Johann Sebastian Bach: Bio, Wiki, Age, Birthday, Height, Death Date
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Johann Sebastian Bach Bio: Johann Sebastian Bach, born March 31, 1685, is one of the world’s greatest composers. Many of his works, such as the “Brandenburg Concertos” and the “Mass in B Minor,” are Baroque masterpieces (church and instrumental music). Bach was also an accomplished organist, harpsichordist, and violinist. He crafted many masterpieces, which did not have the recognition they have today. He was not acknowledged as one of the greatest Western composers until the turn of the twentieth century. Bach’s death in 1750 marked the end of the Baroque period and was a watershed moment in music history.
Johann Sebastian Bach Bio: BACKGROUND
Johann Sebastian Bach was born into a prominent musical family in Eisenach, Germany in 1685. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a string player, and he taught Bach to play the violin and harpsichord. By 1695, both of Bach’s parents perished, and his elder brother, Johann Christoph, took care of him. Johann Christoph was an organist in Ohrdruf and gave Bach his first formal keyboard lessons. Bach attended the prestigious grammar school Michaelskirche in Lüneburg and learned to play the organ. In 1703, at 18 years old, he became an organist at Neue Kirche’ in Arnstadt.
In June 1707, he became the organist at St Blasius in Mühlhausen. There, he fell in love with his cousin Maria Barbara and married her. ‘Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor’ (BWV 565. Bach went on to become a court organist in the private orchestra for the Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
He moved to Kothen in 1717 and became close friends with Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Kothen, for whom he served as music director. In 1720, Maria, Bach’s wife, died suddenly, leaving him with four children. The following year, he wed Anna Magdalena. The couple seemed happy, and Bach produced most of his work during this period, including the six Brandenburg Concertos (BWV 1046–51). Bach finally settled in Leipzig in May 1723 as the Kantor of the Thomas School, where he remained until his death in July 1750, before he could complete his ‘The Art of the Fugue.’ 50 years after his death, Bach’s music was considered old-fashioned. It was only around 1900 that his musical genius was recognized, and his works were published, making them accessible for study. Bach’s influence on the Baroque era was monumental and is recognised today.
Four out of the six sons Bach sired became musicians and composers in their own right.
Bach had 20 children
Bach had more than 20 children from his two marriages. Only 10 survived into adulthood — six boys and four girls.
Bach was put into jail
Bach wanted to resign from Duke Weimar’s court orchestra to work for Prince Leopold, and this angered the Duke so much that in 1716, Bach was arrested and put into jail for several weeks.
Prince Leopold was godfather to Bach’s child
Bach served as Prince Leopold’s music director, and the two became such close friends that Bach named Prince Leopold the godfather of one of his children.
Bach became blind
Bach’s eyesight began to deteriorate, and he underwent eye surgery; however, he developed multiple postoperative infections and eventually went blind.