Bach

Teacher's Score: 8/10

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany in a very musical family (all of his family were musicians). He was in the Baroque era. He lived for 65 years, from 1685 to 1750.

He was orphaned at the age of 10, so he went to live with his older brother in Ohrdruf who taught him to play the organ and the harpsichord. At the age of 18, he became a church organist in Muhlhausen at the age of 22, where he met and married his 2nd cousin, Maria Barbara Bach.

His later life could be divided into 3 periods: the Weimar period, the Cothen period, and the Leipzig period.

In the Weimar period (1708-1717), he became famous as an organ virtuoso and wrote some of his greatest organ works such as the "Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BMV 565). He became court organist and chamber musician to the Duke of Weimar when he was 23.

In the Cothen period (1717-1723), he became Director of Music for the prince of Anhalt-Cothen where he wrote many instrumental works (e.g. 6 Violin Sonatas, 6 Brandenburg Concertos for Orchestra, 24 Prelude and Fugues for Clavier). But in 1720, Maria Barbara died, so the next year, he married Anna Magdalena Wilcke (a young singer at court).

The Leipzig period (1723-1750) was the longest. In that period, he wrote his greatest church music (24 Prelude and Fugues, The Italian Concerto, Goldberg Variations). When he was 38, he became Cantor of St. Thomas's Church-he supervised music for Leipzig's 4 churches (he was the music director, composer, choirmaster organist). In 1729, he became director of collegium museum-a group of university musicians that gave regular concerts. In 1747, he was invited to the court of Frederick the Great in Potsdam to test the new organs in the palace. The king also showed Bach some new pianos that were beginning to replace the harpsichords. But a few years later, he had a stroke and cataracts (goo around the eyes) which eventually made him blind. His final task, before his death in 1750, was to revise 18 chorale preludes for organ.

Bach raised existing musical styles to the highest level rather than invent new ones. He absorbed international styles - Germany, France and Italy. He was also a virtuoso organist, which he reflected in his works. He had four main "music traits": He perfected all forms of Baroque music except opera, he was the last great religious composer. He believed that music must serve "the glory of God" and he was the master of contrapuntal composition. His last works were Musical Offering and the Art of Fugue (unfinished).

Teacher's comments: For musical style, include example genres and example titles.