366Art | Johann Sebastian Bach

Today is the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach, composer and musician from the Baroque period. One of the greatest composers in history. The editing above and his portrait on the musical reference works / birthday calendars below, are made by me. 

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 31, 1685, in Eisenach, Germany. He came from a musical family and was surrounded by music from a young age. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a court musician, and Bach received his early musical education from him. Bach lost both parents when he was still a child, after which his older brother Johann Christoph Bach took him under his wing and further guided him musically. As a young boy, Bach sang in the choir of the St. Michael's Church in Lüneburg and also had the opportunity to learn to play various musical instruments. This early exposure to music laid the foundation for his later musical career and his status as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Bach held various musical positions throughout his life, including organist, music director, and court composer. He worked in cities such as Arnstadt, Mühlhausen, Weimar, Köthen, and Leipzig. His musical output is extensive and diverse, encompassing virtually every musical genre of his time, except opera. He composed works for organ, harpsichord, choir, orchestra, chamber ensemble, and solo instruments. Some of his most famous compositions include Brandenburgse Concerten, Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Mass in b Minor , Johannes-Passion,  Matthäus-Passion and numerous cantatas. The Matthäus-Passion is one of the most impressive masterpieces in music history, with Erbarme dich as the most moving aria.

Bach was a master of keyboard music and is particularly renowned for his compositions for organ and harpsichord. His keyboard works showcase his technical mastery, contrapuntal skill, and expressive depth. Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, a collection of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, is considered one of the greatest achievements in Western classical music. He composed over 200 cantatas, sacred vocal works that were an integral part of Lutheran worship services. These cantatas are characterized by their rich harmonies, intricate counterpoint, and expressive melodies. Bach's large-scale choral music, such as the Mass in B Minor and the Passions, are monumental compositions that continue to be performed to this day.

Johann Sebastian Bach was deeply religious throughout his life. He considered music to be a divine gift, a belief he carried with him always. "I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music," he famously said. He married twice in his lifetime. His first marriage was to his cousin Maria Barbara Bach in 1707. Together, they had seven children, four of whom reached adulthood. After Maria Barbara's death in 1720, Bach remarried in 1721 to Anna Magdalena Wilcke, a talented singer and daughter of a court musician. With Anna Magdalena, Bach had thirteen children, six of whom reached adulthood. Anna Magdalena was a significant support for Bach throughout his career as a composer and musician. She copied many of his musical pieces and is even presumed to have composed some of his works, although this is not fully confirmed. For Anna Magdalena, Bach compiled the Notenbüchlein a collection of two music books. These books contain works by various composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach himself, as well as pieces by other renowned composers of that time. The pieces range from simple compositions to more complex ones. The Notenbüchlein is a valuable source of insight into the musical practices and tastes of the Baroque period, offering a glimpse into the daily life of the Bach family.

Johann Sebastian Bach died on July 28, 1750, in Leipzig, Germany, at the age of 65. After his death in 1750, Bach's music fell relatively into obscurity but experienced a revival in the 19th century thanks to efforts by composers such as Felix Mendelssohn. Since then, Bach's music has been studied, performed, and admired by musicians and audiences worldwide. He is considered a cornerstone of Western classical music and has had a profound influence on later generations of composers. A monument, in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach, stands in Leipzig, Germany. The monument is located on the Thomaskirchhof, the square in front of the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church), where Bach worked as Thomaskantor. Designed by the German sculptor Carl Seffner, the monument is one of the most important memorials to Bach and was unveiled on May 23, 1908, to commemorate the 125th