Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bachwas a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B minor, two Passions, and over three hundred cantatas of which around two hundred survive. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth31 March 1685
CountryGermany
On land, on sea, at home abroad, I smoke my pipe and worship God.
The most stupendous miracle in all music.
It cannot remain unmentioned that so many poorly equipped boys, and boys who have no talent at all for music, have been accepted into the school to date that the quality of music has necessarily declined and deteriorated. And those who do bring a few precepts with them when they come to school are not ready to be used immediately.
God's gift to his sorrowing creatures is a joy worthy of their destiny.
My masters are strange folk with very little care for music in them.
A Composition on the Piano
Music is an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul.
You just have to press the right keys and the right pedals at the right time and the music plays itself.
I have always kept one end in view, namely ... to conduct a well-regulated church music to the honour of God.
Music's only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit.
What I have achieved by industry and practice, anyone else with tolerable natural gift and ability can also achieve.
On one of those rare occasions when Bach appraised his own life's work, he remarked: I worked hard.
I was a microscopic life-form, infinitely large, stumbled backstage of its playhouse, caught a nanosecond glance of its own reality and nearly vaporized in shock.
Like all music, the figured bass should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the recreation of the soul; where this is not kept in mind there is no true music, but only an infernal clamour and ranting.