Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685. Both his mother and father died in less than a year of each other when Bach was ten. From this point on Bach was raised by his brother Johann Christoph.
At the age of 15 Bach was sent to join a church choir in Luneburg Germany where he would become a much praised boy soprano. It was here he would learn both the violin and the organ. The organ would be the means by which he would earn his living.
At the age of 18 just three years after joining the choir Bach set off on his own as a professional organist. He did not stay in one town but traveled to various places in Northern Germany. It was during this period that Bach began to write his own music as his earliest work dates from this time. It was also during this time that he fell in love.
Johann Sebastian Bach married his cousin Maria Barbara and the marriage produced seven children. It was during this time that Bach gained the post of Director of Music at the court of Anholt-Cothen. It was here that Bach would write some of his most famous works including The Brandenburg Concerto.
Bach had always been a committed protestant, but his faith was shaken a bit when his wife died suddenly in 1720. He was filled with grief that was reflected in the music for the church which he wrote at this time.
Bach’s heartfelt grief would not last forever. He soon met and Anna Magdalena Wulcken, a singer and the daughter of a court trumpeter. Bach was filled with gratitude that God had done this for him and this marriage would produce 13 more children.
After his marriage Bach secured his last job as Director of Music at The Church and School of St. Thomas. This was his most prolific time of writing. It was here that his best choral music was written, he was also so to compose music for civic functions as well, this all kept him very busy. Bach was also considered an expert in organ construction and was called on to inspect and inaugurate organs in various locations.
Has he grew older Bach would begin to lose his eyesight and because of his blindness never completed his final work, The Art of Fugue. He tried surgery to correct his sight but the surgery failed and Bach died not long after on the 28th of July 1750 at the age of 65.