Bach

            Johann Sebastian Bach lived a very interesting life, which impacted his musical style in many ways. His music has it's own style which was a collaboration of techniques of people that preceded him as well as those that lived during his time. One of Bach's greatest works is the Mass in B Minor. The Mass was writing in the later part of his life so many different styles and forms are found throughout his work. Bach's music has something special way of reaching people of all ages, races, cultures and backgrounds. .
             Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany, to Johann Ambrosius Bach and Maria Elisabeth Lammerhirt. Bach spent most of his childhood in Eisenach and began his first formal school in 1690. In 1694 his mother died and soon after Bach's father remarried. Less then three months after his father remarried, Ambrosius Bach passed away after suffering from a serious long-term illness. Bach was then sent to live with his brother, who was an organist in Ohrdruf. According to Christoph Wolff, "In the obituary Emanuel stated that his father had his first keyboard lessons from Christoph, at Ohrdruf; in 1775, replying to Forkel, he said that Christoph might have trained him simply as an organist, and that Sebastian became "a pure and strong fuguist" through his own efforts" (Wolff). In 1700 Christoph passed away and Bach was left homeless (Wolff). Elias Herda, the Kantor at the Lyceum arranged for Bach to travel to Luneburg and joined the Mettenchor. Bach was welcomed into the choir because of his beautiful treble voice, but soon after arriving his voice changed and his position changed to that of an accompaniment role. He there attended the Michaelisschule for no charge because he was involved with the Mettenchor. While he attended the Michaelisschule he was required to perform a vast range of music, which affected Bach's own musical style. It is unknown when Bach left Luneburg, but he was next recorded at the Duke's court in Weimar.