bach
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Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685 as one of eight children to a family of musicians, and learned how to play the violin at an early age. As both his parents died before he was 10, Bach was sent to live with his oldest brother who was an organist in Ohrdruf. It is believed that this older brother greatly influenced Bach to learn and later master the organ. Between 1717 and 1720, Bach concentrated on instrumental composition, and it was during this time period that his violin concertos, the six Brandenburg Concertos, and numerous suites and keyboard works, including the Inventions, were written. Bach spent the height of his working life in a Lutheran church position in Leipzig, as both organist and music director. It was here that he arranged numerous harpsichord concertos and composed several large-scale cantatas, as he was responsible for the music performed at the weekly Sunday services. Bach was also given the duty to teach Latin to several young boys when he wasn't composing music.
Bach died in 1750, however, his output embraced practically every musical genre of his time except for opera. His work has greatly opened up new dimensions in format, musical quality and technical demands. Furthermore, analysts have revealed that Bach's music is comprised of layers of religious and numerological significance due to the density and complexity of his work...