Johann Sebastian Bach
- Born:
- March 31, 1685 (O.S. March 21), Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany
- Died:
- July 28, 1750, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Nationality:
- German
- Profession(s):
- Composer, Organist, Harpsichordist, Violist, Violinist
Early Life and Education
- Born into a large family of musicians; his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a town musician.
- Orphaned at age 10 and raised by his eldest brother, Johann Christoph Bach, an organist.
- Received musical instruction from his brother, including keyboard playing and composition.
- Attended school in Ohrdruf and later in Lüneburg, where he sang in the choir and studied Latin, theology, and rhetoric.
Career and Major Achievements
- Held various positions as organist, court musician, and Kapellmeister (director of music) throughout his career.
- Served as organist at Arnstadt (1703-1707) and Mühlhausen (1707-1708).
- Court organist and concertmaster at Weimar (1708-1717).
- Kapellmeister at Köthen (1717-1723), where he composed instrumental music.
- Thomaskantor (music director) at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig (1723-1750), responsible for providing music for the four main churches in Leipzig.
- Composed a vast amount of music in various genres, including cantatas, concertos, suites, sonatas, and keyboard works.
Notable Works
| Work | Genre |
|---|---|
| The Well-Tempered Clavier | Keyboard |
| Brandenburg Concertos | Concerto |
| Goldberg Variations | Keyboard |
| Mass in B minor | Sacred Vocal |
| Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 | Organ |
| St Matthew Passion | Sacred Vocal |
Legacy and Impact
Johann Sebastian Bach is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music. His works are characterized by their technical mastery, intellectual depth, and emotional power. His influence on subsequent generations of composers is immeasurable. The study of bach biography timeline designs, as well as the chronology of his works, provides valuable insight into the development of Western music.