Johann Sebastian Bach was a baroque composer who lived from 1685 to 1750.

He was

born on March 21, in Eisenach. He was taught to play the violin and harpsichord as a

small boy by his father Johann Ambrosius Bach. Bach’s mother and, shortly later, father

died when he was nine years old and he was forced to move in with his eldest brother,

Johann Christoph. While living with his brother he studied the organ. By the time he was

18 (1703) he was able to get a job as an organist for a church in Arnstadt. While there he

was able to listen to the famous organist, Dietich Buxtehude. When he returned to his

church he applied the things he had seen Dietich Buxtehude do in his music. This

surprised the people of the congregation with the variations and irrelevant ornaments in

the music for they had not heard people play in that manner. He soon left Arnstadt

because he refused to work with the undisciplined boy’s choir. Bach began looking for a

new place to work; he found that the organist of the town of Muhlhausen died at the end

of 1706. He applied for the position and was accepted so he left Arnstadt in 1707 with his

few belongings and headed for Muhlhausen. He soon after returned to get his cousin

Maria Barbra from Arnstadt and on Oct. 7, 1707 married her in Muhlhausen. Bach had

ideas for the church music in Germany. He began organizing the poor facilities of

Muhlhausen. He started making a large collection of the best German music available,

including his own works. He also trained a choir and orchestra. One result of this work

was his canta 'Gott ist mein Konig' which was played for the inauguration of the town

council. This success gave Bach the courage to propose a complete renovation of the

organ in the St. Blasiuskirche. The council agreed and Bach was given the task to oversee

the making of the organ since he had become an expert on organ construction. The organ

was never completed though because of the religious controversy between the orthodox
Lutherans, who loved music, and the Pietists, which were strict puritans who disliked

music and art. Music in Muhlhausen was failing so Bach decided to look for some where

new. He left Muhlhausen in 1709 when the duke of Weimar offered him a position as a

member of the chamber orchestra and as organist. Because of Bach’s new positions he

was given many opportunities to improve. By 1714, Bach had become leader of the

orchestra.

The organ in Weimar was small so Bach declared that the organ be rebuilt. It was

because of the Courts high regard for his capabilities as an organist and his expertise on

organ construction. During this period of his life he wrote many pieces for the organ and

was rapidly becoming known throughout the country as one of the greatest German

organists. On a visit to Dresden, Bach was invited to compete in a contest with a visiting

French organist, Louis Marchand, who was considered to be one of the best in Europe.

But on the day appointed for the contest, Marchand decided to withdraw discreetly by

taking the fastest coach available back to France. And so Bach gave an impressive solo

performance before the assembled audience and referees, establishing himself as the

finest organist of the day. Bach Moved several more times in his life. After he resigned

from his job in Weimar in 1717, he moved to Cothen and became a part of the Court of

Anhalt-Cöthen. Bach eventually left Cothen as well after living there from 1717-1723

and moved to Leipzig where he would spend the rest of his life. (1723-1750)

http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxjsbach.html
 Jonah Harolds

Baroque Era Composer Project

Johann Sebastian Bach