Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)

Born 21 Mar 1685 in Eisenach, Herzogtum Sachsen-Eisenach, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Ancestors

Husband of Maria Barbara Bach — married 17 Oct 1707 (to 1720) in Dornheim, Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Heiliges Römisches Reich [uncertain]

Husband of Anna Magdalena (Wilcke) Bach — married 3 Dec 1721 in Köthen, Anhalt-Köthen, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1750 at age 65 in Leipzig, Kurfürstentum Sachsen, Heiliges Römisches Reich

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Biography

Johann Sebastian Bach is Notable.

Introduction

Johann Sebastian Bach was from a great family of musicians. From the 16th century to the 19th century the Bach family produced many musicians, fiddle players, town musicians, organists, court musicians and Kapellmeisters.^[1] In his time he was known as a famous organist, harpsichordist, and organ builder but is remembered now as "one of the greatest composers of all time."^[2]

Vitals

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on 21 March 1685/6 in Eisenach in the Principality of Sachsen-Eisenach, which is now Thuringia in Germany. His father was Johann Ambrosius Bach and his mother was Maria Elisabeth Lämmerhirt.^[3][4]

Bach married his second cousin, Maria Barbara Bach, daughter of Catharina and Johann Michael Bach on 17 October 1707. Not much is known about their marriage except that they seemed happy. Maria Barbara passed away suddenly and was buried on 7 July 1720 while Bach was away with his employer at a spa.^[5][6]

They had seven children, three of whom died in infancy:

• Catharina Dorothea, 1708–1774^[5]
• Wilhelm Friedrich Bach, 1710-1784^[5]
• Johann Christoph, born and died February 1713
• Maria Sophia, 23 February 1713 – March 1713, twin of Johann Christoph
• Carl Philipp Emanuel, 1714–1788
• Johann Gottfried Bernhard, 1715–1739
• Leopold Augustus, 1718–1719

In 1721 Bach met Anna Magdalena Wilcke. Anna Magdalena was a gifted singer, the daughter of a trumpeter,^[2] and 16 years younger than Bach. Her father was Johann Caspar Wilcke and her mother was Margaretha Elisabetha Liebe. Bach and Anna Magdalena married on 3 December 1721 and had 13 children. Unfortunately, only 6 of their children survived until adulthood.^[4]

Bach and Anna Magdalena's children that lived to adulthood were:

• Gottfried Heinrich Bach (1724-1763)^[7]
• Elisabeth Juliane Friederica Bach (1726-1781)^[7]
• Johann Christoph Friederich Bach (1732-1795)^[7]
• Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)^[2]
• Johanna Carolina Bach (1737-1781)^[7]
• Regina Susanna Bach (1742-1809)^[7]

Bach passed away on 28 July 1750 in Leipzig, Sachsen.^[6]

Life and Career

Johann Sebastian Bach's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a string player employed by the town council and the court of the Duke of Eisenach.^[2] At the age of seven, Bach was sent to school where he learned Latin and had religious instruction.^[6] He was orphaned at the age of ten^[2] and went to live with his older brother Johann Christoph Bach, a church organist in the town of Ohrdruf. Johann Christoph gave Bach musical instruction and enrolled him in a local school. Bach did well in school and earned a place in a choir of poor boys at the Michaelskirche school in Lüneburg. He stayed Michaelskirche school even after his voice broke.^[2]

Bach stayed with his brother's family until he was the age fifteen.^[6] He then returned to Sachsen-Eisenach and by the time he was eighteen, he had been member of a choir employed by the Duke of Weimar and then the organist at Neue Kirche in Arnstadt, which had a brand new organ built in 1703. Bach stayed in Arnstadt until 1707 and devoted himself to keyboard music.

In 1705 he took a month's leave from his employment and walked to Lübeck, a town more than 300 km away to meet Dietruch Buxtehude, the most important supporter of the north German school of organ music of his time. Bach had told his employers that the visit would be four weeks but it ended up being four months. His employers complained about the long absence, about problems that Bach had with other musicians (including a scuffle on the street with a bassoonist) and Bach's music. The church goers could not sing along to his hymns because he had freely harmonized them. He did not lose his job most probably because his employer realized his exceptional abilities.^[2]

In 1707 Bach left Arnstadt and took a new position as the organist of the Church of St. Blaise in Mühlhausen. His stay in Arnstadt was not long because his idea of church music and the church's pastor's idea of music were not the same. Bach's music was complex and the pastor believed that church music should be simple and easy for the congregation to sing.^[6]

After a year in Mühlhausen, Bach won a position in the Court of the Duke Wilhelm Ernst^[6] in Weimar, where he was to be organist. He wrote some of his best music while working for the Duke including "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," which is one of his most popular pieces for the organ.

In 1717, Bach accepted a position at the court of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen.^[8] But Duke Wilhelm did not want him to go and put Bach in prison when he tried to leave. He was in prison for several weeks until the Duke finally gave in and let him go to the court of Prince Leopold. Bach composed instrumental music while in Cöthen. He composed concertos, dance suites and sonatas. He also wrote music for solo instruments, including the violin.^[6]

In 1721, Bach composed orchestra concertos which became known as the "Brandenburg Concertos." These were considered to be Bach's finest work at that time. Unfortunately, after Prince Leopold married his second wife, Charlotte Frederike,^[8] his new bride discouraged the Prince's interest in music and Bach had to find new work when Leopold dissolved his orchestra in 1723.^[6]

Bach applied for and received a position in Leipzig as the organist and music teacher at St. Thomas Church. He was required to teach at Thomas school and compose new music for services at the church every week. He composed cantatas including "The Christmas Oratorio," a series of six cantatas that reflect on the holiday. He wrote his "Passions" at St. Thomas as well as "Mass in B Minor." He started the "Mass in B Minor" but did not finish it until 1749, although he did present part of it, "Kyrie and Gloria" to the Elector of Saxony in 1733. This mass was a musical version of a traditional Latin mass and was not performed in his lifetime.^[6]

Bach struggled with his eyesight in 1740 but was still able to travel and perform his music. He was well enough to travel and visit Friedrich the Great in 1747. Bach made up a new composition as he played for Friedrich the Great. When he returned home to Leipzig, he refined the piece and gave Frederick a set of fugues called "Musical Offering."^[6]

In 1750, Bach tried to fix his eyesight by having surgery. It did not work and made him completely blind. He died of a stroke on 28 July 1750 in Leipzig.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Christopher Wolff, Walter Emery, Peter Wollny, Ulrich Leisinger and Stephen Roe. "Bach Family" at Grove Music Online, orig. pub. 20 Jan 2001, this version 17 Jan 2018 Accessed 29 Sep 2021 at Oxford Music Online [$].
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Encyclopedia Britannica: Johann Sebastian Bach, German composer($)
3. ↑ Christoph Wolff and Walter Emery. "Bach, Johann Sebastian" at Grove Music Online. 2001; Accessed 30 Sep. 2021, Oxford Music Online [$].
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Wikipedia: Johann Sebastian Bach
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Wikipedia: Maria Barbara Bach.
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10} Biography.com Editors. “Johann Sebastian Bach.” Biography.com. E Networks Television, July 29, 2020. Bio.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} Wikipedia contributors, "Bach family," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Pedigree (accessed May 19, 2021).
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Weinberg, Rob. “Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1694 - 1728).” Classic FM, January 2, 2014. Leopold.

See also:

• BBC, ed. “Bach - A Passionate Life.” YouTube. YouTube, January 17, 2017. BBC.
• Find a Grave, database and images FindaGrave : accessed 28 September 2021), memorial page for Johann Sebastian Bach (21 Mar 1685–28 Jul 1750), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4237, citing Thomaskirche, Leipzig, Stadtkreis Leipzig, Saxony (Sachsen), Germany ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
• Brekle, Ursula. “Der Todestag Und Das Grab Von Johann Sebastian Bach: Leipzig-Lese.” Leipzig. Leipzig-Lese, July 27, 2021. Liepzig.
• “Leipzig City Guide.” Leipzig city-guide - die Thomaskirche Leipzig und das bachdenkmal. Leipzig City Guide. Accessed September 28, 2021.
• Johann is mentioned in the book 'BOOSEY & HAWKES: THE PUBLISHING STORY' written by Helen Wallace.'Boosey & Hawkes, the Publishing Story' by Helen Wallace-1
• Beth Britten's biography of her brother Benjamin Britten the composer, entitled 'My Brother Benjamin', published by The Kensal Press in 1986 (ISBN 0-946041-40-7), includes extensive family trees. Hundreds of friends, professional connections and people in the 'music world' are also mentioned in the text.'My Brother Benjamin' by his sister Beth Britten
• 'Virginia Woolf' a biography by her nephew Quentin Bell, published by The Hogarth Press, Pimlico, London in 1996. ISBN 0 7126 7450 0, includes extensive family trees. Hundreds of friends, professional connections and people in the 'Bloomsbury set' are also mentioned in the text.'Virginia Woolf' a biography by her nephew Quentin Bell