Johann Sebastian Bach was a classical music composer.http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/2113.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about He wrote almost 200 cantatas, as well as many concertos and orchestral suites.http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CCwQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bach-complete-works.com%2Fcompleteworks.html&ei=uNXeTMTOE8SclgeUp-CkAw&usg=AFQjCNGAzmNR09CQYeQ99yWJhL25aMpIFw&sig2=GI2dM6UAQn7sAaWDscI2ZA Bach wrote during the Baroque period of classical music, which was characterized by experimentation with tones and forms in music.http://plato.acadiau.ca/courses/musi/callon/2233/ch-comp.htm#JSBach http://www.mfiles.co.uk/classical-periods.htm#Baroque Bach worked with the fugue, a piece of music with many voices based on a single melody and repeated in a variety of ways. http://incompetech.com/music/fugue.html

Bach was born on March 21, 1685. He was the youngest of eight children. His mother died when he was eight years old and his father died when he was nine. After the deaths of his parents, Bach went to live with his oldest brother, Johann Christoph, who was an organist.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/eisenach.html It is believed that Johann Christoph taught him how to play the organ, but with a family background in music, Bach may have already had some training by the time he went to live with his brother.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/ohrdruf.html

When Bach was fifteen years old, his brother could no longer support him. Bach left his brother's home and traveled with a friend to Luneburg, Germany, where it is believed Bach attended school and earned money by singing in the choir. In his early life, Bach had a soprano singing voice, but when he went through puberty, he lost the ability to sing soprano. http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/lueneburg.html

In 1707, Bach got a job playing for church services in Mühlhausen. Bach composed the music that he played during these services. When his uncle died, Bach inherited enough money so that he could marry Maria Barbara.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/muehlhausen.html http://www.enchantedlearning.com/music/bios/bach/ In 1708, Bach accepted a job to play in the court of the Duke of Weimer. Most of Bach's organ music was composed during this period. The Duke granted Bach the title of Concert Master.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/weimar2.html Bach's works in Weimer included Toccata and Fugue in D Minor in 1705 and The Little Organ Book in 1714.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/music/bios/bach/

Bach would go on to accept a position with Prince Leopold of Köthen in 1717. Maria Barbara died in 1720; about a year later, he would marry his second wife, Anna Magdalena.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/koethen1.html http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/koethen2.html Bach's Köthen works included the Brandenburg Concertos in 1721.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/music/bios/bach/

Bach would stay in Köthen until 1723, when he took a job as cantor at the Thomas School. He arranged music for the four main churches. After his time in Köthen, Bach composed many works in Leipzig. While there, Bach would see eight of his 12 children with Anna maria die in early childhood.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/leipzig1.html

Bach spent his last days in Leipzig. He was almost blind due to cataracts. In 1750, Bach had a stroke and he died on July 28, 1750. The symptoms that Bach reportedly showed during the final years of his life are consistent with those of diabetes.http://www.let.rug.nl/Linguistics/diversen/bach/leipzig1.htmlBach was buried at St. John's Cemetery in Leipzig. His death marked the end of the Baroque period in classical music.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/music/bios/bach/

The following is a partial list of Johann Sebastian Bach's works.

Passions and Oratorios

• BWV 11 - Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (Ascension Oratorio)
• BWV 244 - St Matthew Passion
• BWV 244a - Klagt Kinder, klagt es aller Welt
• BWV 244b - Jesum lass' ich nicht von mir
• BWV 245 - St John Passion
• BWV 245a - Aria aus der 2. Fassung der Johannespassion
• BWV 245b - Aria aus der 2. Fassung der Johannespassion
• BWV 245c - Aria aus der 2. Fassung der Johannespassion
• BWV 246 - St Luke Passion (Spurious)
• BWV 247 - St Mark Passion - Passio secundum Marcum
• BWV 248 - Christmas Oratorio
• BWV 249 - Easter Oratorio: Kommt, eilet und laufet
• BWV 249a - Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen
• BWV 249b - Verjaget, zerstreuet, zerruttet, ihr Sterne
• BWV 1088 - So heb ich denn mein Auge sehnlich aufhttp://www.jsbach.org/passions.html

Brandenburg Concertos

• BWV 1046 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1
• BWV 1046a - Sinfonia
• BWV 1047 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
• BWV 1048 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
• BWV 1049 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4
• BWV 1050 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
• BWV 1050a - Concerto in D Major
• BWV 1051 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 6http://www.jsbach.org/concertosand.html

Canons and Late Contrapuntal Works

• BWV 1072 - Canon trias harmonica - organ
• BWV 1073 - Canon a 4 perpetuus - organ
• BWV 1074 - Canon a 4 - organ
• BWV 1075 - Canon a 2 perpetuus - organ
• BWV 1076 - Canon triplex a 6 - organ
• BWV 1077 - Canone doppio sopr'il soggetto - organ
• BWV 1078 - Canon super fa mi a 7 post tempus misicum - organ
• BWV 1079 - Musical Offering (Musikalisches Opfer) - flute/recorder; violin; harpsichord; continuo
• BWV 1080 - Art of Fugue (Die Kunst der Fuge) - harpsichord (clavier)
• BWV 1086 - Canon concordia discors - organ
• BWV 1087 - Verschiedene Canones [14] - organhttp://www.jsbach.org/canons.html