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Johann Sebastian Bach

JS Bach was a Baroque composer, organist, singer and violinist. He was a counterpoint master
known for church music famous for St. John Passion (with "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring") and St.
Matthew Passion. Bach's music was "rediscovered" in the 19th century with the "Bach revival"
promoted by Felix Mendelssohn.

Early Life of JS Bach


Johann Sebastian Bach or JS Bach, was a German musician born in Eisenach on 21 March 1685.
Orphaned at age 10, he lived with his brother Johann Christoph where he had piano and organ
lessons. He married twice and had over 20 children although several died in infancy. After his first
wife, Maria Barbara, died, he re-married, to Anna M. Wulkens, a soprano. She helped him out when
his sight failed in later years.

JS Bach came from a distinguished family of musicians and composers, as far back as the 16th

century. In his own immediate family, only few were not musicians. Among his children more known
in the musical circle were: Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel (CPE) Johann Christoph
Friederich Bach, and Johann Christian Bach (JC).
German Protestant Musician
Bach was a devoted German Protestant. His sacred music includes about 200 church cantatas, the
Easter and Christmas oratorios, masses and magnificat, canons, chorales, and the two great
passions, St. John Passion and St. Matthew Passion, the culmination of his work in church choral
music.
Orchestral Music
JS Bach's orchestral music includes his 6 Brandenburg Concertos (written in 1721, a group of six
works dedicated to Christina Ludwig, the Margrave of Brandenburg), and 4 instrumental suites.
Keyboard Music
His keyboard music for pianoforte and organ, fugues, and choral music are of equal importance to
him. They include a collection of 48 preludes and fugues (the Toccata and Fugue in D minor for
Organ is the haunted house music made famous by the original Phantom of the Opera), and of his
organ music, the finest examples are the chorale preludes.

Other Compositions
JS Bach also wrote sonatas, partitas, chamber music and songs, and The Italian Concerto, a
spectacular work for solo piano or harpsichord, other concertos for keyboard and violin, and the
collections of instrumental music in his final years at Leipzig.

Last Years of JS Bach


Bach had eye surgery twice in 1749 and became
totally blind for a period. Miraculously, his eyesight returned for a while but during the same month,
he died of a brain hemorrhage. He died in Leipzig 28 July 1750.
Johann Sebastian Bach composed all kinds of genres in the Baroque music except opera, something
he left for his contemporary George Frideric Handel. His work has often been looked up to by
younger composers including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. JS Bach may not have revolutionized
musical forms but he gave the musical world models with a mastery of counterpoint, a unique brand
of creative polyphony as well as intense spirituality: all his works were dedicated "To the Greater
Glory of God."
JS Bach Key WorksToccata and Fugue in d Minor, for organ 1705Cantata No.208 'Where Sheep May
Safely Graze' 1713Partita in D Minor for Solo Violin including 'Chaconne' (c.1717-1723)Brandenburg
Concertos 1721The Well-Tempered Clavier, first book 1722 St. John Passion; Cantata No.147
(including 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring') 1723Easter Oratorio, 1725 St. Matthew Passion, oratorio
1727Suite No.3 in D (including 'Air on the G string') 1729Magnificat in D major 1731Christmas

Oratorio 1734Italian Concerto 1735The Goldberg Variations 1741-42The Well-Tempered Clavier,


second book 1742Musical Offering for Flute and Violin with Continuo 1747Mass in B minor 1749
Resources:

Great Composers, Golden Press (1989)

The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited


by Stanley Sadie, Macmillan (2000)
The Oxford Companion to Music, edited by Alison
Latham (2002)
http://suite101.com/johann-sebastian-bach-biography-a
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