Johann Sebastian Bach

I was born on March 21, 1685 into the famous musical Bach family in Eisenach. My father taught me to play the violin at a very young age. Orphaned at 10, I went to live with my brother Johann Christian and his wide in Ohdruf, where he trained me in clavichord performance as well as organ maintenance and repair.At 14, my celebrated soprano voice won me a scholarship to St. Michael's school in Lüneburg, where I excelled in Latin and mathematics. It was here that I became proficient at the harpsichord and organ, and discovered the works of Buxtehude. I walked 250 miles to hear him play in Lübeck, which got me into serious trouble with my employers.During my brief tenure as a lackey in Weimar, I began concentrating my efforts on organ composition and my fame soon spread as not only a talented organist but also an expert on the mechanics of the machine itself.In 1706 I moved to Mühlhausen, where I married Maria Barbara and served as organist at St. Blasius'. But a more lucrative offer came from the Dukes' court in Weimar, so I returned there as court organist and Concertmaster. Here I studied the great Italian composers and refined my large-scale clavier and orchestral works, as well as the art of the fugue.I later moved to Cöthen and was hired by Prince Leopold as Kapellmeister. During this time my wife Maria died. I married Anna Magdalena the following year. We had 13 children together.In 1723 I was appointed Cantor and Director of Music in Leipzig. There was quite a bit of tension between me and the City Council, a bunch of nonmusical know-nothings. I gained eminence as the Director of the Collegium Musicum, and wrote the Mass in B minor, though I never got to perform it.By 1740 my eyesight was failing, and two botched operations left me almost completely blind. On July 28, 1750 I suffered a massive stroke and died. I was buried in St. John's cemetery in Leipzig. Many consider the Baroque period to have died with me.