JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Biography:
Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany in 1685. As a child Bach's father taught him to play violin and harpsichord. His uncles were all musicians, serving as church organists and court chamber musicians. One of his uncles, Johann Christoph Bach, introduced him to the art of organ playing.
In 1707 Bach married his second cousin Maria Bar- bara Bach. They had seven children. In 1720 Maria died, and Bach married Anna Magdalena Wilcke in 1721. Bach had 13 more children with Anna Magdalena. He was a father to 20 children in all.
In 1723 Bach became the cantor, organist, and music composer for St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Leipzig, Germany. Bach remained there for the rest of his life.
Some of Bach's most famous works include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Well- Tempered Clavier, and the celebrated organ work Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
Johann Sebastian Bach died in 1750. Bach was not appreciated during his own lifetime and was considered an "old-fashioned" composer. Today, Bach is considered to be one of the most influential composers of all time. In fact, he is now such an important composer that the year of his death is a defining point in music history. It marks the end of the Baroque Era.
In 1707 Bach married his second cousin Maria Bar- bara Bach. They had seven children. In 1720 Maria died, and Bach married Anna Magdalena Wilcke in 1721. Bach had 13 more children with Anna Magdalena. He was a father to 20 children in all.
In 1723 Bach became the cantor, organist, and music composer for St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Leipzig, Germany. Bach remained there for the rest of his life.
Some of Bach's most famous works include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Well- Tempered Clavier, and the celebrated organ work Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
Johann Sebastian Bach died in 1750. Bach was not appreciated during his own lifetime and was considered an "old-fashioned" composer. Today, Bach is considered to be one of the most influential composers of all time. In fact, he is now such an important composer that the year of his death is a defining point in music history. It marks the end of the Baroque Era.
THE FACTS
Bach was the youngest of eight children.
His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, had been a town musician, and probably gave Bach his early music lessons. When Bach was 9 years old he met Johann Pachelbel, composer of the famous Pachelbel Canon at his oldest brother's (Johann Christoph). After both of his parents passed away (he was only 10) he was adopted by his older brother, Christoph. Christoph was an organist and Bach received his first lessons in organ from Christoph, but became "a pure and strong fuguist" by himself. |
Bach was born and died in Germany, and spent his entire life there, working as an organist, teacher, and composer.
He had over 20 children, including four who became famous musicians Carl Philipp Emanuel, Wilhelm Friedemann, Johann Christoph Friedrich, and Johann Christian. After his death Bach's works were soon forgotten (but then again, they were hardly known during his lifetime - many of his works were not published until a century after his death). In March, 1829 (almost 100 years after Bach's death), the composer Felix Mendelssohn performed Bach's St. Matthew Passion, spurring a world-wide interest in Bach. Soon, Bach's works were appreciated by the world - essentially for the first time. |
Bach Resources
Biography
Coloring Sheet
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Word Search
Connect The Dots
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Listening & Videos
Cello Suite Prelude No. 1 |
Tocatta and Fugue in d minor |
Wachet Auf / Sleepers Awake |
Brandenburg Concerto |
Goldberg Variations |
Gloria in Excelsis Deo |