Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

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Biography

bullet1685 - Born in Eisenach, Germany, March 21
bullet1700 - Boy soprano at Lüneberg
bullet1703 - Violinist in the court orchestra at Weimar
bullet1703 - Organist in the Bonifacius-Kirche at Arnstadt
bulletOctober, 1705 - took a months leave so he could walk to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude (actually was gone for four months and returned to find he had been replaced)
bullet1707 - Organist at Muhlhausen
bullet1707 - Married Maria Barbara, his cousin (they had four children who survived)
bullet1708 - Returned to Weimar as court organist (the dissension in the Lutheran Church had interfered with his composing)
bulletBecame conductor of the court orchestra
bullet17176 - applied for the vacant position of Kapellmeister, but was refused
bulletArrested by his employer to prevent him from accepting an offer to join Prince Leopold's court at Cöthen (he was held for several weeks and when released he joined Prince Leopold's court)
bullet1719 - traveled to Halle to meet Handel, but had Handel had already returned to England
bullet1720 - His wife died
bullet1721 - Married 20-year-old Anna Magdalena who was a daughter of a musician (they had seven children who survived)
bullet1722 - He applied for and received position of cantor at the Thomasschule in Leipzig (he wanted to leave Cöthen because was unhappy about the Calvinist schools his children were attending and because the Prince's new wife was opposed to the arts)
bullet1749 - He became blind
bullet1750 - Died of a stroke in Leipzig, July 28

Post note: His grave was rediscovered in 1894 during excavations

Compositions

bullet1700-1708
bulletFive Fantasies in Bm: C: Cm: G: G for organ
bulletFantasy and Fugue in A minor for organ
bulletThree Fugues in Cm: D: G for organ
bulletFour Preludes in Am: C: C: G for organ
bulletFour Preludes and Fugues in Am: C: Cm: Em (Short) for organ
bulletToccata and Fugue in E for organ
bulletVariations on Chorales (Partitas) for organ:
bullet"Christ, der du bist der helle Tag"
bullet"O Gott, du frommer Gott"
bullet"Sei gregrüssett, Jesu gütig"
bulletFantasy in C minor for clavier
bulletFantasy (on a Rondo) in C minor for clavier
bulletFughetta in C minor for clavier
bulletFive Fugues in C: Cm: Dm: Dm: Em for clavier
bulletPrelude and Fugue in A minor for clavier
bulletFive Toccatas in D: Dm: Em: G: Gm for clavier
bulletca 1704 - Sonata in D for clavier
bulletca 1705 - Quodlibet, for four voices and continuo
bullet1708-1717
bullet"Alla breve pro organo pleno" in D for organ
bulletFour organ concertos (after Vivaldi and others) in Am: C: C: G
bulletTwo fantasies and Fugues in Cm: Gm for organ
bulletFantasy in C minor for organ
bulletFour Fugues in Bm: Cm: G "Jig": Gm for organ
bullet"Passacaglia" in C minor for organ
bullet"Pastorale" in F for organ
bulletEight Preludes and Fugues in A: Am (Great): C: Cm (Great): D: Fm: G (Great): Gm for organ
bulletEight Short Preludes and Fugues in C: Dm: Em: F: G: Gm: Am: Bb for organ
bulletFour Toccatas and Fugues in C: Dm (Dorian): Dm: F for organ
bulletThree Trios in Cm: Dm: F (Aria) for organ
bulletFantasy in G minor for clavier
bulletFantasy (Prelude) in A minor for clavier
bulletFive Fugues in A: A: A (on a theme by Albinoni): Am: Bm for clavier
bulletSuite in A minor for clavier
bulletSuite in Eb for clavcier
bulletSuite ("Ouverture") in F for clavier
bulletca 1714 - "Canzona" in D minor for organ
bullet1717 Orgelbüchlein, for organ
bullet1717-1723
bulletViolin Concerto in A minor with Strings and continuo
bulletViolin Concerto In D with strings and continuo
bulletConcerto in D minor for two violins with strings and continuo
bulletFugue in G minor for violin and continuo
bulletSonata in E minor for violin and continuo
bulletSonata in G for violin and continuo
bulletThree sonatas for flute and continuo:
bulletNo 1 in C
bulletNo 2 in E minor
bulletNo 3 in E
bulletSonata in C for two violins and continuo
bulletSonata in C minor for flute, violin and continuo
bulletSonata in G for flute, violin and continuo
bulletSonata in G for two flutes and continuo
bulletThree Sonatas for clavier and flute:
bulletNo 1 in B minor
bulletNo 2 in Eb
bulletNo 3 in A minor
bulletThree Sonatas for clavier and viola da gamba:
bulletNo 1 in G
bulletNo 2 in D
bulletNo 3 in G minor
bulletSix Sonatas for clavier and violin:
bulletNo 1 in B minor
bulletNo 2 in A
bulletNo 3 in E
bulletNo 4 in C minor
bulletNo 5 in F minor
bulletNo 6 in G
bulletSuite in A for clavier and violin
bulletFantasy and Fugue in A minor for clavier
bulletTwelve Little Preludes, for clavier
bulletPrelude and Fugue in A minor for clavier
bulletSix Preludes for Beginners, for clavier
bulletSuite in D for clavier (possibly not by Bach)
bulletTwo Toccatas in Cm: F# m for clavier
bulletca 1720
bulletSix Sonatas (Partitas) for solo violin:
bulletNo 1 in G minor
bulletNo 2 in A minor
bulletNo 3 in C
bulletNo 4 in B minor
bulletNo 5 in D minor
bulletNo 6 in E
bulletSix Suites (Sonatas) for solo cello:
bulletNo 1 in G
bulletNo 2 in D minor
bulletNo 3 in C
bulletNo 4 in Eb
bulletNo 5 in C minor
bulletNo 6 in D
bullet1720 - "Clavierbüchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach"
bullet1720-1703 - Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor for clavier
bullet1721 - The "Brandenburg" Concerti:
bulletNo 1 in F for violino piccolo, three oboes, two horns, bassoon, strings and continuo
bulletNo 2 in F for violin, flute, oboe, trumpet, strings and continuo
bulletNo 3 in G for strings and continuo
bulletNo 4 in G for violin, two flutes, strings and continuo
bulletNo 5 in D for clavier, violin, flute, strings and continuo
bulletNo 6 in Bb for strings (without violins and continuo)
bullet1722
bullet"Clavierbüchlein vor Anna Magdalena Bach"\
bulletSix Suites ("French"), in Dm: Cm: Bm: Eb: G; E for clavier
bulletThe Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
bullet1723
bulletMagnificat in D, for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and continuo
bulletMotet: "Jesu, meine Freunde" for five-part chorus
bulletPassion according to St. John, for soprano, contralto, tenor and bass soli, chorus, organ and continuo
bullet"Sanctus" in D, for eight-part chorus, orchestra and organ
bulletFive Preludes and Fugues: Bm (Great): C (Great): Dm: Eb (St. Anne): Em (Great or "The Wedge")
bulletVariations on Chorale (Partita) "Vom Himmel hoch da Komm' ich her"
bullet1725
bullet"Notenbuch vor Anna Magdalena Bach" for clavier
bulletFive songs from Anna Magdalena Bach's "Notenbuch"
bulletSix Suites ("English"): A: Am: Gm: F: Em: Dm for clavier
bulletca 1726 - Motet: "Fürchte dich nicht" for eight-part chorus
bullet1727-1736
bulletConcerto in C for two claviers with strings
bulletConcerto in C minor for two claviers with strings (identical to the Concerto for two violins in D minor, 1717-1723)
bulletConcerto in C minor for two claviers with strings
bullet1729
bulletMotet: "Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf" for eight-part chorus with accompaniment
bulletPassion according to St. Matthew for soprano, contralto, tenor and bass soli, double chorus, double orchestra and continuo
bullet1729-1733 - Six Sonatas (Trios) in Eb: Cm: Dm: Em: C: G for organ
bullet1729-1736
bulletClavier Concerto in A with strings and continuo
bulletClavier Concerto in D with strings and continuo (identical to Violin Concerto in E)
bulletClavier Concerto in D minor with strings and continuo (probably originally a violin concerto)
bulletClavier Concerto in E with strings and continuo
bulletClavier Concerto in F with two flutes, strings and continuo (identical to Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G)
bulletClavier Concerto in F minor with strings and concerto
bulletClavier Concerto in G minor with strings and continuo (identical to Violin Concerto in A minor)
bullet1730 - Concerto in A minor for clavier, flute and violin with strings
bullet1731 - Six Partitas for clavier in Bb: Cm: Am: D: G: Em
bullet1733
bulletConcerto in C for three claviers with strings
bulletConcerto in D minor for three claviers with strings
bulletConcerto in A minor for four claviers with strings (transcription of Concerto for four violins by Vivaldi)
bullet1733 - Mass in B minor for two sopranos, contralto, tenor, bass, chorus, orchestra and continuo
bullet1734 - Christmas Oratorio (six cantatas) for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ
bullet1735
bulletConcerto in the Italian Style for clavier in F
bulletAscension Oratorio (Cantata No. 11 "Lobet Gott in Seinen Reichen")
bulletPartita (Ouverture) in B minor for clavier
bullet1736 - Easter Oratorio for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ
bullet1737-1740 - Lutheran Masses for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ: F: Gm: Am: G
bulletca 1738 - Fantasy (with unfinished fugue) in C minor for clavier
bullet1739
bulletCatechism Preludes (Clavierübung, Vol. III)
bulletKyrie: Christie: Kyrie
bulletditto ("alio modo")
bulletAllein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr'
bulletditto
bulletditto (fughetta)
bulletDies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot'
bulletditto (fughetta)
bulletWir glauben all' an einem Gott
bulletditto (fughetta "Giant" fugue)
bulletVater unser in Himmelreich
bulletditto
bulletChrist unser Herr zum Jordan kam
bulletditto
bulletAus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir
bulletditto
bulletJesus Christ unser Heiland
bulletditto (fugue)
bulletClavier Duets (two-part pieces for one player)
bullet1742 - Aria with thirty variations, "Goldberg Variations" for double-keyboard harpsichord
bullet1744 - The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II
bullet1747 - A Musical Offering for flute and violin with continuo
bullet"Ricercare a tre voci"
bullet"Canon perpetuus super thema regium"
bullet"Canones diversi 1-5"
bullet"Fuga canonica in Epidiapente"
bullet"Ricercare a sei voci"
bulletTwo canons
bulletca 1747-1750 - Schübler's Book for organ
bullet1748-1750 - The Art of Fugue for unspecified instruments
bullet(1-14) Contrapunctus I-XIV
bullet(15-18) Four Canons
bullet(19-20) Two Fugues for two keyboards
bullet(21) Unfinished Fugue on three subjects
bulletDates unknown - Overtures (Suites)
bullet(1) in C for woodwind, strings and continuo
bullet(2) in B minor for flute, strings and continuo
bullet(3) in D for oboes, bassoons, trumpets, timpani, strings and continuo

J. S. Bach also composed:

bulletTwo psalms
bullet"Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden" for four-part chorus
bullet"Singet dem Herrm ein neues Leid" for eight-part chorus
bulletFantasy and Fugue in A minor for clavier (after 1717)
bulletPrelude and Fugue in Eb for clavier (after 1723)
bullet198 church cantatas
bulletTwenty-three secular cantatas
bulletShorter keyboard works including:
bulletFifteen two-part inventions
bulletFifteen "symphonies" (known today as three-part inventions