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Born March 21, 1685. Died July 28, 1750. "The King of the Organ." Born at Eisenach, Prussia. His fatehr and forefathers for five generations were musicians. Studied violin, clavichord, organ. In 1708 he was made court-organist at Weimar; 1717, orchestral director at Koethen; in 1723 and until his death, cantor of St. thomans school at Leipsic, and director of music in the churches of St. Thomas and St. John. He was twice married and had twenty children, of whom ten sons were musicians. He died otally blind, and was buried in Church of St. John. He was the greatest organist of the 18th century and a famous performer on the clavichord. He was the first to teach the use of the thumb and all the fingers for playing. He wrote the only perect fugues, and other masterpieces for clavichord and organ. There are hundreds of cantatas, compositions for orchestra, pianoforte and organ. Some of the most familiar are the "Inventions," "Well-Tempered Clavichord" - which inroduces Preludes and Fugues in all keys - "French and English Suites," "St. Matthew Passion." |
