Johann Sebastian Bach was a revered Baroque-era composer for his innovative compositions and stylistic innovations. Born in 1685, his music continues to resonate through the ages, enchanting listeners with its intricate complexities.
Early Life and Family Lineage
Born in the quaint town of Eisenach, Thuringia in Germany on March 31, 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach was the last scion of a distinguished family of musicians. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a town musician, and it was under his tutelage that the young Johann first started to play the violin. He was just seven years old when he was enrolled in school where he studied Latin, received religious instruction, and cultivated other subjects. His strong foundation in the Lutheran faith profoundly influenced his future musical compositions.
Tragedy and Musical Education
Tragedy struck when Bach, at the tender age of ten, lost both his parents. He was then taken in by his eldest brother, Johann Christoph Bach, a church organist in Ohrdruf. Johann Christoph, recognizing his brother’s talent, provided further musical instruction and enrolled him in a local school. A notable incident from this period was Bach’s introduction to the beauty of the soprano singing voice, which he himself possessed. However, after his voice changed, he switched to playing the violin and the harpsichord.
Career Beginnings and Travels
Bach’s first professional engagement as a musician was at the court of Duke Johann Ernst in Weimar, where his versatile skills were put to use as a violinist and sometimes as an organist. He earned his reputation as a brilliant performer, which led to his appointment as the organist at the New Church in Arnstadt. However, his independent nature and frequent absences led to tensions with the church authorities.
In a bid to broaden his musical horizon, Bach embarked on a journey to Lübeck in 1705. He used his official leave period to learn from the famed organist Dietrich Buxtehude, a trip that was extended without informing his employers back in Arnstadt. This caused friction, and in 1707, Bach moved to Mühlhausen for an organist position at the Church of St. Blaise. However, his complex musical style clashed with the pastor’s preference for simplicity, prompting Bach to seek employment elsewhere.
Working for Royalty
In 1708, Bach found himself back at Weimar, this time serving at the court of Duke Wilhelm Ernst. Here, he composed many church cantatas and some of his finest compositions for the organ. During this period, he wrote the famous “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor,” one of his most popular pieces for the organ.
In 1717, Bach accepted a position with Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, a move that was met with resistance from Duke Wilhelm Ernst, who imprisoned Bach for several weeks. However, Bach was eventually released and allowed to move to Cöthen.
Time at Cöthen
Prince Leopold was a music enthusiast and often bought musical scores during his travels abroad. This environment allowed Bach to focus his energies on instrumental music, composing concertos for orchestras, dance suites, and sonatas for various instruments. He also wrote pieces for solo instruments, including some of his finest violin works.
At Cöthen, Bach created a series of orchestra concertos in tribute to the Duke of Brandenburg. These became known as the “Brandenburg Concertos” and are considered some of Bach’s greatest works.
Moving to Leipzig
In 1723, Bach was appointed the new organist and teacher at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. With new music needed for religious services each week, Bach immersed himself in writing cantatas. Among his notable works from this period are the “Christmas Oratorio,” a series of six cantatas that reflect on the holiday, and the “Passion According to St. Matthew,” a musical interpretation of chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew.
Later Works and Final Years
Despite struggling with his eyesight, Bach continued to work, visiting Frederick the Great, the king of Prussia, in 1747. He even started a new composition, “The Art of Fugue,” in 1749, but failed to complete it. An unsuccessful eye surgery in 1750 left him completely blind, and later that year, Bach suffered a stroke. He died in Leipzig on July 28, 1750.
Bach’s Legacy
Though Bach was better known as an organist than a composer during his lifetime, his compositions were admired by those who followed in his footsteps, including Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. His reputation received a substantial boost in the 19th century when German composer Felix Mendelssohn reintroduced Bach’s “Passion According to St. Matthew.”
Personal Life
Bach was devoted to his family. He had seven children with his first wife, Maria Barbara Bach, and after her death in 1720, he married a singer named Anna Magdalena Wülcken. They had thirteen children, more than half of whom died as children. Bach clearly passed on his love of music to his children, with several of them becoming successful composers and musicians.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s musical genius and innovative approach to composition have positioned him as a titan of the Baroque era and a seminal figure in the realm of classical music. His ability to evoke and sustain diverse emotions, coupled with his masterful storytelling, has resulted in a rich tapestry of musical works that continue to captivate audiences worldwide. His legacy will continue to inspire and influence generations of musicians and music lovers for centuries to come.