Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a … Read Full Bio ↴Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival he has been generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.
The Bach family already counted several composers when Johann Sebastian was born as the last child of a city musician in Eisenach. Having become an orphan at age 10, he lived for five years with his eldest brother, after which he continued his musical formation in Lüneburg. From 1703 he was back in Thuringia, working as a musician for Protestant churches in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen and, for longer stretches of time, at courts in Weimar—where he expanded his repertoire for the organ—and Köthen—where he was mostly engaged with chamber music. From 1723 he was employed as Thomaskantor (cantor at St. Thomas) in Leipzig. He composed music for the principal Lutheran churches of the city, and for its university's student ensemble Collegium Musicum. From 1726 he published some of his keyboard and organ music. In Leipzig, as had happened in some of his earlier positions, he had a difficult relation with his employer, a situation that was little remedied when he was granted the title of court composer by the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland in 1736. In the last decades of his life he reworked and extended many of his earlier compositions. He died of complications after eye surgery in 1750.
Bach enriched established German styles through his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and his adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include hundreds of cantatas, both sacred and secular. He composed Latin church music, Passions, oratorios and motets. He often adopted Lutheran hymns, not only in his larger vocal works, but for instance also in his four-part chorales and his sacred songs. He wrote extensively for organ and for other keyboard instruments. He composed concertos, for instance for violin and for harpsichord, and suites, as chamber music as well as for orchestra. Many of his works employ the genres of canon and fugue.
Throughout the 18th century Bach was primarily valued as an organist, while his keyboard music, such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, was appreciated for its didactic qualities. The 19th century saw the publication of some major Bach biographies, and by the end of that century all of his known music had been printed. Dissemination of scholarship on the composer continued through periodicals and websites exclusively devoted to him, and other publications such as the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV, a numbered catalogue of his works) and new critical editions of his compositions. His music was further popularised through a multitude of arrangements, including for instance the Air on the G String, and of recordings, for instance three different box sets with complete performances of the composer's oeuvre marking the 250th anniversary of his death.
The Bach family already counted several composers when Johann Sebastian was born as the last child of a city musician in Eisenach. Having become an orphan at age 10, he lived for five years with his eldest brother, after which he continued his musical formation in Lüneburg. From 1703 he was back in Thuringia, working as a musician for Protestant churches in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen and, for longer stretches of time, at courts in Weimar—where he expanded his repertoire for the organ—and Köthen—where he was mostly engaged with chamber music. From 1723 he was employed as Thomaskantor (cantor at St. Thomas) in Leipzig. He composed music for the principal Lutheran churches of the city, and for its university's student ensemble Collegium Musicum. From 1726 he published some of his keyboard and organ music. In Leipzig, as had happened in some of his earlier positions, he had a difficult relation with his employer, a situation that was little remedied when he was granted the title of court composer by the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland in 1736. In the last decades of his life he reworked and extended many of his earlier compositions. He died of complications after eye surgery in 1750.
Bach enriched established German styles through his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and his adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include hundreds of cantatas, both sacred and secular. He composed Latin church music, Passions, oratorios and motets. He often adopted Lutheran hymns, not only in his larger vocal works, but for instance also in his four-part chorales and his sacred songs. He wrote extensively for organ and for other keyboard instruments. He composed concertos, for instance for violin and for harpsichord, and suites, as chamber music as well as for orchestra. Many of his works employ the genres of canon and fugue.
Throughout the 18th century Bach was primarily valued as an organist, while his keyboard music, such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, was appreciated for its didactic qualities. The 19th century saw the publication of some major Bach biographies, and by the end of that century all of his known music had been printed. Dissemination of scholarship on the composer continued through periodicals and websites exclusively devoted to him, and other publications such as the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV, a numbered catalogue of his works) and new critical editions of his compositions. His music was further popularised through a multitude of arrangements, including for instance the Air on the G String, and of recordings, for instance three different box sets with complete performances of the composer's oeuvre marking the 250th anniversary of his death.
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 659
Johann Sebastian Bach Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Johann Sebastian Bach:
Air Erbarme dich, mein Gott, um meiner Zähren willen! Schaue h…
Air on a G String C21 Miscellaneous Hanging on a String I can't sleep I'm inco…
Ave Maria Ave Maria (De Bach e Gounod) Ave Maria Gratia plena Domin…
Cantata "Christ lag in Todesbanden" BWV 4: 6. Versus 5: "Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm" Стой! Пока ещё не выключен свет Я хочу услышать ответ Скажи,…
Cantata "Du Hirte Israel höre" BWV 104: 1. Chor: Du Hirte Israel höre Стой! Пока ещё не выключен свет Я хочу услышать ответ Скажи,…
Cantata "Du Hirte Israel höre" BWV 104: 5. Arie: Beglückte Herde Jesu Schafe Стой! Пока ещё не выключен свет Я хочу услышать ответ Скажи,…
Cantata 147: Jesus bleibet meine Freude Jesus bleibet meine Freude Meines Herzens Trost und Saft Ju…
Choral: Herzliebster Jesu was hast du verbrochen I and II Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, Daß man …
Choral: Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen I and II Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, Daß man …
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben Muss von Christo Zeugnis…
Jesu bleibet meine Freude Jesus bleibet meine Freude Meines Herzens Trost und Saft Ju…
Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring Jesus, joy of man's desiring Holy wisdom, love most bright D…
Jesu meine Freude Jesus bleibet meine Freude Meines Herzens Trost und Saft Ju…
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Jesus, joy of man's desiring Holy wisdom, love most bright D…
Jesus bleibet meine freud Jesus bleibet meine Freude Meines Herzens Trost und Saft Ju…
Jesus bleibet meine Freude Jesus bleibet meine Freude Meines Herzens Trost und Saft J…
Largo BWV 1056 Hope, can be misleading Just like the boy who falls in…
Mass in B minor BWV 232: I. Kyrie: Kyrie eleison Kyrie Eleison Kyrie Eleison Kyrie Eleison Kyrie Eleison Kyri…
主よ、人の望みの喜びよ (教会カンタータより) イエスこそ私たちが望む喜びの根源 聖なる知恵、もっとも輝かしい愛 あなたに引き寄せられた私たちの魂は 始原の光へ導かれる…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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JD Mitchell
Many years ago I heard this piece, uncredited, on the soundtrack of a film. I knew it had to be Bach, so I went to a big music store in London and looked through all the books of Bach organ music, hoping I could remember enough to recognise the piece. I found it. It took hours. But it remains my favourite piece, and I always play it at the start of Advent. Thank you for this beautiful and sensitive performance.
Transformed70
Do you remember the title of the movie?
JD Mitchell
@Transformed70 It was almost 40 years ago, so I don't remember the title. I'm pretty sure it was a documentary film about the island of Jersey, or maybe the Channel Islands in general. During the section about the local churches this piece was playing in the background. I don't know if it was played at the church itself or maybe it was just a 'generic organ piece'. It wasn't credited (I looked for it). But just those few bars made enough impression for me to hunt down the piece and identify it.
Transformed70
Thanks for your reply. It is a magical piece of music, worthy of your quest 😊 And magically performed by this fine musician. He was my sister’s teacher at the Dutch Conservatory in The Hague.
Willem Verpoest
@Transformed70 This piece was (also) used in the Czech movie Sílení AKA Lunacy (2005). Be warned: quite a challenge to watch this movie.
Exequiel Chuaqui
Now you can use shazam my man
Robinson Crusoe
Me conmueve hasta las lágrimas, Sin duda es mi favorita. Gracias
evanofelipe
It's as though Bach is inviting the listener to 'step up to Heaven'. So superbly played here by Leo van Doeselaar. Thanks for sharing √
Roberto Canales
I can listen to this wonder over and over again its just magical ♥️
Rune E
This is the theme of the looming melancholia of the winter months. When I'm happy, I miss this feeling. Wonderfully performed, thank you!