Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685�1750

One of the greatest and most influential composers of the Western world. Creating masterful and vigorous works in almost every musical form known in his period.

His Life:

J.S. Bach was born into a gifted family on March 21, 1685. He was devoted to music from childhood. He was taught by his father and later by his brother Johann Christoph, and was a boy soprano in Lüneberg.

When he was ten he was orphaned and went to live with his elder brother Johann Christoph, organist at St. Michael's Church, who gave him lessons in keyboard playing.

From 1700 to 1702 he attended St. Michael's School in Lüneburg, where he sang in the church choir and probably came into contact with the organist and composer Georg Böhm.

His education was acquired largely through independent studies. He had an insatiable curiosity about music and sometimes walked great distances to hear the organists Johann Adam Reinken (at Hamburg).

In 1703 he became violinist in the private orchestra of the prince at Weimar but left within a year to become organist at Arnstadt. Bach went to Mühlhausen as organist in 1707.

He married his cousin Maria Barbara Bach , they had seven children.

In 1708 he was made court organist and chamber musician at Weimar, and in 1714 he became concert master.

Three years later his wife died, and in 1721 he married Anna Magdalena Wülken, a woman of considerable musical cultivation who eventually bore him 13 children.

Bach was a happy family man and a caring father.

He was in constant demand as a teacher and an expert in designing and building organs.

Bach's eyesight began to deteriorate during his last year and in March and April 1750 he was operated on. The operations and the treatment that followed them may have hastened Bach's death.

He died July 28 1750. On July 31st he was buried at St. John's cemetery.