Figure 1.--Johann Sebastian Bach is one of greatest musical composers of history. He is one of the German three Bs, referring to the primacy of Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms in classical music. He had 2 wives and 200 chhildren, any of the children were talented mussicians. In addition to the brilliance of his music, his family raises interesting issues in the nurture/heredity debate. He himself had an impressive 20 children and was was a member of a remarkable extended family of musicians who were proud of their impressive achievements. This vew of the Bach family at morning prayers was painted by German-American genre artist Toby Edward Rosenthal in 1870.

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of greatest musical composers of history. He is one of the German three Bs, referring to the primacy of Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms in classical music. Johann was born in Eisenach, Thuringia in northern Germany (1685). He was the single most noted individual substantial family of talented musicians. He was the the youngest child of Johann Ambrosius Bach and Elisabeth Lämmerhirt. His father was a string instrumentalist employed by the town council and the ducal court of Eisenach. Eisenach was one of the many principalities among hich Germany was duivided. Johann began school (about 1692). He was a good stydent, but for some raeason was often absent. Nothing more his known about his musical childhood and musical education. He exhibited musical talent, but was not a prodigy. He almost inevitably must have learned about string music from his father. He would have attended the Georgenkirche in Eisenach where Johann Christoph Bach was organist (until 1703). Bach was a noted composer and musician of the late-Baroque period. He created a monumental body of work. His compositiions incude a wide variety of medium. They incvklude orchestral works ('the Brandenburg Concerto'), solo instrumental music (especially for cellos and violins), keyboard pieces ('the Goldberg Variations'), organ music ('Schubler Chorales'), and choral pieces ('St Matthew Passion). In addition to the brilliance of his music, his family raises interesting issues in the nurture/heredity debate. He himself had an impressive 20 children and was wass a member of a remarkable extended family of musicians who were proud of their impressiove achievements. Bach even drafted a genealogy of te family (1735). The focus was on the musical talents of the boys. Of course another interesting question is whybdoes HGermanyb in particular have such a rich music tradition.

Created: 4:25 AM 2/22/2024
Last updated: 4:25 AM 2/22/2024