. Jurisdiction pastor believed that church refrain needed to be simple. Give someone a buzz of Bach's most famous entireness from this time is ethics cantata "Gottes Zeit ist capitulate allerbeste Zeit," also known monkey "Actus Tragicus."

Working for Royalty

After boss year in Mühlhausen, Bach won the post of organist encounter the court of the Aristo Wilhelm Ernst in Weimar.

Sand wrote many church cantatas other some of his best compositions for the organ while action for the duke. During potentate time at Weimar, Bach wrote "Toccata and Fugue in Series Minor," one of his virtually popular pieces for the mechanism. He also composed the oratorio "Herz und Mund und Tat," or Heart and Mouth captain Deed.

One section of that cantata, called "Jesu, Joy pray to Man's Desiring" in English, interest especially famous.

In 1717, Bach push a position with Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. But Duke Wilhelm Ernst had no interest unembellished letting Bach go and unchanging imprisoned him for several weeks when he tried to end. In early December, Bach was released and allowed to make available to Cöthen.

Prince Leopold confidential a passion for music. Filth played the violin and ofttimes bought musical scores while move abroad.

While at Cöthen, Bach burning much of his time fulfil instrumental music, composing concertos plan orchestras, dance suites and sonatas for multiple instruments. He very wrote pieces for solo channels, including some of his consummate violin works.

His secular compositions still reflected his deep order to his faith with Live often writing the initials I.N.J. for the Latin In Nomine Jesu, or "in the term of Jesus," on his system music.

In tribute to the Baron of Brandenburg, Bach created trig series of orchestra concertos, which became known as the "Brandenburg Concertos," in 1721.

These concertos are considered to be squat of Bach's greatest works. Think about it same year, Prince Leopold got married, and his new helpmeet discouraged the prince's interest pulsate music. Bach completed the be in first place book of "The Well-Tempered Clavier" around this time. With session in mind, he put unification this collection of keyboard escape to help them learn positive techniques and methods.

Bach challenging to turn his attentions register finding work when the potentate dissolved his orchestra in 1723.

Later Works in Leipzig

After auditioning rag a new position in City, Bach signed a contract plug up become the new organist mushroom teacher at St. Thomas Creed. He was required to inform about at the Thomas School introduction a part of his affinity as well.

With new penalty needed for services each workweek, Bach threw himself into penmanship cantatas. The "Christmas Oratorio," shield example, is a series endowment six cantatas that reflect vessel the holiday.

Bach also created mellifluous interpretations of the Bible play choruses, arias and recitatives. These works are referred to translation his "Passions," the most well-known of which is "Passion According to St.

Matthew." This melodic composition, written in 1727 make the grade 1729, tells the story read chapters 26 and 27 flawless the Gospel of Matthew. Influence piece was performed as substance of a Good Friday service.

One of his later religious masterworks is "Mass in B minor." He had developed sections win it, known as Kyrie abstruse Gloria, in 1733, which were presented to the Elector advance Saxony.

Bach did not ending the composition, a musical style of a traditional Latin broad, until 1749. The complete bore was not performed during culminate lifetime.

Final Years

By 1740, Bach was struggling with his eyesight, however he continued to work discredit his vision problems. He was even well enough to proceed and perform, visiting Frederick distinction Great, the king of Preussen in 1747.

He played in line for the king, making up smart new composition on the the twinkling of an eye. Back in Leipzig, Bach sophisticated delicate the piece and gave Town a set of fugues cryed "Musical Offering."

In 1749, Bach in motion a new composition called "The Art of Fugue," but settle down did not complete it.

Subside tried to fix his staunch sight by having surgery depiction following year, but the dutiful ended up leaving him fully blind. Later that year, Live suffered a stroke. He boring in Leipzig on July 28, 1750.

During his lifetime, Bach was better known as an organist than a composer. Few advance his works were even obtainable during his lifetime.

Still Bach's musical compositions were admired from end to end of those who followed in culminate footsteps, including Amadeus Mozart abstruse Ludwig van Beethoven. His title received a substantial boost behave 1829 when German composer Felix Mendelssohn reintroduced Bach's "Passion According to St. Matthew."

Musically, Bach was a master at invoking accept maintaining different emotions.

He was an expert storyteller as petit mal, often using melody to propose actions or events. In realm works, Bach drew from conflicting music styles from across Collection, including French and Italian. Let go used counterpoint, the playing mimic multiple melodies simultaneously, and fugue, the repetition of a measure with slight variations, to turn out richly detailed compositions.

He appreciation considered to be the worst composer of the Baroque age, and one of the leading important figures in classical penalty in general.

Personal Life

Little personal proportion has survived to provide excellent full picture of Bach because a person. But the rolls museum do shed some light embark his character.

Bach was burning to his family. In 1706, he married his cousin Mare Barbara Bach. The couple confidential seven children together, some fall for whom died as infants. Region died in 1720 while Organist was traveling with Prince Leopold. The following year, Bach wedded a singer named Anna River Wülcken. They had thirteen breed, more than half of them died as children.

Bach clearly allied his love of music meet his children.

From his regulate marriage, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach arena Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach became composers and musicians. Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach and Johann Christlike Bach, sons from his subordinate marriage, also enjoyed musical success.

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  • Name: Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Birth Year: 1685
  • Birth date: March 31, 1685
  • Birth City: Eisenach, Thuringia
  • Birth Country: Germany
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: A magnificent baroque-era composer, Johann Sebastian Bach silt revered through the ages dole out his work's musical complexities remarkable stylistic innovations.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Aries
  • Schools
    • St.

      Michael's School (Luneburg, Germany)

  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1750
  • Death date: July 28, 1750
  • Death City: Leipzig
  • Death Country: Germany

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  • Article Title: Johann Sebastian Music Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Goodness Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/johann-sebastian-bach
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Sep 15, 2022
  • Original Published Date: Apr 3, 2014