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Johann Sebastian Bach

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Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany as the youngest child of a church organist father, Johann Ambrosius Bach (1645-1695), and a mother, Maria Elisabeth Lammerhirt (1644-1694) and into a great musical family, stretching back seven generations. Bach’s family was devoutly Lutheran. Bach learned violin and music theory from his father and organ from Johann Christoph Bach (1671-1721). In 1692, when Bach was seven years old, he attended Lateinschule in Eisenach and studied religion, Latin, and other subjects. Although Bach was an excellent student, his attendance was poor because he already worked as a member of the student choir to support family financial.
Bach lost his mother in 1694 and his father in 1695. At the age of ten,
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In 1741, he made two important journeys. One of these was to Dresden to see Count von Keyserlingk, a longtime supporter. The other one was to visit his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach at Berlin, who had taken a post as court harpsichordist to Crown Prince Frederick in 1747. He played for the king, making up a new composition on the spot. Back in Leipzig, Bach refined the piece and gave the prince a set of fugues called Musical Offering (BWV 1079). In the spring of 1749, Bach started The Art of Fugue (BWV 1080) but unfortunately, he never finished it. Bach’s eyesight worsened in May 1749 and he received two operations by the English doctor John Taylor in March to April 1750 but the operation ended up leaving him completely blind. Bach’s health declined further and on July 28, 1750, Bach died shortly after suffering a stroke at the age of 65.
Contrary to our current perceptions, Bach was better known as an organist than as a composer and only few of his works were published during his lifetime. Even though Bach lived his entire life in Germany, he still mastered various national musical styles. He introduced different music style, such as counterpoint and fugue to create richly detailed compositions, across Europe. His outstanding musicianship, performing skills, and creativity as a composer have qualified him as one of the great musical geniuses in history. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual

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