Johann Sebastian Bach was a prolific and famous German composer of the Baroque period. He had a stormy relationship with his employers, but eventually became director of music for Prince Leopold and wrote one of his most famous works, The Brandenburg Concertos. Bach’s music went from massive popularity to being virtually unappreciated, but he is now considered a genius for his development of counterpoint. He wrote over 1,000 pieces of music, including The Well-Tempered Clavier and the Mass in B minor.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was one of the most prolific and famous German composers of the Baroque period. In his early life, his work was much celebrated, but at the dawn of the classical period he was considered inferior. Later, Mozart and Beethoven would rediscover Bach and restore him to the position of greatness he now holds as a composer.
Little is known about Bach’s early life. He was the eighth child of a large family devoted to music. At age 8, he was orphaned and sent to live with his older brother. He is said to have learned to play the organ at the age of 9, but given his talent as an organist, he probably had some experience with the harpsichord at some point.
A talented soprano as a boy, at the age of 14 Bach received a scholarship to attend St. Michael’s School in Luneberg. He participated in the choir and most likely received a basic instruction in several languages. He may also have practiced the organ of San Michele, since his first job as an adult was as an organist.
Bach quickly moved up to the position of chief organist at the St. Boniface Church in Arnstadt and began work on a number of organ compositions at this time. He had not yet mastered the counterpoint style for which he would later be known. Bach’s relationship with most of his employers was stormy. He was a young adult, and not very good at interpersonal relationships. Of an impulsive nature, he took time off from work without his employer’s permission, to walk 200 miles (321.86 km) to see Buxtehude, the famous organist. He stayed several months, thus breaking off his relations with St. Boniface.
Later Bach moved to Muhlhausen and accepted a position at St. Blasius. At that time he also married his cousin Maria Barbara. The two would have many children, but only four survived to adulthood. Two, Wilhelm Freidemann and Carl Phillip Emmanuel, both became composers. Carl’s fame eclipsed that of his father during his lifetime, although he is now considered of minor importance as a composer.
Johann Sebastian Bach would remain in Muhlhausen for 9 years before Prince Leopold made Bach director of music in 1717. Prince Leopold spent about a quarter of his income on his private orchestra, often joining the orchestra to play the violin. During this period, Bach wrote one of his most famous works, The Brandenburg Concertos. He had also truly mastered the counterpoint style by this time.
After Leopold’s death, Bach moved again, becoming concertmaster in Leipzig. While working for the prince, his compositions were mainly secular as Leopold was a Lutheran. The move to Leipzig sparked a new interest in religious compositions. Bach lost his wife shortly before Leopold’s death and married Anna Magdalena Wilcke shortly thereafter. The couple had 13 children, although many of them died young. Unfortunately, when the composer himself died, he was unable to provide for his second wife. Her children from her first marriage did not help her, and she died impoverished.
Bach saw his music go from massive popularity to being virtually unappreciated. His son Carl’s job was much preferred over his own, and he struggled financially in his later years. He almost certainly had diabetes and went blind, which meant he couldn’t conduct music in his later life. He died of a stroke in 1750.
The composer has written over 1,000 pieces of music. The Well-Tempered Clavier has become a teaching book for those who master the keyboard. In addition, Bach’s violin concertos, especially the two-part Concerto in D, are incredibly complex and beautiful. The Mass in B minor is considered one of the grandest masses composed. His explorations of fugue were a significant contribution to later composers. Bach also wrote numerous choral works. When Mozart found the harpsichord, he reportedly remarked, “Here’s something I can learn from.”
To understand Bach’s contribution, one must understand counterpoint. This is the composition of two melodies played simultaneously, thus developing the chords together. The composer would often take some already written music and then write a second melody to accompany it. Occasionally a third melody was added to the first two creating incredible complexity. Each melody can be played on its own. Together, the melodies are a mathematically perfect blend that creates harmony. Bach’s development of counterpoint is why many today consider him a genius, ranking him among famous mathematicians and scientists.
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