Johann Sebastien Bach
1685 to 1750
His life
J.S. Bach came from a long line of German musicians. Since he was orphaned at an early age, he learned his music from his older brother rather than from his father.
He had many children of his own, some of whom also became famous composers. The children learned to play harpsichord from a notebook which was given to his wife, Anna Magdalena. Many relatives and friends contributed their original instructional pieces to this notebook.
J.S. Bach died before he could finish his last set of pieces, which he called The Art of the Fugue. By that time, he had become blind from writing so much music in insufficient light, and he had to have a relative write the actual notes for him.
His works
Bach's major compositions include his B Minor Mass, The Well Tempered Clavier and The Art of the Fugue.
You can download this music by Bach:
| Name | Level | Sheet Music | Audio | Audio of original |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arranged) | Primer |  |  | play excerpt of original |
| Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arranged) | 2 | | | play excerpt of original |
| Minuet in G, short version. See the complete Minuet below | Kbd Classics | | | |
| Aria, from the Notebook of A.M. Bach | Kbd Classics | | | |
| Aria, from English Suite No. 3 | Kbd Classics | | | |
| Musette, from the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach | Intermed. 1 | | | |
| Minuet in G (complete) from the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach | Intermed. 1 | | | |
| Minuet in G minor from the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach | Intermed. 1 | | | |
| Minuet in G (with arpeggios), from the notebook of A.M. Bach | Intermed. 2 | |  | |
| Minuet in F, from the notebook of A.M. Bach | Intermed. 2 | | | |
| Largo, from Harpsichord Concerto No. 5 (arranged) | Intermed. 2 | | | |
| Prelude No.1 in C from the Well Tempered Clavier | Intermed. 2 | | | |
| Gavotte (from French Suite No. 5) | Intermed. 3 | | |