Denton Bach Society

Johann Sebastian Bach

German musician and composer, was born in Eisenach, March 21, 1685; and died in Leibzig, July 28, 1750. His family, spanning two centuries of Thuringian history, is almost unique in number of musical members.

Orphaned at the age of ten, he left Eisenach for the home of his oldest brother, Johann Christoph, a musician in Ohrdruf, which he left in 1700 to enroll in the Particularschule of St. Michael's Church in Lüneburg.  Leaving there in 1702, Bach spent a few months in 1703 in the employ of Duke Johann Ernst Weimar before becoming organist of St. Boniface Church in Arnstadt where he stayed until 1707. The next year he was organist at St. Blasius Church in Mühlhausen.

From 1708 to 1717 he was variously employed by the duke of Weimar as court organist, chamber musician, and concert master; then for six years was Kappelmeister, i.e., conductor of the court orchestra, for the Duke of Cöhten From 1723 until his death he resided in Leibzig as director of music and cantor of St. Thomas School, responsible to the town council for music in the main churches. Other titles bestowed upon him were Kappelmeister to the Prince of Saxe-Weisenfels (1729) and Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon court composer (1736).

Bach — in brief
Bach — over the years