Biography of Johann Sebastian Bach. List of major works and

Johann Sebastian Bach (German Johann Sebastian Bach; March 21, 1685, Eisenach, Saxe-Eisenach - July 28, 1750, Leipzig, Saxony, Holy Roman Empire) - the great German composer of the 18th century. More than two hundred and fifty years have passed since the death of Bach, and interest in his music is growing. During his lifetime, the composer did not receive the recognition he deserved.

Interest in Bach's music arose almost a hundred years after his death: in 1829, Bach's greatest work, The Matthew Passion, was publicly performed under the baton of a German composer. For the first time - in Germany - the complete collection of Bach's works was published. And musicians all over the world play Bach's music, marveling at its beauty and inspiration, mastery and perfection. " Not a stream! - The sea must be his name", - the great said about Bach.

Bach's ancestors have long been famous for their musicality. It is known that the composer's great-great-grandfather, a baker by profession, played the zither. Flutists, trumpeters, organists, violinists came out of the Bach family. In the end, every musician in Germany began to be called Bach and every Bach a musician.

Childhood

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685 in the small German town of Eisenach. Johann Sebastian Bach was the youngest, eighth child in the family of musician Johann Ambrosius Bach and Elisabeth Lemmerhirt. He received his first violin skills from his father, a violinist and city musician. The boy had an excellent voice (soprano) and sang in the choir of the city school. No one doubted his future profession: little Bach was to become a musician. For nine years, the child was left an orphan. His elder brother, who served as a church organist in the city of Ohrdruf, became his tutor. The brother assigned the boy to the gymnasium and continued to teach music.

But he was an insensitive musician. Classes were monotonous and boring. For an inquisitive ten-year-old boy, this was excruciating. Therefore, he strove for self-education. Having learned that his brother kept a notebook with works of famous composers in a locked closet, the boy secretly took out this notebook at night and copied notes in the moonlight. This tedious work lasted six months, it severely damaged the vision of the future composer. And what was the grief of the child when his brother caught him one day doing this and took away the already transcribed notes.

CONTINUED BELOW

At the age of fifteen, Johann Sebastian decided to start an independent life and moved to Lüneburg. In 1703 he graduated from the gymnasium and received the right to enter the university. But Bach did not have to use this right, since it was necessary to earn a livelihood.

During his life, Bach moved from city to city several times, changing jobs. Almost every time the reason turned out to be the same - unsatisfactory working conditions, a humiliating, dependent position. But no matter how unfavorable the situation, he never left the desire for new knowledge, for improvement. With tireless energy, he constantly studied the music of not only German, but also Italian and French composers. Bach did not miss the opportunity to personally meet outstanding musicians, to study the manner of their performance. Once, having no money for a trip, young Bach went to another city on foot to listen to the famous organist Buxtehude play.

The composer also steadily defended his attitude to creativity, his views on music. Contrary to the admiration of court society for foreign music, Bach studied and widely used German folk songs and dances in his works with special love. Having perfectly known the music of composers from other countries, he did not blindly imitate them. Extensive and deep knowledge helped him improve and polish his composing skills.

Sebastian Bach's talent was not limited to this area. He was the best organ and harpsichord player among his contemporaries. And if, as a composer, Bach did not receive recognition during his lifetime, then in improvisations behind the organ his skill was unsurpassed. This was forced to admit even his rivals.

They say that Bach was invited to Dresden to compete with the then famous French organist and harpsichordist. The day before, a preliminary acquaintance of the musicians took place, both of them played the harpsichord. That same night, Marchand hurriedly left, thus recognizing the undeniable superiority of Bach. On another occasion, in the city of Kassel, Bach amazed his listeners by performing a solo on the organ pedal. Such success did not turn Bach's head; he always remained a very modest and hardworking person. When asked how he achieved such perfection, the composer replied: " I had to work hard, who will be as hard will achieve the same".

Arnstadt and Mühlhausen (1703-1708)

In January 1703, after finishing his studies, he received the position of court musician from the Weimar Duke Johann Ernst. It is not known exactly what his duties were, but, most likely, this position was not related to performing activities. For seven months of service in Weimar, the fame of him as a performer spread. Bach was invited to the post of superintendent of the organ in the church of St. Boniface in Arnstadt, located 180 km from Weimar. The Bach family had long-standing ties with this oldest German city. In August, Bach took over as organist of the church. He had to work three days a week, and the salary was relatively high. In addition, the instrument was maintained in good condition and was tuned to a new system that expanded the possibilities of the composer and performer.

Family ties and a music-loving employer could not prevent the tension between Johann Sebastian and the authorities that arose a few years later. Bach was dissatisfied with the level of training of the singers in the choir. In addition, in 1705-1706, Bach arbitrarily went to Lübeck for several months, where he got acquainted with the game of Buxtehude, which caused dissatisfaction with the authorities. The first biographer of Bach Forkel writes that Johann Sebastian walked more than 40 km on foot to listen to the outstanding composer, but today some researchers question this fact.

In addition, the authorities charged Bach with "strange choral accompaniment" that embarrassed the community, and inability to manage the choir; The latter accusation appears to have been justified.

In 1706, Bach decides to change jobs. He was offered a more profitable and high position as organist at St. Blaise's Church in Mühlhausen, a large city in the north of the country. The following year, Bach accepted this offer, taking the place of organist Johann Georg Ahle. His salary was increased compared to the previous one, and the level of the choristers was better. Four months later, on October 17, 1707, Johann Sebastian married his cousin Maria Barbara of Arnstadt. They subsequently had six children, three of whom died in childhood. Three of the survivors - Wilhelm Friedemann, Johann Christian and Carl Philipp Emmanuel - went on to become well-known composers.

The city and church authorities of Mühlhausen were pleased with the new employee. They approved without hesitation his plan for the restoration of the church organ, which required great expense, and for the publication of the festive cantata "The Lord is my king", BWV 71 (it was the only cantata printed during Bach's lifetime), written for the inauguration of the new consul, he was given a large reward.

Return to Weimar (1708-1717)

After working in Mühlhausen for about a year, Bach changed jobs again, returning to Weimar, but this time getting a job as court organist and concert organizer - a much higher position than his previous position in Weimar. Probably, the factors that forced him to change jobs were high salaries and a well-chosen composition of professional musicians. The Bach family settled in a house just a five-minute walk from the ducal palace. The following year, the first child in the family was born. At the same time, the elder unmarried sister of Maria Barbara moved to the Bahamas, who helped them run the household until her death in 1729. In Weimar, Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emmanuel were born to Bach. In 1704, Bach met the violinist von Westhoff, who had a great influence on Bach's work. Von Westhof's works inspired Bach to create his sonatas and partitas for solo violin.

In Weimar, a long period of composing clavier and orchestral works began, in which Bach's talent reached its peak. During this period, Bach absorbs musical influences from other countries. The works of the Italians Vivaldi and Corelli taught Bach how to write dramatic introductions, from which Bach learned the art of using dynamic rhythms and decisive harmonic schemes. Bach studied the works of Italian composers well, creating transcriptions of Vivaldi's concertos for organ or harpsichord. He could borrow the idea of ​​writing arrangements from the son of his employer, Crown Duke Johann Ernst, a composer and musician. In 1713, the crown duke returned from a trip abroad and brought with him a large number of notes, which he showed to Johann Sebastian. In Italian music, the crown duke (and, as can be seen from some works, Bach himself) was attracted by the alternation of solo (playing one instrument) and tutti (playing the whole orchestra).

Köthen period

In 1717 Bach and his family moved to Köthen. At the court of the Prince of Köthen, where he was invited, there was no organ. The old owner did not want to let him go, and on November 6, 1717, he even arrested him for constant requests for resignation, but on December 2 he released him " with displeasure". Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, hired Bach as Kapellmeister. The prince, himself a musician, appreciated Bach's talent, paid him well and provided him with great freedom of action. However, the prince was a Calvinist and did not welcome the use of sophisticated music in worship, so most of Bach's works were secular.

Bach wrote mainly clavier and orchestral music. The composer's duties included directing a small orchestra, accompanying the prince's singing, and entertaining him by playing the harpsichord. Easily coping with his duties, Bach devoted all his free time to creativity. The works for the clavier created at that time represent the second pinnacle in his work after organ compositions. Two-part and three-part inventions were written in Köthen (Bach called three-part inventions " symphonies"The composer intended these pieces to study with his eldest son Wilhelm Friedemann. Pedagogical goals led Bach when creating suites - "French" and "English". In Köthen, Bach also completed 24 preludes and fugues, which made up the first volume of a great work called Well-Tempered Clavier". The famous "Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue" in D minor was written in the same period.

In our time, Bach's inventions and suites have become obligatory pieces in the programs of music schools, and the preludes and fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier - in schools and conservatories. Intended by the composer for a pedagogical purpose, these works are also of interest to a mature musician. Therefore, Bach's pieces for the clavier, starting with the relatively easy inventions and ending with the most complex Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, can be heard at concerts and on the radio performed by the world's best pianists.

On July 7, 1720, while Bach was abroad with the prince, his wife Maria Barbara died suddenly, leaving four young children. The following year, Bach met Anna Magdalena Wilcke, a young and highly gifted soprano who sang at the ducal court. They married on December 3, 1721. Despite the difference in age - she was 17 years younger than Johann Sebastian - their marriage, apparently, was happy. They had 13 children.

Last years in Leipzig

From Köthen in 1723, Bach moved to Leipzig, where he remained until the end of his life. Here he took the position of cantor (choir director) of the singing school at the Church of St. Thomas. Bach was obliged to serve the main churches of the city with the help of the school and be responsible for the state and quality of church music. He had to accept difficult conditions for himself. Along with the duties of a teacher, educator and composer, there were also such instructions: " Do not leave the city without the permission of the burgomaster". As before, his creative possibilities were limited. Bach had to compose music for the church that would " was not too long, and also ... opera-like, but to arouse awe in the listeners". But Bach, as always, sacrificing a lot, never gave up the main thing - his artistic convictions. Throughout his life, he created works that are amazing in their deep content and inner richness.

So it was this time. In Leipzig, Bach created his best vocal and instrumental compositions: most of the cantatas (altogether Bach wrote about 250 cantatas), the Passion according to John, the Passion according to Matthew, Mass in B minor. "Passion", or "passions"; according to John and Matthew - this is a story about the suffering and death of Jesus Christ in the description of the evangelists John and Matthew. The Mass is close in content to the Passion. In the past, both the mass and the "passion" were choral chants in the Catholic Church. In Bach, these works go far beyond the scope of the church service. The Mass and Passion by Bach are monumental works of a concert character. Soloists, choir, orchestra, organ participate in their performance. In terms of their artistic significance, the cantatas, the Passion and the Mass represent the third and highest pinnacle of the composer's work.

The church authorities were clearly dissatisfied with Bach's music. As in previous years, she was found too bright, colorful, humane. Indeed, Bach's music did not answer, but rather contradicted the strict church atmosphere, the mood of detachment from everything earthly. Along with major vocal and instrumental works, Bach continued to write music for the clavier. Almost at the same time as the Mass, the famous "Italian Concerto" was written. Bach later completed the second volume of The Well-Tempered Clavier, which included 24 new preludes and fugues.

In 1747, Bach visited the court of the Prussian king Frederick II, where the king offered him a musical theme and asked him to compose something on it right there. Bach was a master of improvisation and immediately performed a three-voice fugue. Later, he composed a whole cycle of variations on this theme and sent it as a gift to the king. The cycle consisted of ricercars, canons and trios based on the theme dictated by Friedrich. This cycle was called "The Musical Offering".

In addition to the enormous creative work and service in the church school, Bach took an active part in the activities of the "Music College" of the city. It was a society of music lovers, which arranged concerts of secular, not church music for the inhabitants of the city. With great success, Bach performed in concerts of the "Musical Collegium" as a soloist and conductor. Especially for the concerts of the society, he wrote many orchestral, clavier and vocal works of a secular nature. But the main work of Bach - the head of the school of choristers - brought him nothing but grief and trouble. The funds allocated by the church for the school were negligible, and the singing boys were starving and poorly dressed. The level of their musical abilities was also low. Singers were often recruited, regardless of the opinion of Bach. The school orchestra was more than modest: four trumpets and four violins!

All petitions for help to the school, submitted by Bach to the city authorities, were ignored. The cantor had to answer for everything.

The only consolation was still creativity and family. The grown sons - Wilhelm Friedemann, Philip Emmanuel, Johann Christian - turned out to be talented musicians. Even during the life of their father, they became famous composers. Anna Magdalena Bach, the second wife of the composer, was distinguished by great musicality. She had an excellent ear and a beautiful, strong soprano voice. The eldest daughter of Bach also sang well. For his family, Bach composed vocal and instrumental ensembles.

Over time, Bach's vision became progressively worse. However, he continued to compose music, dictating it to his son-in-law Altnikkol. In 1750, the English ophthalmologist John Taylor, whom many modern researchers consider a charlatan, arrived in Leipzig. Taylor operated on Bach twice, but both operations were unsuccessful, Bach remained blind. On July 18, he suddenly regained his sight for a short time, but in the evening he had a stroke. Bach died on 28 July; the cause of death may have been complications from surgery. His remaining fortune was estimated at more than 1000 thalers and included 5 harpsichords, 2 lute harpsichords, 3 violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, viola da gamba, lute and spinet, as well as 52 sacred books.

Bach's death remained almost unnoticed by the musical community. He was soon forgotten. The fate of Bach's wife and youngest daughter was sad. Anna Magdalena died ten years later in a poor house. The youngest daughter Regina eked out a beggarly existence. In the last years of her difficult life, he helped her.

Photos of Bach by Johann Sebastian

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Lol (Moscow)

2016-12-05 16:26:21

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True story)

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2016-10-02 20:03:06

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2016-10-02 20:02:25

Igor Chekryzhov (Moscow)

Such great composers as I.S. Bach, appear only once in 1000 years. My opinion is that he has no equal in music, the construction of a melody, the depth of feelings conveyed. How magnificent is his aria from the orchestral suite No. 3, counterpoint 4 (the art of the fugue). Even these two works can be considered a great composer.

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Cool Bach

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2015-04-24 21:28:01

Karina (Krasnodar)

Yes, he's cool.

Johann Sebastian Bach, whose biography is still being carefully studied, is included, according to the New York Times, in the top 10 most interesting biographies of composers.

In the same row with his name are such names as Beethoven, Wagner, Schubert, Debussy, etc.

Let us also get acquainted with this great musician in order to understand why his work has become one of the pillars of classical music.

J. S. Bach - German composer and virtuoso

The name of Bach comes to our minds one of the first when listing the great composers. Indeed, he was outstanding, as evidenced by the more than 1,000 pieces of music left over from his lifetime.

But do not forget about the second Bach - a musician. After all, both of them were true masters of their craft.

In both incarnations, Bach honed his skills throughout his life. With the end of the vocal school, the training did not end. It continued throughout life.

Proof of professionalism, in addition to surviving musical compositions, is an impressive career as a musician: from organist in the first position to director of music.

It is all the more surprising to realize that many contemporaries negatively perceived the composer's musical compositions. At the same time, the names of musicians popular in those years have practically not been preserved to this day. Only later did Mozart and Beethoven rave about the composer's work. From the beginning of the 19th century, the work of the virtuoso musician began to revive thanks to the propaganda of Liszt, Mendelssohn and Schumann.

Now, no one doubts the skill and great talent of Johann Sebastian. Bach's music is an example of the classical school. Books are written about the composer and films are made. The details of life are still the subject of research and study.

Brief biography of Bach

The first mention of the Bach family appeared in the 16th century. Among them were many famous musicians. Therefore, the choice of a profession by little Johann was expected. By the 18th century, when the composer lived and worked, they knew about 5 generations of the musical family.

Father and mother

Father - Johann Ambrosius Bach was born in 1645 in Erfurt. He had a twin brother, Johann Christoph. Along with most members of his family, Johann Ambrosius worked as a court musician and music teacher.

Mother - Maria Elisabeth Lemmerhirt was born in 1644. She was also from Erfurt. Maria was the daughter of a city councilor, a respected person in the city. The dowry left by him for his daughter was solid, thanks to which she could live comfortably in marriage.

The parents of the future musician got married in 1668. The couple had eight children.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 31, 1685, becoming the youngest child in the family. They lived then in the picturesque city of Eisenach with a population of about 6,000 people. Johann's mother and father are Germans, therefore the son is also German by nationality.

When little Johann was 9 years old, Maria Elisabeth died. A year later, a few months after the registration of the second marriage, the father dies.

Childhood

The orphaned 10-year-old boy was taken in by his older brother, Johann Christoph. He worked as a music teacher and church organist.

Johann Christoph taught little Johann to play the clavier and organ. It is the latter that is considered the composer's favorite instrument.

Little is known about this period of life. The boy studied at a city school, which he graduated at the age of 15, although usually young people 2-3 years older became her graduates. So we can conclude that the study was given to the boy easily.

Another fact from the biography is often mentioned. At night, the boy often rewrote the notes of the works of other musicians. One day, the elder brother discovered this and strictly forbade doing such things in the future.

Music training

After graduating from school at the age of 15, the future composer entered the St. Michael vocal school, which was located in the city of Lüneburg.

During these years, the biography of Bach, the composer, begins. During his studies from 1700 to 1703, he wrote the first organ music, gaining knowledge of modern composers.

In the same period, for the first time, he travels to the cities of Germany. In the future, he will have this passion for travel. Moreover, all of them were made for the sake of acquaintance with the work of other composers.

After graduating from a vocal school, the young man could go to university, but the need to earn a living forced him to abandon this opportunity.

Service

After graduating, J.S. Bach received a position as a musician at the court of Duke Ernst. He was just a performer, he played the violin. I haven't started writing my own musical compositions yet.

However, dissatisfied with the work, after a few months he decides to change it and becomes the organist of the Church of St. Boniface in Arndstadt. During these years, the composer created many works, mainly for the organ. That is, for the first time in the service I got the opportunity to be not only a performer, but also a composer.

Bach received a high salary, but after 3 years he decided to move because of tense relations with the authorities. Problems arose due to the fact that the musician was absent for a long time due to a trip to Lübeck. According to available information, he was released to this German city for 1 month, and he returned only after 4. In addition, the community expressed complaints about the ability to lead the choir. All this together prompted the musician to change jobs.

In 1707, the musician moved to Mühlhusen, where he continued to work. In the Church of St. Blaise, he had a higher salary. Relations with the authorities developed successfully. The city government was satisfied with the performance of the new worker.

Yet a year later, Bach again moved to Weimar. In this city, he received a more prestigious position as a concert organizer. 9 years spent in Weimar became a fruitful period for the virtuoso, here he wrote dozens of works. For example, he composed "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" for organ.

Personal life

Before moving to Weimar, in 1707, Bach married his cousin Maria Barbare. During their 13 years of marriage, they had seven children, three of whom died in infancy.

After 13 years of marriage, his wife died, and the composer remarried 17 months later. This time Anna Magdalena Wilke became his wife.

She was a talented singer and subsequently sang in a choir led by her husband. They had 13 children.

Two sons from his first marriage - Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emmanuel - became famous composers, continuing the musical dynasty.

creative path

Since 1717, he has been working for the Duke of Anhalt-Köthen as a bandmaster. Numerous suites were written over the next 6 years. The Brandenburg Concertos also belong to this period. If in general to evaluate the direction of the composer's creative activity, then it is worth noting that during this period he wrote mainly secular works.

In 1723, Bach became a cantor (that is, organist and choir conductor), as well as a teacher of music and Latin at the Church of St. Thomas. For the sake of this, he again moves to Leipzig. In the same year, the work "Passion according to John" was performed for the first time, thanks to which the high position was received.

The composer wrote both secular and sacred music. He performed classical spiritual works in a new way. The Coffee Cantata, the Mass in B minor and many other works were composed.

If we briefly characterize the work of a musical virtuoso, then it is impossible to do without mentioning Bach's polyphony. This concept in music was known even before him, but it was during the composer's life that they began to talk about the polyphony of a free style.

In general, polyphony means polyphony. In music, two equal voices sound simultaneously, and not just melody and accompaniment. The skill of the musician is evidenced by the fact that students-musicians are still studying according to his works.

Last years of life and death

For the last 5 years of his life, the virtuoso was rapidly losing his sight. To keep composing, he had to dictate the music.

There were also problems with public opinion. Contemporaries did not appreciate Bach's music, they considered it obsolete. This was due to the flowering of classicism, which began in that period.

In 1747, three years before his death, the Music of the Offering cycle was created. It was written after the composer visited the court of Frederick II, King of Prussia. This music was meant for him.

The last work of the outstanding musician - "The Art of the Fugue" - consisted of 14 fugues and 4 canons. But he didn't get to finish it. After his death, his sons did it for him.

Some interesting moments from the life and work of the composer, musician and virtuoso:

1. After studying the history of the family, 56 musicians were found among the relatives of the virtuoso.
2. The musician's surname is translated from German as "stream".
3. Having once heard a work, the composer could repeat it without error, which he did repeatedly.
4. Throughout his life, the musician moved eight times.
5. Thanks to Bach, women were allowed to sing in church choirs. His second wife became the first chorus girl.
6. He wrote more than 1000 works in his entire life, therefore he is rightfully considered the most "prolific" author.
7. In the last years of his life, the composer was almost blind, and the operations performed on his eyes did not help.
8. The grave of the composer for a long time remained without a tombstone.
9. Until now, not all the facts of the biography are known, some of them are not confirmed by documents. Therefore, the study of his life continues.
10. Two museums dedicated to him were opened in the homeland of the musician. In 1907 a museum was opened in Eisenach, and in 1985 in Leipzig. By the way, the first museum contains a lifetime portrait of the musician, made in pastel, about which nothing was known for many years.

Bach's most famous musical compositions

All works of his authorship were combined into a single list - the BWV catalog. Each composition is assigned a number from 1 to 1127.

The catalog is convenient in that all works are divided by types of works, and not by year of writing.

To count how many suites Bach wrote, just look at their numbering in the catalog. For example, the French suites are numbered from 812 to 817. This means that a total of 6 suites were written within this cycle. In total, 21 suites and 15 parts of suites can be counted.

The most recognizable piece is the Scherzo in B minor from "Suite for Flute and String Orchestra No. 2", called "The Joke". This melody was often used for calling on mobile devices, but despite this, unfortunately, not everyone will be able to name its author.

Indeed, the titles of many of Bach's works are not well known, but their melodies will seem familiar to many. For example, Brandenburg Concertos, Goldberg Variations, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

The influence of music on a person 03.12.2017

Dear readers, today in our column there will be a meeting with the greatest of composers J. S. Bach. Take the time to communicate with him, and he will immediately respond. The article was prepared by Liliya Shadkovska, a music teacher, she continues to open the wonderful world of music for readers. I pass the word to Lily.

Hello, dear readers of Irina Zaitseva's blog. The first winter days pleased us with light frost and snowfalls. The first snowfall is the most beautiful. Like white fluff, gentle clean snow transformed everything around. Beautiful landscapes are pleasing to the eye. And what can please our soul and heart in these long winter evenings? Of course, music!

The embodiment of divine beauty

Today we will go to visit Johann Sebastian Bach himself. Each generation discovers something new in Bach's music, consonant with its time. Perhaps you, too, will rediscover this composer and his music. We will listen to the best works of J. S. Bach.

The music that will sound at the beginning of our meeting creates an atmosphere of loftiness, expectation of a miracle and anticipation of the holiday. But in this work, J.S. Bach belongs only to the accompaniment part. How could the composer have foreseen that on the basis of his prelude, the French composer of the 19th century, Charles Gounod, would compose a vocal melody?

Inspired by Bach's divine harmony, Ch. Gounod wrote variations for violin and piano. After adding the words of the Latin prayer "Ave Maria" to the melody, this work becomes another masterpiece of musical art.

Ch. Gounod - J. S. Bach "Ave Maria"

I suggest listening to the original Bach prelude. Pay attention to the fact that the entire melodic sphere is dispersed in chords that replace each other continuously. Bach managed to create an incredible image of the Annunciation, touching the strings of our soul, reviving the good, the eternal, the beautiful.

J. S. Bach "Prelude and Fugue in C"

The purpose of music is to touch hearts!
J. S. Bach

J.S. Bach - German composer, the greatest genius in the history of music, lived and worked in the Baroque era. Bach's musical heritage has entered the golden fund of world culture, and his immortal masterpieces are timeless. Bach's music is the history of mankind, expressed in sounds. His talent was multifaceted - a composer, an unsurpassed master of polyphony, an organist, a harpsichordist, a violinist, and a teacher. Bach's work belongs to intellectual music, in a word - it is an eternal and beautiful art!

The most musical family in history

J.S. Bach was born in 1685 in Eisenach, a small Thuringian town in Germany. He was the eighth child in the family of the musician Johann Ambrosius Bach. His father taught him to play the violin. Young Bach had a wonderful voice and sang in the church choir. Music filled his whole life, and the father had high hopes for his youngest son.

By the way, if ever there was a family in which reverence for music was inherited from generation to generation, it was the Bach family. The composer himself compiled the genealogy of his family, and the researchers counted fifty relatives of Johann Sebastian who connected life with music.

Musical biography of I.S. Bach

A happy childhood ended when he lost his mother, and a year later, his father.
After the death of his parents at the age of ten, Johann was taken in by his older brother Johann Christoph. The elder brother taught the future composer to play the clavier, organ, and the basics of music.

At the age of 15, Johann continues his musical education at the vocal school in Lüneburg. Here he gets acquainted with the work of composers, receives a comprehensive education. In the same period, J.S. Bach wrote his first works. Thus begins the musical biography of the great composer and organist.

Having brilliantly graduated from the vocal gymnasium, he gets the right to enter the university. But due to lack of funds, he is unable to continue his studies. He is invited to the position of court musician at the Weimar court, but dissatisfaction with his dependent position makes him look for a new job. So he gets a job as organist at the New Church in Arnstadt.

Organ virtuoso

J. S. Bach writes many pieces of music, but the fame of him first of all spreads as a virtuoso performer. He was a big fan of keyboard instruments and played the harpsichord and clavichord. But it was the organ that allowed him to fully reveal his talent as a composer. Johann Sebastian Bach mastered it to perfection, his skill was unsurpassed. This fact was recognized even by his rivals.

Plunging into this boundless ocean of sounds, we are distracted from everyday bustle and remain alone with the divine. The light sounds of this organ prelude give us a feeling of silence, peace and tranquility. This music sounded in A. Tarkovsky's film "Solaris".

J. S. Bach "Organ Choral Prelude in F Minor"

There is a sacred silence in music,
Pinching, like faith in the Almighty,
And this silence is embodied
In the nightly prayers of a sinful musician.
The silence of the night chills the soul,
The glow of the stars sways slightly,
Among the stars in the night, the most pure face burns,
Prayer lasts and is heard in prayer ...
Oh Lord, I'm sorry...

From a young age, J.S. Bach got acquainted with the work of various musicians. But he thoroughly studies the work of Italian composers, processing their music. So, the author of the following work is Alessandro Marcello, a composer of Italy during the Baroque. Although he was an amateur composer, his works were very popular. The most famous of them was the "Adagio" arranged by J.S. Bach. Sounded in a new way, it captivates us with the strength and depth of feeling.

A. Marcello, J. S. Bach "Adagio"

“Great Bach, you are the music of the Universe…”

Very often the composer's music is compared with space. Why do you think? After all, Bach lived long before the space age. After watching the video and hearing the sound of the organ, you can answer this question. I think that J.S. Bach was allowed to hear the music of the heavenly spheres. Is it not because the divine harmony of the composer and the piercing power of the organ, falling upon us, excite our souls, creating truly stellar and cosmic associations?

Many musicians believe that if we could hear the sounds of the universe, they would be like Bach's music.

J. S. Bach "Toccata in D Minor"

Great Bach, you are the music of the universe,
Curbing the breath of the organ,
And in the XXI century modern
You will be in people's hearts.
A powerful sound will merge in a stream
In the last triumphant chord,
And man - a particle of the universe -
Feel the delight of immortality.

Bach's message to extraterrestrial civilizations

In 1977, an unusual golden disc was released with a message on behalf of the inhabitants of our planet to extraterrestrial civilizations. This golden disc contains not only the sounds of the Earth, but also music, including the music of J.S. Bach. This disk, placed aboard the Voyager spacecraft, is already at a distance of about 20 billion kilometers from Earth, that is, outside the solar system.

exemplary family

I would like to note that Johann Sebastian was an exemplary family man, and family life was as dear to him as music. The house was filled with music, concerts were often held here, in which the children of Bach took part. He taught his gifted children himself. Four of Bach's children later became famous composers: Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel from their first marriage, Johann Christoph Friedrich and Johann Christian from their second.

Hard trials befell Bach when he lost his first wife and children. Under the heavy impressions of the death of his wife, Siciliana was written - music permeated with grief and deep sadness.

J. S. Bach "Siciliana"

Soon he fell in love again. This time, the very young Anna Magdalena became his chosen one. She was an excellent housewife, she became a caring stepmother for children. But most importantly, she was sincerely interested in her husband's success, helped to rewrite notes, and was keenly interested in music.

The Bach family began to grow again. Anna gave her husband 13 children. The new family also often got together in the evenings, arranging concerts. The house was once again filled with happiness.

“Musical Joke” by J.S. Bach embodies everything that the composer wanted to give to children. Like the bright smile of a father who watched the carefree fun of his children, she conquers us with her light, gentle sound of the flute and the silvery ringing of stringed instruments in different variations.

J. S. Bach "Musical Joke" (Suite No. 2 for flute and orchestra)

Oh! How sweet coffee tastes!

This amazing story about coffee and music began with the fact that the owner of the coffee house ordered to write a piece of music about coffee in the cantata genre. The composer was Johann Sebastian, the lyrics were written by H. F. Henriki.

In those distant times, coffee was a little-known drink, many treated it with distrust. To draw attention to this drink, J.S. Bach wrote a cantata in a playful way.

“Coffee cantata” is especially pleasant to listen to when enjoying the magical taste of coffee. I am sure that every time you pour yourself a cup of aromatic drink, you will remember Bach's music!

J. S. Bach "Coffee Cantata"

Quite a lot of secular cantatas and music of other genres were written to order, because they helped to get additional income. But at the same time, the composer steadily defended his views on music. It is known that J.S. Bach was a deeply religious person and was convinced that music is an expression of the divine. He said so: "All my music belongs to God, and all my abilities are intended for Him."

From the abyss of troubles I call to you

Through music, he reflects on the most important, eternal issues of human life. And these reflections are most often connected with religious themes, because Bach served in the church for most of his life. He wrote many cantatas on spiritual texts. The composer knew the Holy Scripture perfectly, and Jesus was the main character and ideal in music. He even decorated his scores with inscriptions: “Glory to God alone!”, “Jesus, help!”

J. S. Bach "Jesus Remains My Joy"

Bach also has works that are truly tragic. But don't be afraid of this word. Find strength in yourself and listen to one of the most grandiose, sublime and majestic works. This is the scene of the last farewell to Christ. "Sleep sweetly. Away, rather away from earthly sorrows…” The door to eternity is open.

Indescribable and captivating, it awakens the greatest feelings in the soul.
human. I had the opportunity to attend a concert in Leipzig that was dedicated to the work of Bach, and I must say that even men stingy with emotions could not hold back tears during the sound of the final choir.

J. S. Bach "Passion according to Matthew". Final chorus "We sit with tears"

But again I rise to the sky
Carried by the vibration of the Father's love,
Where God is, where the light of the home is
The path of ascent illuminates us
To the source of existence, to the divine feet.

In 1723 Bach moved the family to Leipzig. Here his sons were able to get a good education and start a musical career. The composer himself received the post of cantor of the main churches of the city. He worked hard, his creative list of works has grown considerably.

But in the last years of his life, Bach's health deteriorated sharply, due to eye strain, which he received in his youth. As a result of an unsuccessful operation, Bach became blind. But he continues to compose music, dictating his works to his son-in-law. After some time, he decides on a second operation, which only aggravates his condition. July 28, 1759 J.S. Bach dies.

The composer was buried in Leipzig in the church cemetery. But during World War II, the temple was destroyed. In 1949, the ashes of the composer were transferred and buried at the altar of the Church of St. Thomas.

After the death of the composer, his name was forgotten. And only an accidental discovery of the old clavier "Passion according to Matthew" resurrected the undeservedly forgotten name. The triumphal procession of Bach's music around the world began precisely with the Matthew Passion, which was performed in 1829 in Berlin. Conducted
performance of the oratorio by the young composer Felix Mendelssohn.

Moreover, Bach's biography was published in one of the popular newspapers. She further spurred interest in the composer's work among the general public. People were discovering Bach's music. A complete collection of the composer's works was published, catalogs were compiled, and concerts were held. And in order to pay tribute and admiration for the genius, musicians, music copyists, members of the Bach Society worked for free. With the money of Felix Mendelssohn, a monument to the great composer was made.

Throughout his life, Bach wrote more than 1,000 works in all genres except opera. Bach's work is the pinnacle of the universe and once again proves that a person is capable of creating magical objects of art and beauty.

Did you know that:

• one day, having no money for a trip, young Bach went to another city on foot. He covered a distance of 350 km to hear the organist Dietrich Buxtehude play;
• in Dresden, the performance of the "world star" of that time, L. Marchand, was to take place. He and Bach met on the eve of the concert, they even managed to play together, after which Marchand left Dresden, unable to withstand the competition and recognizing Bach as the best musician;
• Bach sometimes disguised himself as a poor schoolteacher and in a church in some small town asked permission to play the church organ. His game always made such a strong impression on the parishioners that they could not believe that they were a simple teacher;
• It is known that J.S. Bach was an excellent teacher. But he never charged for his private lessons;
• Bach had a unique ear. He could, without a single mistake, perform a work heard once;
• Bach music festivals are held all over the world, and in Leipzig every 4 years one of the largest organ competitions in the world, named after J.S. Bach, is held;
• “I loved the long autumn and winter evenings when the children went to bed. Sebastian and I sat down to our usual activity of copying music. Two candles stood between us. So quietly and joyfully we worked side by side, keeping a deep silence. Often inspiration descended on him, he took a blank sheet of music from a pile that I always put next to him, and sketched out what was born in his soul - this inexhaustible source of music. (From the memoirs of Anna Magdalena).

The great musician and composer left us not only his creations - he left us a whole world of his music - the world of Bach. This is the height at which human genius can abide. This is the height at which man is equal to God.

Shadkovska Lilia

I thank Lilia for the story about J.S. Bach, about his musical genius. We all heard something about him, because he was an extraordinary person, but still every time you are surprised anew by the facts from his life - both professional and personal. It was so full of music, love, piety that it cannot but arouse respect and admiration, like all his great works.

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Johann Sebastian Bach is a German composer and musician of the Baroque era, who collected and combined in his work the traditions and the most significant achievements of European musical art, and also enriched all this with a virtuoso use of counterpoint and a subtle sense of perfect harmony. Bach is the greatest classic who left a huge legacy that has become the golden fund of world culture. This is a universal musician, who covered almost all known genres in his work. Creating immortal masterpieces, he turned each measure of his compositions into small works, then combining them into priceless creations of exceptional beauty and expressiveness, perfect in form, which vividly reflected the diverse spiritual world of man.

Read a brief biography of Johann Sebastian Bach and many interesting facts about the composer on our page.

Brief biography of Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in the German town of Eisenach in the fifth generation of a family of musicians on March 21, 1685. It should be noted that musical dynasties were quite common at that time in Germany, and talented parents sought to develop appropriate talents in their children. The boy's father, Johann Ambrosius, was an organist in the Eisenach church and court accompanist. Obviously, it was he who gave the first lessons in playing the violin and harpsichord little son.

From the biography of Bach, we learn that at the age of 10 the boy lost his parents, but was not left without a roof over his head, because he was the eighth and youngest child in the family. Ohrdruf's respected organist Johann Christoph Bach, Johann Sebastian's older brother, took care of the little orphan. Among his other students, Johann Christoph also taught his brother to play the clavier, but the strict teacher safely hid the manuscripts of modern composers under lock and key so as not to spoil the taste of young performers. However, the castle did not prevent little Bach from getting acquainted with forbidden works.

Lüneburg

At the age of 15, Bach entered the prestigious Lüneburg school of church choristers, which was located at the church of St. Michael, and at the same time, thanks to his beautiful voice, young Bach was able to earn some money in the church choir. In addition, in Lüneburg, the young man met Georg Böhm, a famous organist, communication with whom had an impact on the composer's early work. He also repeatedly traveled to Hamburg to listen to the play of the largest representative of the German organ school A. Reinken. The first works by Bach for clavier and organ belong to the same period. After successfully completing school, Johann Sebastian receives the right to enter the university, but due to lack of funds, he did not have the opportunity to continue his education.

Weimar and Arnstadt

Johann began his career in Weimar, where he was accepted into the court chapel of Duke Johann Ernst of Saxony as a violinist. However, this did not last long, as such work did not satisfy the creative impulses of the young musician. Bach in 1703, without hesitation, agrees to move to the city of Arnstadt, where he was in the church of St. Boniface was initially offered the post of superintendent of the organ, and later the post of organist. A decent salary, work only three days a week, a good modernized instrument tuned to the latest system, all this created the conditions for expanding the musician's creative possibilities not only as a performer, but also as a composer.

During this period he created a large number of organ works, as well as capriccios, cantatas and suites. Here Johann becomes a true organ expert and a brilliant virtuoso, whose playing aroused unbridled delight among the listeners. It is in Arnstadt that his gift for improvisation is revealed, which the church leadership did not like very much. Bach always strived for perfection and did not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with famous musicians, for example, with the organist Dietrich Buxtehude, who served in the city of Lübeck. After receiving a four-week vacation, Bach went to listen to the great musician, whose playing impressed Johann so much that, forgetting about his duties, he stayed in Lübeck for four months. Upon returning to Arndstadt, the indignant leadership gave Bach a humiliating trial, after which he had to leave the city and look for a new job.

Mühlhausen

The next city on Bach's life path was Mühlhausen. Here in 1706 he won a competition for the position of organist in the church of St. Vlasia. He was accepted with a good salary, but also with a certain condition: the musical accompaniment of the chorales must be strict, without any kind of "decorations". The city authorities later treated the new organist with respect: they approved the plan for the reconstruction of the church organ, and also paid a good reward for the festive cantata “The Lord is my Tsar” composed by Bach, which was dedicated to the inauguration ceremony of the new consul. Staying in Mühlhausen in Bach's life was marked by a happy event: he married his beloved cousin Maria Barbara, who later gave him seven children.

Weimar

In 1708, Duke Ernst of Saxe-Weimar heard the magnificent game of the Mühlhausen organist. Impressed by what he heard, the noble nobleman immediately offered Bach the positions of court musician and city organist with a salary much higher than before. Johann Sebastian began the Weimar period, which is characterized as one of the most fruitful in the composer's creative life. At this time, he created a large number of compositions for clavier and organ, including a collection of choral preludes, Passacaglia in c-moll, the famous " Toccata and Fugue in d-moll ”, “Fantasy and Fugue C-dur” and many other great works. It should also be noted that the composition of more than two dozen spiritual cantatas also belongs to this period. Such effectiveness in Bach's composing work was associated with his appointment in 1714 as vice-kapellmeister, whose duties included regular monthly updating of church music.

At the same time, Johann Sebastian's contemporaries were more admired by his performing arts, and he constantly heard remarks of admiration for his game. The fame of Bach as a virtuoso musician quickly spread not only in Weimar, but also beyond. Once the Dresden royal Kapellmeister invited him to compete with the famous French musician L. Marchand. However, the musical competition did not work out, since the Frenchman, having heard Bach play at a preliminary audition, secretly, without warning, left Dresden. In 1717, the Weimar period in Bach's life came to an end. Johann Sebastian dreamed of getting the place of bandmaster, but when this place became vacant, the duke offered him to another, very young and inexperienced musician. Bach, considering this an insult, asked for his immediate resignation, and for this he was arrested for four weeks.

Köthen

According to Bach's biography, in 1717 he left Weimar to get a job in Köthen as a court bandmaster to Prince Anhalt of Köthen. In Köthen, Bach had to write secular music, because, as a result of the reforms, no music was performed in the church, except for the singing of psalms. Here Bach occupied an exceptional position: as a court conductor he was well paid, the prince treated him like a friend, and the composer repaid this with excellent compositions. In Köthen, the musician had many students, and for their education he compiled “ Well-Tempered Clavier". These are 48 preludes and fugues that made Bach famous as a master of clavier music. When the prince married, the young princess showed dislike for both Bach and his music. Johann Sebastian had to look for another job.

Leipzig

In Leipzig, where Bach moved in 1723, he reached the top of his career ladder: he was appointed cantor in the church of St. Thomas and musical director of all churches in the city. Bach was engaged in the education and preparation of church choir performers, the selection of music, the organization and holding of concerts in the main temples of the city. Since 1729, heading the College of Music, Bach began to arrange 8 two-hour concerts of secular music a month in a Zimmermann's coffee house, adapted for orchestra performances. Having received an appointment as court composer, Bach handed over the leadership of the College of Music to his former student Karl Gerlach in 1737. In recent years, Bach often reworked his early works. In 1749 he graduated from the High Mass in B minor, some parts of which were written by him 25 years ago. The composer died in 1750 while working on The Art of Fugue.

Interesting facts about Bach

• Bach was a recognized organ specialist. He was invited to check and tune instruments in various temples in Weimar, where he lived for quite some time. Each time impressing clients with the amazing improvisations he played to hear what the instrument in need of his work sounded like.
• Johann was bored during the service to perform monotonous chorales, and without restraining his creative impulse, he impromptu inserted his small embellishing variations into the established church music, which caused great displeasure of the authorities.
• Better known for his religious works, Bach also excelled in composing secular music, as evidenced by his Coffee Cantata. Bach presented this work full of humor as a small comic opera. Originally titled "Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht" ("Shut up, stop talking"), it describes the lyrical hero's addiction to coffee, and, not coincidentally, this cantata was first performed in the Leipzig coffee house.
• At the age of 18, Bach really wanted to get a place as an organist in Lübeck, which at that time belonged to the famous Dietrich Buxtehude. Another contender for this position was G. Handel. The main condition for taking this position was marriage to one of Buxtehude's daughters, but neither Bach nor Handel dared to sacrifice themselves like that.
• Johann Sebastian Bach really liked to dress up as a poor teacher and in this form visit small churches, where he asked the local organist to play the organ a little. Some parishioners, hearing an unusually beautiful performance for them, frightenedly left the service, thinking that the devil himself appeared in their temple in the form of a strange man.

• The Russian envoy in Saxony, Hermann von Keyserling, asked Bach to write a piece to which he could quickly fall into a sound sleep. This is how the Goldberg Variations appeared, for which the composer received a golden cube filled with a hundred louis. These variations are still one of the best "sleeping pills" to this day.
• Johann Sebastian was known to his contemporaries not only as an outstanding composer and virtuoso performer, but also as a man with a very difficult character, intolerant of the mistakes of others. There is a case when a bassoonist, publicly insulted by Bach for an imperfect performance, attacked Johann. A real duel took place, as both were armed with daggers.
• Bach, who was fond of numerology, liked to weave the numbers 14 and 41 into his musical works, because these numbers corresponded to the first letters of the composer's name. By the way, Bach also liked to play with his surname in his compositions: the musical decoding of the word “Bach” forms a drawing of a cross. It is this symbol that is the most important for Bach, who considers non-random similar coincidences.

• Thanks to Johann Sebastian Bach, not only men sing in church choirs today. The first woman who sang in the temple was the wife of the composer Anna Magdalena, who has a beautiful voice.
• In the middle of the 19th century, German musicologists founded the first Bach Society, whose main task was to publish the composer's works. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the society dissolved itself and the complete works of Bach were published only in the second half of the twentieth century at the initiative of the Bach Institute, established in 1950. In the world today there are a total of two hundred and twenty-two Bach societies, Bach orchestras and Bach choirs.
• Researchers of Bach's work suggest that the great maestro composed 11,200 works, although the legacy known to posterity includes only 1,200 compositions.
• To date, there are more than fifty-three thousand books and various publications about Bach in different languages, about seven thousand complete biographies of the composer have been published.
• In 1950, W. Schmider compiled a numbered catalog of Bach's works (BWV– Bach Werke Verzeichnis). This catalog has been updated several times as the data on the authorship of certain works has been clarified, and, in contrast to the traditional chronological principles for classifying works by other famous composers, this catalog is built on the thematic principle. Works with close numbers belong to the same genre, and were not written at all in the same years.
• Bach's works: "Brandenburg Concerto No. 2", "Gavotte in the form of a rondo" and "HTK" were recorded on the Golden Record and launched from Earth in 1977, attached to the Voyager spacecraft.

• Everyone knows that Beethoven suffered from hearing loss, but few people know that Bach went blind in his later years. Actually, the unsuccessful operation on the eyes, performed by the charlatan surgeon John Taylor, caused the death of the composer in 1750.
• Johann Sebastian Bach was buried near the Church of St. Thomas. After some time, a road was laid through the territory of the cemetery and the grave was lost. At the end of the 19th century, during the reconstruction of the church, the remains of the composer were found and reburied. After World War II, in 1949, Bach's relics were transferred to the church building. However, due to the fact that the grave changed its place several times, skeptics doubt that the ashes of Johann Sebastian are in the burial.
• To date, 150 postage stamps dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach have been issued worldwide, 90 of them published in Germany.
• Johann Sebastian Bach, the great musical genius, is treated with great reverence all over the world, monuments to him are erected in many countries, only in Germany there are 12 monuments. One of them is located in Dornheim near Arnstadt and is dedicated to the wedding of Johann Sebastian and Maria Barbara.

Family of Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian belonged to the largest German musical dynasty, whose pedigree is usually counted from Veit Bach, a simple baker, but very fond of music and perfectly performing folk melodies on his favorite instrument - the zither. This passion was passed on from the founder of the family to his descendants, many of them became professional musicians: composers, cantors, bandmasters, as well as a variety of instrumentalists. They settled not only in Germany, some even went abroad. Within two hundred years, there were so many Bach musicians that any person whose occupation was connected with music began to be named after them. The most famous ancestors of Johann Sebastian whose works have come down to us were: Johannes, Heinrich, Johann Christoph, Johann Bernhard, Johann Michael and Johann Nikolaus. Johann Sebastian's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was also a musician and served as organist in Eisenach, the city where Bach was born.

Johann Sebastian himself was the father of a large family: from two wives he had twenty children. He first married his beloved cousin Maria Barbara, daughter of Johann Michael Bach, in 1707. Maria bore Johann Sebastian seven children, three of whom died in infancy. Maria herself also did not live a long life, she died at the age of 36, leaving Bach four young children. Bach was very upset by the loss of his wife, but a year later he again fell in love with the young girl Anna Magdalena Wilken, whom he met at the court of the Duke of Anhalt-Keten and proposed to her. Despite the big difference in age, the girl agreed and it is obvious that this marriage was very successful, since Anna Magdalena gave Bach thirteen children. The girl did an excellent job with the housework, cared for the children, sincerely rejoiced at the success of her husband and provided great assistance in the work, rewriting his scores. The family for Bach was a great joy, he devoted a lot of time to raising children, making music with them and composing special exercises. In the evenings, the family very often arranged impromptu concerts, which brought joy to everyone. Bach's children had excellent natural gifts, but four of them had exceptional musical talent - these are Johann Christoph Friedrich, Carl Philipp Emanuel, Wilhelm Friedemann and Johann Christian. They also became composers and left their mark on the history of music, but none of them could surpass their father either in writing or in the art of performing.

Works of Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most prolific composers, his heritage in the treasury of world musical culture includes about 1200 immortal masterpieces. There was only one inspirer in Bach's work - this is the Creator. Johann Sebastian dedicated almost all his works to him and at the end of the scores he always signed the letters, which were an abbreviation of the words: “In the name of Jesus”, “Jesus help”, “Glory to God alone”. To create for God was the main goal in the life of the composer, and therefore his musical works absorbed all the wisdom of the "Holy Scripture". Bach was very faithful to his religious outlook and never betrayed it. According to the composer, even the smallest instrumental piece should indicate the wisdom of the Creator.

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his works in virtually all musical genres known at that time, except for opera. The compiled catalog of his works includes: 247 works for organ, 526 vocal works, 271 works for harpsichord, 19 solo works for various instruments, 31 concertos and suites for orchestra, 24 duets for harpsichord with any other instrument, 7 canons and others works.

Musicians around the world perform Bach's music and begin to get acquainted with many of his works from childhood. For example, every little pianist studying at a music school must have in his repertoire pieces from « Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach » . Then little preludes and fugues are studied, followed by inventions, and finally « Well-Tempered Clavier » but this is high school.

Notable works by Johann Sebastian also include " Matthew Passion”, “Mass in B Minor”, ​​“Christmas Oratorio”, “John Passion” and, undoubtedly, “ Toccata and Fugue in D Minor". And the cantata "The Lord is my King" is still heard at festive services in churches in different parts of the world.

Films about Bach

The great composer, being the largest figure in the world musical culture, has always attracted close attention, therefore, a lot of books have been written on Bach's biography and his work, as well as feature films and documentaries. There are quite a lot of them, but the most significant of them are:

• "The Vain Journey of Johann Sebastian Bach to Glory" (1980, East Germany) - a biographical film tells about the difficult fate of the composer, who traveled all his life in search of "his" place in the sun.
• "Bach: The Fight for Freedom" (1995, Czech Republic, Canada) is a feature film that tells about the intrigues in the palace of the old duke, which began around Bach's rivalry with the best organist of the orchestra.
• "Dinner with Four Hands" (1999, Russia) is a feature film that shows the meeting of two composers, Handel and Bach, which never took place in reality, but is so desired.
• "My name is Bach" (2003) - the film takes the audience to 1747, at the time when Johann Sebastian Bach arrived at the court of the Prussian King Frederick II.
• The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968) and Johann Bach and Anna Magdalena (2003) - the films show Bach's relationship with his second wife, an able student of her husband.
• “Anton Ivanovich is angry” is a musical comedy in which there is an episode: Bach appears to the main character in a dream and says that he was terribly bored writing countless chorales, and he always dreamed of writing a cheerful operetta.
• "Silence before Bach" (2007) is a musical film that helps to immerse yourself in the world of Bach's music, which turned the Europeans' understanding of harmony that existed before him.

Of the documentaries about the famous composer, it is necessary to note such films as: “Johann Sebastian Bach: life and work, in two parts” (1985, USSR); "Johann Sebastian Bach" (series "German Composers" 2004, Germany); "Johann Sebastian Bach" (series "Famous Composers" 2005, USA); "Johann Sebastian Bach - composer and theologian" (2016, Russia).

The music of Johann Sebastian, filled with philosophical content, and also having a great emotional impact on a person, was often used by directors in the soundtracks for their films, for example:

Despite the ups and downs, Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a huge number of amazing compositions. The composer's work was continued by his famous sons, but none of them could surpass his father either in writing or in performing music. The name of the author of passionate and pure, incredibly talented and unforgettable works stands at the top of the world of music, and his recognition as a great composer continues to this day.

Video: watch a film about Johann Sebastian Bach

The outstanding German composer, organist and harpsichordist Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany. He belonged to an extensive German family, most of whom had been professional musicians in Germany for three centuries. Johann Sebastian received his primary musical education (playing the violin and harpsichord) under the guidance of his father, a court musician.

In 1695, after the death of his father (his mother died earlier), the boy was taken into the family of his older brother Johann Christoph, who served as a church organist at St. Michaelis Church in Ohrdruf.

In the years 1700-1703, Johann Sebastian studied at the school of church singers in Lüneburg. During his studies, he visited Hamburg, Celle and Lübeck to get acquainted with the work of famous musicians of his time, new French music. In the same years he wrote his first works for organ and clavier.

In 1703, Bach worked in Weimar as a court violinist, in the years 1703-1707 as a church organist in Arnstadt, then from 1707 to 1708 in the Mühlhasen church. His creative interests were then mainly focused on music for organ and clavier.

In 1708-1717, Johann Sebastian Bach served as court musician to the Duke of Weimar in Weimar. During this period, he created numerous choral preludes, an organ toccata and a fugue in D minor, a passacaglia in C minor. The composer wrote music for the clavier, more than 20 spiritual cantatas.

In 1717-1723, Bach served with Leopold, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen, in Köthen. Three sonatas and three partitas for violin solo, six suites for cello solo, English and French suites for clavier, six Brandenburg concertos for orchestra were written here. Of particular interest is the collection "The Well-Tempered Clavier" - 24 preludes and fugues, written in all keys and in practice proving the advantages of a tempered musical system, around the approval of which there were heated debates. Subsequently, Bach created the second volume of the Well-Tempered Clavier, also consisting of 24 preludes and fugues in all keys.

In Köthen, the "Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach" was started, which includes, along with pieces by various authors, five of the six "French Suites". In the same years, "Little Preludes and Fughettas. English Suites, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue" and other clavier compositions were created. During this period, the composer wrote a number of secular cantatas, most of them not preserved and received a second life with a new, spiritual text.

In 1723, the performance of his "Passion according to John" (a vocal-dramatic work based on the gospel texts) took place in the church of St. Thomas in Leipzig.

In the same year, Bach received the position of cantor (regent and teacher) in the church of St. Thomas in Leipzig and the school attached to this church.

In 1736, Bach received from the Dresden court the title of Royal Polish and Saxon Electoral Court Composer.

During this period, the composer reached the pinnacle of mastery, creating magnificent examples in various genres - sacred music: cantatas (about 200 survived), "Magnificat" (1723), masses, including the immortal "High Mass" in B minor (1733), "Passion according to Matthew" (1729); dozens of secular cantatas (among them - the comic "Coffee" and "Peasant"); works for organ, orchestra, harpsichord, among the latter - "Aria with 30 variations" ("Goldberg Variations", 1742). In 1747, Bach wrote a cycle of plays "Musical Offerings" dedicated to the Prussian King Frederick II. The last work of the composer was the work "The Art of the Fugue" (1749-1750) - 14 fugues and four canons on one theme.

Johann Sebastian Bach is the largest figure in the world musical culture, his work is one of the pinnacles of philosophical thought in music. Freely crossing the features of not only different genres, but also national schools, Bach created immortal masterpieces that stand above time.

In the late 1740s, Bach's health deteriorated, with a sudden loss of sight particularly worrying. Two unsuccessful cataract surgeries resulted in complete blindness.

He spent the last months of his life in a darkened room, where he composed the last chorale "I stand before Thy throne", dictating it to his son-in-law, the organist Altnikol.

On July 28, 1750, Johann Sebastian Bach died in Leipzig. He was buried in the cemetery near the church of St. John. Due to the lack of a monument, his grave was soon lost. In 1894, the remains were found and reburied in a stone sarcophagus in the church of St. John. After the church was destroyed by bombing during World War II, his ashes were preserved and reburied in 1949 in the altar of St. Thomas Church.

During his lifetime, Johann Sebastian Bach enjoyed fame, but after the death of the composer, his name and music were forgotten. Interest in Bach's work arose only at the end of the 1820s, in 1829 the composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy organized a performance of the St. Matthew Passion in Berlin. In 1850, the Bach Society was created, which sought to identify and publish all the composer's manuscripts - 46 volumes were published in half a century.

With the mediation of Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in 1842 in Leipzig, the first monument to Bach was erected in front of the building of the old school at the Church of St. Thomas.

In 1907, the Bach Museum was opened in Eisenach, where the composer was born, in 1985 - in Leipzig, where he died.

Johann Sebastian Bach was married twice. In 1707 he married his cousin Maria Barbara Bach. After her death in 1720, in 1721 the composer married Anna Magdalena Wilcken. Bach had 20 children, but only nine of them survived their father. Four sons became composers - Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784), Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach (1714-1788), Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782), Johann Christoph Bach (1732-1795).

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources