One of Bach’s first jobs was as a church organist in Arnstadt. Mary's Church, but marriage to one of Buxtehude's daughters was a prerequisite to taking over the job. Bach hoped to succeed Buxtehude as the organist of Lübeck's St. He stuck around for four months to study with the musician. In 1705, 20-year-old Bach walked 280 miles-that's right, walked-from the city of Arnstadt to Lübeck in northern Germany to hear a concert by the influential organist and composer Dieterich Buxtehude. He took a musical pilgrimage that puts every road trip to Woodstock to shame. According to the Nekrolog, an obituary written by Bach’s son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, 'tarting with Veit Bach, the founding father of this family, all his descendants, down to the seventh generation, have dedicated themselves to the profession of music, with only a few exceptions.' 3. Bach also had 20 children, and, of those who lived past childhood, at least five became professional composers. He had five brothers-all named Johann-and the three who lived to adulthood became musicians. At least two of his uncles were composers. His father was a violinist, organist, court trumpeter, and kettledrum player.

He was at the center of a musical dynasty.īach’s great-grandfather was a piper.

“True, his life was actually 11 days longer because Protestant Germany adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1700,” he told Classical MPR, “but with the legal stipulation that all dates prior to Dec. And while most biographies opt for the March 31 date, Bach scholar Christopher Wolff firmly roots for Team 21. Today, we use the Gregorian calendar, which shifted the dates by 11 days. Bach was born in Thuringia in 1685, when the German state was still observing the Julian calendar. The correct date depends on whom you ask. Other people light the candles on March 31. Some people celebrate Bach’s birthday on March 21. There's some disagreement about when he was actually born. Here are 11 things you might not know about the man behind the music. Shredding electric guitar solos? Look, it’s Bach! The Baroque composer produced more than 1100 works, from liturgical organ pieces to secular cantatas for orchestra, and his ideas about musical form and harmony continue to influence generations of music-makers.

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