by Pierre R. Schwob and AI
Guten Tag.
My name is Johann Sebastian Bach and I am here at the invitation of Classical Archives to tell you a little about my life and work.
I was born on March 31, 1685 in Eisenach, a small town in Germany. Music ran in my family for generations. My father, uncles, and cousins were all musicians. So, it was only natural that I too would dedicate my life to music.
I lost both my parents by the time I was ten. I went to live with my older brother, who taught me the organ and exposed me to the rich musical traditions of the time. It was there that I began copying music by candlelight— something I wasn’t exactly supposed to do—but it helped me learn.
Over the years, I held various positions—as an organist, a court musician, and later as the Thomaskantor in Leipzig. In each place, I tried to bring something special to the music— whether it was sacred or secular. I composed for the glory of God, and for the joy of those who listened.
I wrote over one thousand works—cantatas, concertos, fugues, and more. Some say I was a master of counterpoint, but really, I just loved how melodies could weave together like voices in a conversation. My Brandenburg Concertos, written for a prince who never replied to my gift, are now considered some of my finest instrumental works.
And my Well-Tempered Clavier? That was a musical journey through all twenty-four keys, showing what the keyboard could do.
I had twenty children, and several followed in my footsteps—my sons Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel, and Johann Christian became composers in their own right.
When I died in 1750, my music was nearly forgotten. But in the 19th century, a young composer named Felix Mendelssohn helped bring it back to the world. Now, people play and study my work in every corner of the globe.
Thank you for listening—and remember: music is not just sound. It is soul, structure, and spirit, all moving together.
To Listen to The Music of Johann Sebastian Bach on Classical Archives . . .
Be sure to visit his composer’s page on Classical Archives. You’ll find oratorios, cantatas, all the orchestral works, works for solo instruments, concerti, and much, much more. CLICK HERE to visit Johann Sebastian Bach’s page now!
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