Johann Sebastian Bach is considered one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music.
He came from a distinguished musical lineage in Germany, many of whom were also composers and musicians.
In his day Bach was revered as a virtuoso organist, however his legacy lies in the hundreds of hugely innovative, musically complex works he left behind. His use of counterpoint, religious and numerological symbols opened new dimensions of composition and musical quality which continue to amaze musicians and audiences today.
Best of JS Bach
St Matthew Passion
Loading- Toccata and Fugue
- Brandenburg Concertos
- Cello Suites
- 48 Preludes and Fugues
Why JS Bach?
- Bach was a master of counterpoint and harmony.
- He wrote some of the most widely recognised classical music ever written.
- He was an incredibly prolific composer, with over 1100 compositions attributed to him.
How was JS Bach related to CPE Bach?
The Bach family was a very important family in the history of music with over 50 known musicians and several notable composers active within a 200 year period. The composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (CPE Bach) was the son of Johann Sebastian Bach (JS Bach) and Maria Barbara Bach, and the brother of Johann Christian Bach (JC Bach).
Was JS Bach married?
JS Bach was married twice. His first marriage was to Maria Barbara Bach with whom he had 7 children and lived happily until her sudden death at the age of 35. Following this, he married Anna Magdalena Bach and together they added another 13 children to the family.
How did JS Bach die?
Not a lot is known about the details of the illness that killed JS Bach. It is clear that his health was declining for over a year before his death and that his this was exacerbated by two eye operations that were intended to reverse the onset of blindness. Unfortunately, the operations were undertaken by the famous British eye surgeon, self-promoter, and medical charlatan John Taylor who would also be responsible for bungling an operation on Handel about a decade later. Bach died in Leipzig from what is believed to have been a stroke brought on by complications arising from the operations.