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Born in Eisenach, Germany
Born to a family of avid musicians, it is believed his father taught him to play the violin -
Studied Latin and went through religious teachings
This was at the age of seven, so it is estimated that it was within September of 1692 -
1705 Disappearance
He left to go see Dietrich Buxtehude in Lubeck with only a few weeks leave from the church. He extended his stay without informing anyone back in Arnstadt. -
Disappeared for a few months
No specific date, but this was in 1705. He only received a few weeks leave from the church and didn't tell anyone that he left. He traveled to Lübeck to see famed organist Dietrich Buxtehude perform. -
Left Arnstadt in 1707
No specific date. He resumed position as an organist at the Church of St. Blaise in Mühlhausen. His musical ideas clashed with that of the pastor's, Bach enjoyed complexity and rhythm mending while the pastor thought that church music should be simple. One of his most famous pieces from that period was "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit," also known as "Actus Tragicus." -
Moved to the Church of St. Blaise in Mühlhausen
No specific date, but he moved in 1707. He resumed position as an organist, but his musical styles clashed with that of the pastor's. Bach was very complex and enjoyed weaving melodies together, while the pastor believed that church music should be simple. One of his most famous pieces from this period is "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit", or "Actus Tragicus". -
Work in Royalty
He left for a position as the organist at the court of Duke Wilhelm Ernst in Weimar. He wrote many church compositions at this time. -
Left the Duke's Court
In 1717, he wanted to leave for a position at the court of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. But it took awhile for the duke to let him go, so he left in early December. -
Period: to
Compositions
At this time with Prince Leopold, he composed many orchestrations involving cello, violin, and organ. Many of these are based on Christianity and are very famous today. -
Period: to
Biblical Compositions
He wrote many arias based on Bible verses, including the very famous Kyrie and Gloria. -
Work in Leipzig
In Leipzig, he took a position at St. Thomas's Church as the organist and teacher. He wrote 6 cantatas at this time. -
Health Decline
By 1740, his eyesight began to decline. But he still carried on with shows, including playing for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia in 1747. -
Last Composition
He tried to compose "The Art of Fugue" in 1749, but he didn't finish it. -
Death
Bach suffered a stroke and died in Leipzig on July 28th, 1750 -
Began playing the violin and harpsichord due to a voice change
No specific date. He was greatly influenced by a local organist by the name of George Böhm. -
Was orphaned at the age of ten
No specific date.
His older brother, Johann Christoph provided musical instruction and enrolled him in a school. He stayed with his brother until he was 15. -
Got a place at a school in Lüneburg
No specific date. This was due to his beautiful soprano singing voice -
Got a job as an organist at the Church of Arndstadt
No specific date. His Lutheran faith would later influence his compositions. -
He gave musical instruction
He was very independent and sometimes arrogant, so he didn't get along with his students. He was also yelled at by church officials for not rehearsing them as often as he should've. No specific date. -
Surgery
He attempted surgery to fix his eyesight, but he went completely blind as a result. (no specific date)
