Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685 and was a contemporary of George Handel. He was an outstanding German composer of the Baroque. He was born in Eisenach, and he was the son of a town musician.Bach was orphaned at age ten and had to go and live with his elder brother, Johann Christoph Bach who was also an organist at Ohrdruf. In addition to receiving keyboard instruction from this capable musician, Bach was also an outstanding student in the Ohrdruf Lyceum.
In 1700-1702, he completed his rather meager education in St. Luneburg, where he earned his living as a soprano singer in the unusually fine church choir. At the age of 18, he took up a job briefly as a violinist at Weimar, then held more responsible posts as organist at Arnstadt(1703-1707) and Muhlhausen(1707-1708). Bach's later activities as musician and composer reflected the needs of the three musical establishments with which he was associated.

Weimar (1708-1717)

Bach's duties were connected mainly with religious services as court organist and chamber musician and later concert master to the devout Duke of Saxe-Weimar. To this period, belong his major works for organ such as the (Passacaglia and Fugue in C-minor), and some church cantatas.
When the position of music director became vacant, Bach expected but did not receive the appointment. Perhaps, sensing an injustice with characteristic independence, he applied for a release from his post, an act of insubordination for which the Duke placed him in confinement for about a month. Immediately upon his release, Bach moved to a more attractive position.


Cothen (1717-23)

In the more secular establishment of the Prince of Anhalt-Cothen, Bach’s appointment as music director required him to compose chamber music almost exclusively. During this period, organ and sacred music were replaced by harpsichord music( such as the French and English suites, and part one of the well tempered clavier), sonatas concertos (such as the Brandenburg concertos and the violin concertos, and other instrumental forms.

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