Personendetails

Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750), German composer, keyboardist, singer, violinist and violist. Born in Eisenach to a family of professional musicians. His education was gained through his father and through his own lifelong concern with analysing and absorbing music that fascinated him. He occupied various Kapellmeister positions to local aristocratic courts. Although recognised in his day on an international footing as an excellent organist, his genius as a composer was not widely known until early- to middle-nineenth century. In Prague into the second half of the nineteenth century Bach’s organ works were intensively patronised by the local Organists School, for which they formed an important part of the didactic curriculum. The local Cecilia Society also adventurously programmed the St Matthew Passion and extracts from the B minor Mass.