A Brief History of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685

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Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the top classicalModern historians have argued that his death was a
music composers of all time – so famousdirect consequence of a stroke caused by
today to the he is commonly known as simply "Bach".pneumonia.
A native German, Bach was a composer, organistThe Family Bach
and violinist and produced classical religious and secularBach’s left behind a family that were also
works for choirs, solo instruments and orchestras.musically gifted, with his second wife being a talented
Fixed in time in the Baroque music movementmusician and his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedermann
(1600-1750) Bach was a primary driver of changeBach, becoming an accomplished organist. Many of
within it. Bach’s lifetime was one of fame,Anna Magdelena’s notebooks survive today
self doubt and amazing achievement with a legacyand contain many of the works composed by
that lasts to this day.Bach’s family.
ChildhoodHis Most Famous Works
Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach toBach’s produced hundreds of pieces
Johann Ambrosius Bach and Maria Elisabeththroughout his lifetime, many of which are still played
Lammerhirt.today. Amongst the most famous are the Magnificat,
Bach’s mother died in 1694 with his fatherthe Partitas, the Mass in B Minor, the Well-Tempered
dying shortly after leaving him an orphan aged 10 toClavier, the St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion,
be raised by his older brother Johann Christoph Bachthe Goldberg Variations, the Musical Offering, the
himself an organist. There he learned to copy, studyEnglish and French Suites, The Art of Fugue, the
and perform music and receiving valuable tuition fromBrandenburg concertos, the Sonatas and Partitas for
his brother.solo violin, the Cello Suites. He also wrote over 200
Adulthoodcantatas (that we know of today) and approximately
Bach remained in Germany for most of his lifethe same number of organ pieces such as the
despite his contemporary and musical rival HandelToccata and Fugue in D minor and Passacaglia and
moving to England to further his interests.Fugue in C minor.
Bach’s first wife, Maria Barbara, died in 1720Bach’s Musical Legacy
leaving Bach to raise seven children. This apparentlyBach’s classical music legacy is hard to
triggered Bach to seek the solace of work and heldmeasure in real terms, although there are a total of
the coveted position of musical director for many1292 titles available to buy from the Chappell of Bond
princes and dukes at this period, leaving his children inStreet online catalogue ( at the last count including
the care of others.many such as “Jesu Joy of Man’s
In 1721, Bach married his second wife, AnnaDesiring” that have been edited and arranged
Magdelena Wilcke, and took up a position in a Leipzigsince his death and are now played regularly in
school and a local church. Here he extended hischurches, schools and independent choirs across the
already burgeoning family with a further thirteenworld.
children, with seven tragically dying before theyBach’s status as a master classical music
reached adulthood.composer was only really cemented in the 19th
Deathcentury when a revival of his music triggered the
Bach died (aged 65) on 28th July 1750 after a periodediting and arranging of many of his pieces which
of ill-health. He became blind shortly before his deathremain in that form to this day.
after an “unsuccessful eye operation”