Johann-Sebastian-Bach

1685-1750
The Greatest Composer of Music who has ever lived

Sumedha Manabarana

Johann Sebatian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Ernestine Saxon Duchies, Germany. He was better known as a virtuoso organist than as a composer in his day. His father Johann Ambrosius, a court trumpeter in the service of the Duke of Eisenach, taught him to play the violin and harpsichord. Bach had an excellent singing voice. Bach has around 1323 works to his credit.

Bach is generally considered as the greatest composer of music who has ever lived. He created numerous masterpieces of church and instrumental music. Both his parents died when he was 10 making him an orphan. He was the organist at the court of the Duke Wilhelm Ernst in Weimar. He created musical interpretations of the Bible using choruses, arias and recitatives. He played for Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia in 1747. His eye operation in 1750 left him completely blind. He suffered a stroke and died July 28 the same year.

Wolfgang Schmieder (1901 1990), a German musicologist, prepared a catalog of musical works by Bach. It is known as the BWV numbering system. The BWV or BachWerke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue) is used by scholars and musicians around the world.

Three famous works

Wie schn leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1 in F Major (Cantata for the Feast of the Annunciation) in 1725

Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV 2 in G Minor (Oh God, look down from heaven) in1724

Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11 in D Major (Himmelfahrts-Oratorium) - in 1735