Bach years of life and death. Bach, Johann Sebastian – short biography

Johann Sebastian Bach is the most talented composer of the 18th century. More than 250 years have passed since his death, and interest in his music has not waned to this day. But during his lifetime the composer never received the recognition he deserved.

Interest in his work appeared only a century after his departure.

Bach Johann Sebastian. Biography: childhood

Johann was born in 1685 in Eisenach, a provincial town in Germany. His father was a violinist. From him Johann learned the basics of playing this instrument. In addition, Bach the Younger had an excellent soprano voice and sang in the school choir. Johann's future profession was predetermined. At the age of 9, the boy was left without parents. His older brother took him in to raise him. In Orduf, he served as an organist at the church and transported the boy there and enrolled him in a gymnasium. Musical classes continued, but they were too monotonous and unproductive.

Bach Johann Sebastian. Biography: the beginning of independent life

Fifteen-year-old Johann moved to Lüneburg. Successful completion of the gymnasium gave him the right to enter the university. However, the lack of livelihood did not allow the young man to use this opportunity. He had to move more than once in his life. The reason was always poor working conditions and a humiliating position. But no situation distracted Bach from studying new music and the performance style of contemporary composers. Whenever possible, he tried to get to know them personally. At that time, everyone worshiped foreign music. He had the courage to defend and study his national works.

Bach Johann Sebastian. Biography: additional talents

Johann's abilities were not limited only to composing skills. Among his contemporaries he was considered the best performer of the harpsichord and organ. It was for his improvisations on these instruments that he received recognition (even from his rivals) during his lifetime. They say that when the harpsichordist and organist from France Louis Marchand heard Bach performed on these instruments on the eve of a competition in Dresden, he hastily left the city.

Bach Johann Sebastian. Biography: court musician

From 1708, Johann served in Weimar as a musician at court. During this period, he wrote many famous works. Bach soon started a family and, in 1717, moved with her to Köthen at the invitation of the prince. It turned out that there was no organ there. The composer was required to lead a small orchestra, entertain the prince and accompany his singing. In this city, Bach wrote three- and two-voice inventions, as well as the “English” and “French Suites”. Fugues and preludes, completed in Köthen, made up the 1st volume of “The Well-Tempered Clavier” - a huge work.

Bach Johann Sebastian. Brief biography: foundation in Leipzig

Bach moved to this city in 1723 and remained there forever. At the Church of St. Thomas, he received the position of director of the choir. Conditions for Bach were again cramped. In addition to many responsibilities (educator, composer, teacher), he was ordered not to travel outside the city without the permission of the burgomaster. He also had to write music according to the rules: not too operatic and long, but at the same time, something that would evoke awe in the listeners.

But, despite all the restrictions, Bach, as always, continued to create. He created his best compositions in Leipzig. The church authorities considered Johann Sebastian's music too colorful, humane and bright, and allocated little funds for the maintenance of the school. The composer's only joy remained creativity and family. His three sons also turned out to be excellent musicians. Anna Magdalena, Bach's second wife, had a magnificent soprano voice. His eldest daughter also sang quite well.

Johann Bach. Biography: completion of life's journey

In recent years, the composer suffered from a serious eye disease. The operation was unsuccessful, and Bach became completely blind. But even in this state he continued to compose. His works were recorded from dictation. The musical community hardly noticed his death. Everyone quickly forgot about him. Anna Magdalena, Johann's second wife, died in a nursing home. Regina, Bach's youngest daughter, lived like a beggar, only in recent years did Beethoven provide her with help.

Contrary to popular myth, Bach was not forgotten after his death. True, this concerned works for the clavier: his works were performed and published, and were used for didactic purposes. Bach's works for organ continued to be played in the church, and harmonizations of chorales were in constant use. Bach's cantata-oratorio works were rarely heard (although the notes were carefully preserved in the Church of St. Thomas), as a rule, on the initiative of Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, but already in 1800, the Berlin Singakademie was organized by Carl Friedrich Zelter, the main purpose of which was precisely propaganda Bach's singing heritage. The performance of Zelter's disciple, twenty-year-old Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, on March 11, 1829 in Berlin, of the St. Matthew Passion, gained great public attention. Even the rehearsals conducted by Mendelssohn became an event - they were attended by many music lovers. The performance was such a success that the concert was repeated on Bach's birthday. “St. Matthew Passion” was also performed in other cities - Frankfurt, Dresden, Königsberg. Bach's work had a strong influence on the music of subsequent composers, including in the 21st century. Without exaggeration, Bach created the foundations of all music of the New and Contemporary times - the history of music is reasonably divided into pre-Bach and post-Bach.

Biography

Childhood

Cities where J. S. Bach lived

Johann Sebastian Bach was the youngest, eighth child in the family of musician Johann Ambrosius Bach and Elisabeth Lemmerhirt. The Bach family has been known for its musicality since the beginning of the 16th century: many of Johann Sebastian's ancestors and relatives were professional musicians. During this period, the Church, local authorities and the aristocracy supported musicians, especially in Thuringia and Saxony. Bach's father lived and worked in Eisenach. At this time the city had about 6,000 inhabitants. Johannes Ambrosius's work included organizing secular concerts and performing church music.

When Johann Sebastian was 9 years old, his mother died, and a year later his father died. The boy was taken in by his older brother, Johann Christoph, who served as an organist in nearby Ohrdruf. Johann Sebastian entered the gymnasium, his brother taught him to play the organ and clavier. Johann Sebastian loved music very much and never missed an opportunity to practice it or study new works.

While studying in Ohrdruf under the guidance of his brother, Bach became acquainted with the work of contemporary South German composers - Pachelbel, Froberger and others. It is also possible that he became acquainted with the works of composers from Northern Germany and France.

In addition, the authorities accused Bach of “strange choral accompaniment” that confused the community, and of inability to manage the choir; the latter accusation apparently had some basis.

In 1706, Bach decides to change his job. He was offered a more lucrative and senior position as organist at the Church of St. Blaise in Mühlhausen, a large city in the north of the country. The following year, Bach accepted the offer, taking the place of organist Johann Georg Ahle. His salary was increased compared to the previous one, and the standard of the singers was better. Four months later, on October 17, 1707, Johann Sebastian married his cousin Maria Barbara from Arnstadt. They subsequently had six children, three of whom died in childhood. Three of the survivors - Wilhelm Friedemann, Johann Christian and Carl Philipp Emmanuel - later became famous composers.

The city and church authorities of Mühlhausen were pleased with the new employee. They without hesitation approved his expensive plan for the restoration of the church organ, and for the publication of the festive cantata “The Lord is my King,” BWV 71 (this was the only cantata printed during Bach’s lifetime), written for the inauguration of the new consul, he was given a large reward.

Weimar (1708-1717)

In Weimar, a long period of composing keyboard and orchestral works began, in which Bach's talent reached its peak. During this period, Bach absorbed musical trends from other countries. The works of the Italians Vivaldi and Corelli taught Bach how to write dramatic introductions, from which Bach learned the art of using dynamic rhythms and decisive harmonic patterns. Bach studied the works of Italian composers well, creating transcriptions of Vivaldi concertos for organ or harpsichord. He may have borrowed the idea of writing transcriptions from the son of his employer, Hereditary Duke Johann Ernst, a composer and musician. In 1713, the Crown Duke returned from a trip abroad and brought with him a large number of sheet music, which he showed to Johann Sebastian. In Italian music, the Crown Duke (and, as can be seen from some works, Bach himself) was attracted by the alternation of solo (playing one instrument) and tutti (playing the entire orchestra).

In Weimar, Bach had the opportunity to play and compose organ works, as well as use the services of the ducal orchestra. In Weimar, Bach wrote most of his fugues (the largest and most famous collection of Bach's fugues is the Well-Tempered Clavier). While serving in Weimar, Bach began work on the “Organ Book,” a collection of organ chorale preludes, possibly for the teaching of Wilhelm Friedemann. This collection consists of arrangements of Lutheran chorales.

By the end of his service in Weimar, Bach was already a well-known organist and harpsichordist. The episode with Marchand dates back to this time. In 1717, the famous French musician Louis Marchand arrived in Dresden. Dresden accompanist Volumier decided to invite Bach and arrange a musical competition between two famous harpsichordists, Bach and Marchand agreed. However, on the day of the competition it turned out that Marchand (who, apparently, had previously had the opportunity to listen to Bach play) hastily and secretly left the city; the competition did not take place, and Bach had to play alone.

Köthen (1717-1723)

Leipzig (1723-1750)

The first six years of his life in Leipzig turned out to be very productive: Bach composed up to 5 annual cycles of cantatas (two of them, in all likelihood, were lost). Most of these works were written on gospel texts, which were read in the Lutheran church every Sunday and on holidays throughout the year; many (such as “Wachet auf! Ruft uns die Stimme" or "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland") are based on traditional church chants - Lutheran chorales.

During the performance, Bach apparently sat at the harpsichord or stood in front of the choir in the lower gallery under the organ; on the side gallery to the right of the organ were wind instruments and timpani, and to the left were string instruments. The city council provided Bach with only about 8 performers, and this often became the cause of disputes between the composer and the administration: Bach had to hire up to 20 musicians himself to perform orchestral works. The composer himself usually played the organ or harpsichord; if he led the choir, then this place was occupied by a full-time organist or one of Bach's eldest sons.

During the same period, Bach wrote parts Kyrie And Gloria the famous Mass in B minor, later completing the remaining parts, the melodies of which were almost entirely borrowed from the composer’s best cantatas. Soon Bach achieved appointment to the post of court composer; Apparently, he sought this high post for a long time, which was a strong argument in his disputes with the city authorities. Although the entire mass was never performed during the composer's lifetime, it is today considered by many to be one of the best choral works of all time.

Over time, Bach's vision became worse and worse. Nevertheless, he continued to compose music, dictating it to his son-in-law Altnikkol. In 1750, the English ophthalmologist John Taylor, whom many modern researchers consider a charlatan, came to Leipzig. Taylor operated on Bach twice, but both operations were unsuccessful and Bach was left blind. On July 18, he unexpectedly regained his sight for a short time, but in the evening he suffered a stroke. Bach died on July 28; it is possible that the cause of death was complications after surgery. The estate he left behind was valued at more than 1,000 thalers and included 5 harpsichords, 2 lute harpsichords, 3 violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, a viola da gamba, a lute and a spinet, as well as 52 sacred books.

During his life, Bach wrote more than 1000 works. In Leipzig, Bach maintained friendly relations with university professors. Particularly fruitful was the collaboration with the poet Christian Friedrich Henrici, who wrote under the pseudonym Picander. Johann Sebastian and Anna Magdalena often hosted friends, family members and musicians from all over Germany in their home. Court musicians from Dresden, Berlin and other cities were frequent guests, including Telemann, godfather of Carl Philipp Emmanuel. It is interesting that George Frideric Handel, the same age as Bach from Halle, 50 km from Leipzig, never met Bach, although Bach tried to meet him twice in his life - in and in 1729. The fates of these two composers, however, were linked by John Taylor, who operated on both shortly before their deaths.

The composer was buried near the Church of St. John (German). Johanniskirche), one of two churches where he served for 27 years. However, the grave was soon lost, and only in 1894 Bach’s remains were accidentally found during construction work to expand the church, where they were reburied in 1900. After the destruction of this church during World War II, the ashes were transferred on July 28, 1949 to the Church of St. Thomas. In 1950, which was named the year of J. S. Bach, a bronze tombstone was erected over his burial site.

Cantors of the St. Thomas Choir
	... \| Tidericus (circa 1295) \| ... \| Johann Stefan de Orba (1436–1443) \| Thomas Ranstethe (1443–1444) \| Pieter Seehausen (circa 1460) \| Martin Klotsch (circa 1470) \| Johann Fabri de Forchheim (circa 1472) \| Ludwig Götze (from 1480) \| Gregor Wessnig (1482–1488) \| Heinrich Hoefler (1488–1490) \| Nikolaus Seler (circa 1494) \| Johann Conradi (circa 1508) \| Johann Scharnagel (circa 1513) \| Georg Rau (1518–1520) \| Johann Galliculus (1520–1525) \| Valerian Hüffeler (1526–1530) \| Johann Hermann (1531–1536) \| Wolfgang Jünger (1536–1539) \| Johann Bruckner (1539–1540) \| Ulrich Lange (1540–1549) \| Wolfgang Figulus (1549–1551) \| Melchior Heger (1553–1564) \| Valentine Otto (1564–1594) \| Zetus Calvisius (1594–1615) \| Johann Hermann Schein (1615–1630) \| Michael Tobias (1631–1657) \| Sebastian Knüpfer (1657–1676) \| Johann Schelle (1677–1701) \| Johann Kuhnau (1701–1722) \| Johann Sebastian Bach (1723–1750) \| Johann Gottlob Harrer (1750–1755) \| Johann Friedrich Doles (1756–1789) \| Johann Adam Hiller (1789–1801) \| August Eberhard Müller (1801–1810) \| Johann Gottfried Schnicht (1810–1823) \| Christian Theodor Weinlig (1823–1842) \| Moritz Hauptmann (1842–1868) \| Ernst Friedrich Richter (1868–1879) \| Wilhelm Rust (1880–1892) \| Gustav Schreck (1893–1918) \| Karl Straube (1918–1939) \| Günther Ramin (1939–1956) \| Kurt Thomas (1957–1960) \| Erhard Mauersberger (1961–1972) \| Hans-Joachim Roch (1972–1991) \| Georg Christoph Biller (1992 to present)

Bach studies

The first description of Bach's life and work was a work published in 1802 by Johann Forkel. Forkel's biography of Bach is based on an obituary and stories from Bach's sons and friends. In the mid-19th century, the general public's interest in Bach's music increased, and composers and researchers began work on collecting, studying and publishing all of his works. Honored promoter of Bach's works, Robert Franz, has published several books about the composer's work. The next major work on Bach was the book by Philip Spitta, published in 1880. At the beginning of the 20th century, the German organist and researcher Albert Schweitzer published a book. In this work, in addition to the biography of Bach, description and analysis of his works, much attention is paid to the description of the era in which he worked, as well as theological issues related to his music. These books were the most authoritative until the middle of the 20th century, when, with the help of new technical means and careful research, new facts about the life and work of Bach were established, which in some places contradicted traditional ideas. For example, it was established that Bach wrote some cantatas in -1725 (previously it was believed that this happened in the 1740s), unknown works were found, and some previously attributed to Bach turned out to be not written by him. Some facts of his biography were established. In the second half of the 20th century, many works were written on this topic - for example, books by Christoph Wolf. There is also a work called a 20th century hoax, “The Chronicle of the Life of Johann Sebastian Bach, Compiled by His Widow Anna Magdalena Bach,” written by the English writer Esther Meinel on behalf of the composer’s widow.

Creation

Bach wrote more than 1000 pieces of music. Today, each of the famous works is assigned a number BWV (short for Bach Werke Verzeichnis- catalog of Bach's works). Bach wrote music for various instruments, both sacred and secular. Some of Bach's works are adaptations of works by other composers, and some are revised versions of their own works.

Organ creativity

By the time of Bach, organ music in Germany already had long-standing traditions that had developed thanks to Bach's predecessors - Pachelbel, Böhm, Buxtehude and other composers, each of whom influenced him in their own way. Bach knew many of them personally.

During his life, Bach was best known as a first-class organist, teacher and composer of organ music. He worked both in the “free” genres traditional for that time, such as prelude, fantasy, toccata, passacaglia, and in more strict forms - chorale prelude and fugue. In his works for organ, Bach skillfully combined features of different musical styles with which he became acquainted throughout his life. The composer was influenced by both the music of northern German composers (Georg Böhm, whom Bach met in Lüneburg, and Dietrich Buxtehude in Lübeck) and the music of southern composers: Bach copied the works of many French and Italian composers for himself in order to understand their musical language; later he even transcribed several Vivaldi violin concertos for organ. During the most fruitful period for organ music (-), Johann Sebastian not only wrote many pairs of preludes and fugues and toccatas and fugues, but also composed the unfinished Organ Book - a collection of 46 short choral preludes, which demonstrated various techniques and approaches to composing works on chorale themes. After leaving Weimar, Bach began to write less for organ; however, after Weimar many famous works were written (6 trio sonatas, collection "Clavier-Übung" and 18 Leipzig chorales). Throughout his life, Bach not only composed music for the organ, but also consulted on the construction of instruments, testing and tuning new organs.

Other keyboard works

Bach also wrote a number of works for the harpsichord, many of which could also be played on the clavichord. Many of these creations are encyclopedic collections demonstrating various techniques and methods for composing polyphonic works. Most of Bach's keyboard works published during his lifetime were contained in collections called "Clavier-Übung"(“keyboard exercises”).

“The Well-Tempered Clavier” in two volumes, written in 1744, is a collection, each volume of which contains 24 preludes and fugues, one for each common key. This cycle was very important in connection with the transition to instrument tuning systems that make it equally easy to play music in any key - primarily to the modern equal temperament scale.
15 two-voice and 15 three-voice inventions are small works, arranged in order of increasing number of signs in the key. They were intended (and are still used to this day) for teaching how to play keyboard instruments.
Three collections of suites: English Suites, French Suites and Partitas for Clavier. Each cycle contained 6 suites, built according to a standard scheme (allemande, courante, sarabande, gigue and an optional movement between the last two). In English suites, the allemande is preceded by a prelude, and between the sarabande and the gigue there is exactly one movement; in French suites the number of optional parts increases, and there are no preludes. In the partitas, the standard scheme is expanded: in addition to the exquisite introductory parts, there are additional ones, and not only between the sarabande and the gigue.
Goldberg Variations (approx.) - melody with 30 variations. The cycle has a rather complex and unusual structure. The variations are built more on the tonal plan of the theme than on the melody itself.
A variety of pieces such as Overture in the French Style, BWV 831, Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903, or Italian Concerto, BWV 971.

Orchestral and chamber music

Bach wrote music for both individual instruments and ensembles. His works for solo instruments - 6 sonatas and partitas for solo violin, BWV 1001-1006, 6 suites for cello, BWV 1007-1012, and partita for solo flute, BWV 1013 - are considered by many to be among the composer's most profound works. In addition, Bach composed several works for solo lute. He also wrote trio sonatas, sonatas for solo flute and viola da gamba, accompanied only by a general bass, as well as a large number of canons and ricercars, mostly without specifying the instruments for performance. The most significant examples of such works are the cycles “The Art of Fugue” and “Musical Offering”.

Bach wrote many works for orchestra and solo instruments. Some of the most famous are the Brandenburg Concertos. They were so called because Bach, having sent them to Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt in 1721, thought of obtaining employment at his court; this attempt was unsuccessful. These six concertos are written in the genre of concerto grosso. Other extant orchestral masterpieces by Bach include two violin concertos (BWV 1041 and 1042), a concerto for 2 violins in D minor BWV 1043, the so-called “triple” concerto in A minor (for flute, violin, harpsichord, strings and continuous (digital) bass) BWV 1044 and concertos for claviers and chamber orchestra: seven for one clavier (BWV 1052-1058), three for two (BWV 1060-1062), two for three (BWV 1063 and 1064) and one for A minor BWV 1065 - for four harpsichords. Nowadays, these concertos with orchestra are often performed on the piano, so they can be called Bach piano concertos, but do not forget that in Bach's time there was no piano. In addition to concerts, Bach composed 4 orchestral suites (BWV 1066-1069), some individual parts of which are especially widely popular in our time and have popular arrangements, namely: the so-called “Bach joke” - the last part, the badinerie of the second suite and the second part of the third suite is an aria.

Vocal works

Cantatas. For a long period of his life, every Sunday Bach led the performance of a cantata in the Church of St. Thomas, the theme of which was chosen according to the Lutheran church calendar. Although Bach also performed cantatas by other composers, in Leipzig he composed at least three complete annual cycles of cantatas, one for each Sunday of the year and each church holiday. In addition, he composed a number of cantatas in Weimar and Mühlhausen. In total, Bach wrote more than 300 cantatas on spiritual themes, of which only 200 have survived to this day (the last one in the form of a single fragment). Bach's cantatas vary greatly in form and instrumentation. Some of them are written for one voice, some for choir; some require a large orchestra to perform, and some require only a few instruments. However, the most commonly used model is this: the cantata opens with a solemn choral introduction, then alternates recitatives and arias for soloists or duets, and ends with a chorale. The same words from the Bible that are read this week according to the Lutheran canons are usually taken as recitative. The concluding chorale is often anticipated by a chorale prelude in one of the middle movements, and is also sometimes included in the opening movement in the form of a cantus firmus. The most famous of Bach's spiritual cantatas are "Christ lag in Todesbanden" (number 4), "Ein' feste Burg" (number 80), "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (number 140) and "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" (number 147). In addition, Bach also composed a number of secular cantatas, usually dedicated to some event, for example, a wedding. Among Bach's most famous secular cantatas are two Wedding cantatas and the humorous Coffee Cantata and Peasant Cantata.

Passions, or passions. Passion according to John () and Passion according to Matthew (c.) - works for choir and orchestra on the gospel theme of the suffering of Christ, intended for performance at vespers on Good Friday in the churches of St. Thomas and St. Nicholas. The Passions are one of Bach's most ambitious vocal works. It is known that Bach wrote 4 or 5 passions, but only these two have survived completely to this day.

Oratorios and Magnificats. The most famous is the Christmas Oratorio () - a cycle of 6 cantatas for performance during the Christmas period of the liturgical year. The Easter Oratorio (-) and the Magnificat are rather extensive and elaborate cantatas and have a smaller scope than the Christmas Oratorio or Passions. The Magnificat exists in two versions: the original (E-flat major, ) and the later and more famous (D major, ).

Masses. Bach's most famous and significant mass is the Mass in B minor (completed 1749), which is a complete cycle of the Ordinary. This mass, like many of the composer’s other works, included revised early works. The Mass was never performed in its entirety during Bach's lifetime - the first time this happened only in the 19th century. In addition, this music was not performed as intended due to its inconsistency with the Lutheran canon (it included only Kyrie and Gloria), as well as due to the duration of the sound (about 2 hours). In addition to the Mass in B minor, 4 short two-movement masses by Bach (Kyrie and Gloria), as well as individual movements like Sanctus and Kyrie, have reached us.

Bach's remaining vocal works include several motets, about 180 chorales, songs and arias.

Execution

Today, performers of Bach's music are divided into two camps: those who prefer authentic performance (or "historically oriented performance"), that is, using the instruments and methods of Bach's era, and those who perform Bach on modern instruments. In Bach's time there were no such large choirs and orchestras as, for example, in Brahms's time, and even his most ambitious works, such as the Mass in B minor and the passions, are not intended to be performed by large groups. In addition, some of Bach's chamber works do not indicate the instrumentation at all, so today very different versions of performances of the same works are known. In organ works, Bach almost never indicated registration and changes of manuals. Of the stringed keyboard instruments, Bach preferred the clavichord. He met with Silberman and discussed with him the design of his new instrument, contributing to the creation of the modern piano. Bach's music for some instruments was often arranged for others, for example, Busoni arranged the organ toccata and fugue in D minor and some other works for piano.

Numerous "lite" and "modern" versions of his works contributed to the popularization of Bach's music in the 20th century. Among them are today's well-known tunes performed by the Swingle Singers and Wendy Carlos' 1968 recording of "Switched-On Bach", which used the newly invented synthesizer. Jazz musicians such as Jacques Loussier also worked on Bach's music. The New Age arrangement of the Goldberg Variations was performed by Joel Spiegelman. Among Russian contemporary performers, Fyodor Chistyakov tried to pay tribute to the great composer in his 1997 solo album “When Bach Wake Up.”

The fate of Bach's music

Bach's personal seal

In the last years of his life and after Bach's death, his fame as a composer began to decline: his style was considered old-fashioned in comparison with the burgeoning classicism. He was better known and remembered as a performer, teacher and father of the younger Bachs, most notably Carl Philipp Emmanuel, whose music was better known. However, many major composers, such as Mozart and Beethoven, knew and loved the work of Johann Sebastian. In Russia at the beginning of the 19th century, Filda's student Maria Shimanovskaya and Alexander Griboyedov especially stood out as experts and performers of Bach's music. For example, while visiting the St. Thomas School, Mozart heard one of the motets (BWV 225) and exclaimed: “There is something to learn here!” - after which, asking for the notes, he studied them for a long time and rapturously. Beethoven greatly appreciated Bach's music. As a child, he played preludes and fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier, and later called Bach “the true father of harmony” and said that “his name is not the Brook, but the Sea” (word Bach in German it means "stream"). The works of Johann Sebastian influenced many composers. Some themes from Bach's works, such as the theme of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, have been reused in 20th-century music.

Johann Sebastian Bach topped the list of the ten greatest composers of all time (New York Times).

Bach monuments in Germany

Monument to J. S. Bach at the Church of St. Thomas in Leipzig

Monument in Leipzig, erected on 23 April 1843 by Hermann Knaur on the initiative of Mendelssohn and according to drawings by Eduard Bendemann, Ernst Ritschel and Julius Hübner.
Bronze statue in the square Frauenplan at Eisenach, designed by Adolf von Donndorff, delivered on September 28, 1884. At first it stood on the Market Square near the Church of St. George, on April 4, 1938 it was moved to Frauenplan with a shortened pedestal.
Monument to Heinrich Pohlmann on Bach Square in Köthen, erected on March 21, 1885.
Bronze statue of Karl Seffner from the south side of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig - 17 May 1908.
Bust by Fritz Behn in the Valhalla monument near Regensburg, 1916.
Statue of Paul Birr at the entrance to St. George's Church in Eisenach, erected on April 6, 1939.
Monument to Bruno Eiermann in Weimar, first erected in 1950, then removed for two years and reopened in 1995 on Democracy Square.
Relief by Robert Propf in Köthen, 1952.
Monument to Bernd Goebel near the Arnstadt market, erected on March 21, 1985.
Wooden stele of Ed Garison on Johann Sebastian Bach Square in front of St. Blaise Church in Mühlhausen - August 17, 2001.
Monument in Ansbach, designed by Jürgen Goertz, erected in July 2003.

Musical fragments

Keyboard Concerto in D minor(inf.)
Cantata 140, choir(inf.)
Fugue in G minor(inf.)

Films about I.S. Bache

Anton Ivanovich is angry- a film in which Bach appears to the main character in a dream. (1941, dir. A. Ivanovsky, feature)
Bach: The Fight for Freedom(1995, dir. S. Gillard, feature)
Johann Bach and Anna Magdalena ("Il etait une fois Jean-Sebastien Bach")(2003, dir. Jean-Louis Guillermou, feature)
Johann Sebastian Bach(series "Famous Composers", documentary)
Johann Sebastian Bach(series "German Composers", documentary)
Johann Sebastian Bach: life and work, in two parts (TV channel "Culture", Yu. Nagibin, documentary)
The competition continues(1971, dir. N. Khrobko, teleplay)
My name is Bach(2003, dir. Dominique de Rivaz, feature)
Silence before Bach(2007, dir. Pere Portabella, feature)
Johann Sebastian Bach's futile journey to fame(1980, dir. V. Vikas, feature)
Possible meeting(1992, directed by V. Dolgachev, S. Satyrenko, teleplay based on the play “Dinner for Four Hands”, O. Efremov, I. Smoktunovsky, S. Lyubshin)
Dinner for four hands(1999, dir. M. Kozakov, feature)
Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach(1968, dir. Daniel Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub, feature, G. Leonhardt)
Bach Cello Suite #6: Six Gestures(1997, dir. Patricia Rozema, feature)
Friedemann Bach(1941, dir. Traugott Müller, Gustaf Gründgens, feature)
Great Composers (BBC TV series)– Life and work of I.S. Bach, documentary (English), in 8 parts: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5 , Part 6 , Part 7 , Part 8
Johann Sebastian Bach(1985, dir. Lothar Bellag, feature) (German)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Der liebe Gott der Musik(series "Die Geschichte Mitteldeutschlands", season 6, episode 3, dir. Lew Hohmann, documentary) (German)
The Cantor of St Thomas's(1984, dir. Colin Nears, feature) (English)
The Joy of Bach(1980, documentary) (English)

Notes

A. Schweitzer. Johann Sebastian Bach. Ch. 1. The origins of Bach's art.
S. A. Morozov. Bach. (Biography of J. S. Bach in the ZhZL series), M.: Young Guard, 1975. (Book on www.lib.ru)
Eisenach 1685-1695, J. S. Bach Archive and Bibliography
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - genealogy of the Bach family (web archive)
Bach's manuscripts were found in Germany, confirming his studies with Boehm - RIA Novosti, 08/31/2006
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - Protocol of interrogation of Bach (web archive)
I. N. Forkel. About the life, art and works of J. S. Bach. Ch. II.
M. S. Druskin. Johann Sebastian Bach. P. 27.
A. Schweitzer. Johann Sebastian Bach. Ch. 7.
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - Entry on file, Arnstadt, June 29, 1707 (web archive)
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - entry in the church register, Dornheim (web archive)
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - Organ reconstruction project (web archive)
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach. File entry, Mühlhausen, June 26, 1708 (web archive)
Yu. V. Keldysh. Musical encyclopedia. Volume 1. - Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia, . - P. 761. - 1070 p.
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach. File entry, Weimar, December 2, 1717 (web archive)
M. S. Druskin. Johann Sebastian Bach. P. 51.
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - entry in the church book, Köthen (web archive)
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach. Minutes of the magistrate's meeting and other documents related to the move to Leipzig (web archive)
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach - Letter from J. S. Bach to Erdman (web archive)
A. Schweitzer. Johann Sebastian Bach. Ch. 8.
Documents of the life and work of J. S. Bach. Message from L. Mitzler about the Collegium Musicum concerts (web archive)
Peter Williams. The Organ Music of J. S. Bach, p. 382-386.
Russell Stinson. J. S. Bach's Great Eighteen Organ Chorales, p. 34-38.

Of all times. The little genius was born on March 31, 1685 in the city of Eisenach, which was located in Thuringia.

Johann's family was musical, and each of them could play at least one instrument. The gift and talent of music has been passed down from generation to generation.

The future talent often ran into the forest and played on an old guitar, which he found in the attic, and this instrument belonged to the patriarch of the family, Voit Bach.

They say that he almost never parted with it, even when he was grinding flour at the mill, and managed to play and sing songs with his guitar until the evening.

Unfortunately, Johann was left an orphan (at the age of 10), his parents died early. The elder brother Johann Christoph took his brother in and gave him his first music lessons.

As a child, the boy learned to play many instruments - cello, violin and viola, clavichord and organ, dulcimer. He read music with ease and then played music on instruments. From childhood to old age, Johann Sebastian's most favorite instrument was the organ. Possessing perfect hearing, sensitive and vulnerable, he could not stand false sounds that caused him suffering and pain.

The boy sang in the school choir, having a clear voice. When Bach was 15 years old, he went to Lüneburg, where he continued his studies at a vocal school for three years. After this, Johann was a court violinist in Weimar, where he did not stay long, because he didn't like it there at all. Around these years, he wrote his first works.

Having moved to Arnstadt, the musician holds the position of cantor and organist in the church. He also teaches children to sing and play an instrument.Soon, Prince Anhalt offered to become a bandmaster in his orchestra. The new position and free time inspire Bach; he writes cantatas for piano, pieces for violin and cello, suites and sonatas, concertos for orchestra, and, of course, preludes and chorales for organ.

The genius was not even thirty years old, and he had already written more than 500 works, and what a lot! In almost all masterpieces, experts capture the rhythms and melodies of German folk songs and dances, which he heard in childhood and remembered well. Bach light and warmth that will not leave anyone indifferent. Contemporaries of that time admired the great composer's virtuoso playing of the instruments more than his works.

Johann Sebastian Bach photo

The music was not clear to everyone; not everyone realized the great talent of this man. Few people admitted that they liked a lyrical, calm melody more than hurricane-like music, although the rumbling music captivated listeners. The author, in his works, shared hopes, dreams, faith in truth and in man, goodness and beauty. Loud sounds convincingly and simply “told” about it.

Only a hundred years later, his work was highly recognized. Much music has been written on biblical themes. Johann arrived in Leipzig in the spring of 1723. At St. Thomas' Church he is organist and cantor. Again, he spends a lot of time teaching children; he is required to play the organ in large churches 2-3 times a day. But he finds time for his creations and enjoys playing the organ for people.

Johann Bach quickly began to go blind, and after an unsuccessful operation he lost his sight. All his life, Johann Sebastian Bach lived in Germany, giving preference to the provinces. The composer was married twice, his sons (Friedemann, Johann Christian, Carl Philipp Emanuel) continued their father's work and became famous composers. Once or twice a week the family organized home concerts.

Johann had many musical instruments, he bought everything as he saved money, never borrowing money. Five harpsichords, three violins, three violas and two cellos, a lute, a viola basso and a viola pomposa, one spinet. All this inheritance was left to the children after his death, who passed away on July 28, 1750.

Alexander MAYKAPAR

Johann Sebastian BACH

1685 - 1750

Major milestones in life

I.S. Bach is a German composer and clavier player, that is, a performer on keyboard instruments (organ, harpsichord, clavichord).
Born in 1685 in Eisenach. The largest representative of the largest musical family. During his lifetime he was famous not so much as a composer, but as an organist and harpsichordist. The external circumstances of his life are much less varied than those of many of his contemporary colleagues, for example Handel.

The house in Eisenach where J.S. was born. Bach

Bach spent his childhood in Eisenach. The boy, who lost his parents early (Bach was orphaned by the age of ten), was taken into his family by his older brother Johann Christoph, who lived in Ohrdruf. In 1700, Bach moved to Lüneburg and entered the gymnasium there. By this time, he played the organ, clavier, violin, viola well, and performed the duties of an assistant cantor.
In 1702, Bach visited Hamburg several times to listen to the venerable J. Reincken. As a result, Reincken himself gives an enthusiastic review of the young Bach's organ playing. Next year, Bach graduates from the Luneburg gymnasium, and in the spring he accepts an invitation to serve in Weimar. He takes part in testing a new organ in Arnstadt and as a result is confirmed as an organist. In this capacity, in 1705 he traveled to Lubeck to listen to the performance of the famous organist Dietrich Buxtehude.
In 1707, Bach moved to Mühlhausen and became organist here at the Blasiuskirche (St. Blaise Church). In the same year he marries his cousin, also an orphan, Maria Barbara. Maria Barbara bore Bach seven children, of whom four survived. The two eldest sons - Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel - later became major composers and went down in music history as the creators of their own musical style.
In 1708, Bach received the position of court organist, chamber musician, and from 1714 - court accompanist in Weimar. In 1717–1723 we find him court bandmaster at Köthen.

Interior of the castle church in Weimar, in which J.S. Bach performed his cantatas

In 1721, after the sudden death of Maria Barbara, Bach married the daughter of the court musician in Weissenfeld, Anna Magdalena Wilken. She also represents a musical dynasty and has a beautiful voice and good hearing. Helping her husband, Anna Magdalena rewrote many of his works. In this marriage, Bach has 13 children, but six of them survive. One of Bach's sons from this marriage, Johann Christian, became a famous musician. (Due to the large number of Bach composers in world musical culture, the de facto practice of calling all Bachs by name has become established; when it is simply called “Bach,” we understand that we are talking about Johann Sebastian.)

Courtyard of the Church of St. Thomas, where the school was located and I.S. lived. Bach

In 1723, Bach received his most important position, as later life showed, as cantor of the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) and city music director in Leipzig. He moves here and stays here for the rest of his life. From here he made a number of trips, including in 1747 to Potsdam, where he played before King Frederick II, improvising on a theme given by him. Returning to Leipzig, Bach developed this theme in a number of complex polyphonic pieces, printed them and presented them to the king. This work is called “Musical Offering”.
Bach died in 1750.

Grave of I.S. Bach in the Church of St. Thomas

The scale of genius

Bach is one of the greatest representatives of world musical culture. He created in all musical genres that existed in his time, with the exception of opera, to which his oratorios are essentially close. In terms of musical style, his art represents the highest point of musical baroque. A distinctly national artist, Bach combined the traditions of the Protestant chorale with the traditions of the Italian and French schools of music.
The leading genre in Bach's vocal and instrumental work is the spiritual cantata. Bach created five annual cycles of cantatas, which differ in their belonging to the church calendar, in text sources (psalms, chorale stanzas, “free” poetry), in the role of the chorale, etc. Of the secular cantatas, the most famous are “Peasant” and “Coffee”. The dramatic principles developed in the cantata were implemented in the masses and the Passion. The “High” Mass in B minor, the “St. John Passion,” and the “Matthew Passion” became the culmination of the centuries-long history of these genres. Organ music occupies a central place in Bach's instrumental work.
Synthesizing the experience of organ improvisation inherited from his predecessors (D. Buxtehude, J. Pachelbel, G. Böhm, I.A. Reincken), various variational and polyphonic composition techniques and contemporary principles of concertoing, Bach rethought and updated the traditional genres of organ music - toccata , fantasy, passacaglia, chorale prelude. A virtuoso performer, one of the greatest experts of keyboard instruments of his time, Bach wrote a lot for the clavier. Among the keyboard works, the most important place is occupied by the “Well-Tempered Clavier” - the first experience in the history of music of artistic application developed at the turn of the 17th–18th centuries. tempered system. The greatest polyphonist, in the fugues “HTK” Bach created unsurpassed examples, a kind of school of contrapuntal mastery, which was continued and completed in “The Art of Fugue”, on which Bach worked over the last ten years of his life. Bach's music for violin, cello, flute, oboe, instrumental ensemble, orchestra - sonatas, suites, partitas, concertos - marks a significant expansion of the expressiveness and technical capabilities of instruments, reveals a deep knowledge of instruments and universalism in their interpretation. The six Brandenburg Concertos for various instrumental compositions, which implemented the genre and compositional principles of the concerto grosso, were an important step on the path to the classical symphony.
During Bach's lifetime, a small part of his works was published. The true scale of Bach's genius, which had a strong influence on the subsequent development of European musical culture, began to be realized only half a century after his death. Among the first connoisseurs is the founder of Bach studies I.N. Forkel (who published “Essay on the Life and Work of Bach” in 1802), K.F. Zelter, whose work to preserve and promote Bach's legacy led to the performance of the St. Matthew Passion under the baton of F. Mendelssohn in 1829. This performance, which had historical significance, served as an impetus for the revival of Bach's work in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1850, the Bach Society was formed in Leipzig. (On the fruits of the Society’s activities, see our article “Monument of World Musical Culture” - “Art” No. 18 (354), September 16–30, 2006, p. 3).

Johann Sebastian was born into a family that is considered the largest musical dynasty in Germany. Of Bach's ancestors, Veit Bach, a baker who played the zither, and Johannes Bach, a city musician in Erfurt, were especially famous. The descendants of the latter became so famous that in some medieval German dialects the surname “Bach” became a common noun and acquired the meaning “city musician”.

Bach's father is Johann of Ambroy, a city musician.

Johann Sebastian's uncle, Johann Christoph, served as an organist in the city. Naturally, the future greatest representative of the dynasty began to study music from a very early age.

1693 - the younger Bach enters a church school. The boy has a good soprano voice and is making progress

1695 - Johann Sebastian loses both parents in two years. He is taken in by his older brother, who served as a musician in Ordfur.

1695 – 1700 – Ohrdruf. Bach studies at school and studies music under the guidance of his brother. At the same time, as a teenager, Johann Bach severely lost his sight - at night, in the light of the moon, he copied notes from his brother.

The school teacher recommends that Bach go to Lüneburg, to the famous school at the Church of St. Michael. Johann Sebastian walks 300 kilometers from Central to Northern Germany. In Lüneburg, Bach lives on full board and even receives a small stipend. Master organist Georg Böhm becomes one of the mentors of the future composer in Lüneburg.

1702 - after graduating from school, Bach has the right to go to university, but cannot afford it, since he needs to earn a living. After spending some time in Lüneburg, the future composer goes back to Thuringia. Here he manages to serve as a violinist in the private chapel of Prince Johann Ernest of Saxony. Then Bach stops in Arnstadt, where he spends 4 years.

1703 – 1707 – Arnstadt. Bach serves as a church organist, while never ceasing to study the music and performance style of famous musicians of that time.

1707 - Bach accepts an invitation to serve in Mühlhausen, as an organist in the Church of St. Blaise. Here he begins to write cantatas and works part-time as an organ repairman. Bach spends a year in Mühlhausen.

1708 - Johann Sebastian Bach marries his cousin, also an orphan, Maria Barbara. Maria Barbara gave birth to Bach 7 children, four of whom survived.

The same year - moving to Weimar. Johann Bach finally stays in the city for a long time, he is a court organist and composer. This time is considered to be the beginning of Bach’s creative path as a composer of music. Many pieces for organ and harpsichord were written in Weimar.

1717 – 1723 – Köten. Bach receives the position of court conductor at the court of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Keten. Johann Sebastian's responsibilities included: accompanying the prince's singing (according to contemporaries, he had a good voice), accompanying his playing of the harpsichord and gamba, and also leading a chapel of 18 musicians. Here he wrote “The Well-Tempered Clavier” (1st volume), sonatas and suites for solo violin and cello, six Brandenburg concertos

Bach's appearance as court conductor was preceded by an event in Dresden: there was to be a performance by the “world star” of that time, L. Marchand. The musicians met on the eve of the concert, they even managed to play together, after which Marchand left Dresden, unable to withstand the competition and recognizing Bach as a better musician than himself.

June 1720 - Maria Barbara dies suddenly. Bach becomes a widower.

1721 - Johann Bach marries for the second time the daughter of a court musician from Weissenfeld, Anna Magdalene Wilcken. She also represents a musical dynasty and has a beautiful voice and good hearing. Helping her husband, Anna Magdalena rewrote many of his works. The second marriage becomes much more successful for the composer than the first. For his beloved Anna Magdalene, Bach creates the “Anna Magdalene Bach Music Book.” In this marriage, Bach has 13 children, but six of them survive.

1722 - Tired of secular music, Bach applies for a cantor vacancy that opens in Leipzig. A year later he gets this position.

1723 – 1750 – Leipzig.

1723 - in Leipzig, the music director of the city and the cantor of the church choir at the school of St. Thomas are waiting for the already famous musician. It is here that Johann Sebastian begins work as the head of the choir school. Teaching is a burden for the composer, taking time away from creativity. In addition, the choir school is poorly maintained; Johann Sebastian's students are constantly hungry and poorly dressed. And the school authorities care little about the quality of boys’ singing abilities.

At the same time, the composer takes an active part in the activities of the “Music College” of Leipzig.

In Leipzig, three sons of Johann Sebastian Bach were born: Wilhelm Friedemann, Philip Emmanuel, John Christian. They all turned out to be gifted musicians.

Leipzig period of creativity - Bach writes “St. Matthew Passion”, “St. John Passion”, “High Mass”, “Glorious Oratorio”, Mass in B minor, “Christmas Oratorio”, etc. The authorities are dissatisfied with the works of Johann Sebastian - they are “not churchly” , they lack the appropriate severity, but there is an abundance of the colorfulness of earthly music. Mutual dissatisfaction between the composer and his superiors ultimately results in open conflict.

1740 - Bach, formally remaining in the service, actually goes into his own work. He writes instrumental music and is trying to publish some of his works.

1747 - trip to Berlin. Philip Emmanuel, son of Bach, serves under Frederick II. He provides his father with a performance at the royal court. Bach plays for Frederick and his entourage, improvising on a theme given by the king. Returning to Leipzig, Bach uses this improvisation as the basis for his work “Musical Offering” and dedicates it to Frederick II of Prussia.