Johann Sebastian Bach

1685 - 1750

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in

Eisenach, Germany to an extraordinarily

musical family - for more than 200 years,

the Bach family had produced dozens of

worthy performers and composers.

Bach was a prolific German composer and

organist whose sacred and secular works for choir,

orchestra and solo instruments drew together the

strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its

ultimate maturity. Although he introduced no new

forms, he enriched the prevailing German style

with a robust technique, a control of harmonic and

organization from the smallest to the largest scales,

and the adaptation of rhythms and textures from

abroad, particularly Italy and France. He is

regarded as one of the greatest composers of all

time.

Bach's mother died in 1694, and his father died

the following year. The 10-year-old orphan

moved in with his eldest brother, Johann

Christoph Bach the organist at a nearby town.

There he copied, studied and performed music,

and apparently received valuable teaching

from his brother, who instructed him on the

clavichord. He exposed him to the work of the

great South German composers of the day—

such as Pachelbel.

The clavichord was invented in the early fourteenth century. It was popular

in the 16th-18th centuries, but mainly flourished in German-speaking lands

in the latter period; it fell out of use in the 1840s.

Bach wrote many works for the

harpsichord, some of which may also have

been played on the clavichord.

Bach's most famous works are

probably the Brandenburg

Concertos, the Mass in B minor,

and the St. Matthew Passion.

Bach was the most famous

Baroque composer, and most

surprisingly of all, he had 20

children!

In Leipzig Bach was constantly bickering with

authorities over money. His duties were

numerous, and the council thought he was

neglecting them. He had to teach the boys to

sing and play instruments; he was in charge of

performing music in Leipzig's four churches; he

had to write a cantata each week and Passion

music for Good Friday. The music he was

supposed to write was "to be of such a nature as

not to make an operatic impression, but rather

incite the listeners to devotion."

He believed that "the aim of all music

should be none else but the Glory of God

and the recreation of the mind." While he

did write secular music, religion seemed

to be foremost on Bach's mind.

To make some extra money Bach could

write music for weddings, funerals or

festivals.

St Matthew Passion or The

Passion According to St Matthew is

a musical composition written by

Bach for solo voices, double choir

and double orchestra, with libretto

by Picander. It sets chapters 26

and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew

to music.

The Brandenburg concertos by

Bach are a collection of six

instrumental works presented by

Bach to Christian Ludwig of

Brandenburg. The concertos are

often regarded as some of the

best ever written.

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring is a movement from a

cantata written by Bach during his time in Leipzig.

Bach wrote a total of 200 cantatas during his time

there largely because Leipzig Churches would go

through about 58 different cantatas each year.

Though in the modern times the song is often played

in weddings, it was not intended to be a wedding

piece upon composition. In fact, the cantata was

composed to be a full, traditional church hymn; it’s

approximately 20 minutes in length.