Bach Biography, Bach's Life, Bach Short Biography: ... In Eight Versions!..

Bach very cozy: Welcome to Dornheim. You’ll find the best “authentic” biographies to guide you through the places where Johann Sebastian Bach lived and worked in another section of this Bach website, the "Book Corner."..

Short Biography, Life, Career ... Bach in 10, 15, 25, or 60 Minutes?..

The Bach biography. Did you know? There are about 700 versions of this Bach biography. But nowhere else will you find the short Bach biography presented in such a compact and varied way as on this, my website. In addition to its style – which characterizes every biography in the world –it’s always the level of detail, and thus the length of the reading experience, that distinguishes one biography from another, even when they’re about the same person. This is also true for Bach on Bach..

It’s also interesting that the Necrology is written in a completely different style. You can find it here very close as well. In its original form and easier to read. The mini-show – also a Bach biography– is yet another completely different experience. And there’s an audio biography. Both the audio and video biographies are nine minutes long … or rather short. With this selection, there’s definitely something for everyone ... Caution advertisement... However, for those who’d like to read much, much more about Johann Sebastian Bach, I’ve included my book recommendations elsewhere on this website ... there you’ll find “truly authentic” Bach biographies. And also ... my own 172-page Bach Biography for Children ... End of advertisement. You’ll find out how to navigate to all these sections in the second-to-last segment..

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The Short Biography About Bach: There Are Eight Different Versions on “Bach on Bach”..

Practically unknown – even among many Bach biographers and many Bach specialists – is the reference to the very first appearance of the musical family in a written document. In fact, none of the approximately 700 biographies of Johann Sebastian Bach cites this document as the source with the most authentic background. If one compares the two historical documents namely, the “Ursprung” and the so-called “Kirchenbuße” (... Church Penance ... above) – the references differ in that the “Ursprung” has been passed down through oral tradition over time and across generations. Under No. 1 in the “Ursprung,” no date is mentioned regarding Veit Bach. Furthermore, the original no longer exists: The surviving “Ursprung” consists of two copies of the original, transcribed from the original, which – according to a decades-long account – was not created until 1735. The handwriting on one of the copies is that of Bach’s granddaughter. The “Kirchenbuße,” on the other hand, still exists in its original form today. And it mentions the existence of the “famous Bachs of 1504”. From a Bach of that family. That as early as 1728..

This original dates back a full seven years before Johann Sebastian Bach’s "The Origin of the Bach Musical Family" (... the "Ursprung"): It is the "Kirchenbuße" (... the "Church Penance")..

Based on this original document, along with other indicators, it can be concluded that the musical family’s origins do not originate in Hungary..

If you'd like to finally learn more about Johann Sebastian Bach without my “user manual”:..

For Facts, Facts, Facts click via the link..

For the Bach short biography as Bach Mini Short Biography Video (1) please click on the link above..

The Bach biography to listen to (2): Please click here..

You can access the three versions of the Bach Necrology from 1750 (3) via the link in the line above..

Advertisement: Click here for what is surely the world’s shortest short biography about Bach – for the very, very youngest among us Bach fans – in a coloring book about the Thomas Cantor and star composer (4). End of Advertisement..

To the 10 minutes Bach short biography (5), you get via this link on the left..

To the 15 minutes long Bach short biography (6), please click here..

To the 25 minutes Bach short biography (7), please click to your left..

To the cross-media Bach short biography in 60 minutes (8), please click here..

Advertisement. Get here to the Bach Biography for Children, a full-length book, not a short biography ... featuring Balthazar and Veit. End of Advertisement..

There's always an exception. And that's why you can also conveniently watch the short biography as a video already right here ... it's only nine minutes long. Well ... just push the “> button”, now..

Very few people know that the history of Johann Sebastian Bach’s family of musicians began in 1504. And in a family tree, a date without a name or a place of birth and death is simply not very exciting. After all, the church register doesn’t contain any more information than the fact that a famous family of musicians named Bach already existed in 1504. Genealogically, however, the year 1504 is just as significant as the account of Johann Sebastian Bach, which he wrote down a full seven years later, at the age of 50, in 1735, in his famous Origin of the Musical Bachish Family..

How Much of a Short Biography of Bach Would You Like?..

One of the most fundamental sources of Bach genealogy: the “Origin of the Musical Bachish Family” (... the "Ursprung der musikalisch-bachischen Familie) from 1735..

Johann Sebastian Bach compiled the “Ursprung” himself. However, this – both the upper and lower parts – is a copy made by his granddaughter..

You can learn not just more, but much more about the “Ursprung der musikalisch-bachischen Familie” of Johann Sebastian Bach on a separate page. Just click here..

The question remains. And I’d argue: Few people have had as many biographies written about them as Johann Sebastian Bach. True, more have probably been written about Jesus. Perhaps also about Napoleon and Luther, as well as a very dislikeable mass murderer in Germany about 100 years ago. And okay, it’s not entirely fair, because the mere span of well over 250 years since Bach’s death provides a foundation that’s almost unbeatable on its own. Add to that the fun of self-publishing (…which is what I’m doing with this, my own website). Then there’s the rewarding subject matter in music. And last but not least, the conviction of hundreds of book publishers that there’s enough interest to turn a profit with every new Bach biography..

So why isn’t one short biography about Bach enough here on Bach on Bach? Why eight versions plus a “profile”? Maybe … I’m just trying to catch up with my “cousin” and want to offer you not only quality but also quantity. When you read one real Bach biography after another, several criteria stand out for how one might “convey” the life of the Thomas Cantor and his work. And that’s exactly what I want to do: So a short biography about Bach simply belongs on a Bach website. Actually, then … one ( ! ) short biography about Bach! So, what are my criteria, then?..

By the way, it looks just like this two more times in the following lines. But ... you’re not going to leave before you’ve finished reading this page, are you?..

If you'd like to finally learn more about Johann Sebastian Bach without my “user manual”:..

For Facts, Facts, Facts click via the link..

For the Bach short biography as Bach Mini Short Biography Video (1) please click on the link above..

The Bach biography to listen to (2): Please click here..

You can access the three versions of the Bach Necrology from 1750 (3) via the link in the line above..

To the 10 minutes Bach short biography (5), you get via this link on the left..

To the 15 minutes long Bach short biography (6), please click here..

To the 25 minutes Bach short biography (7), please click to your left..

To the cross-media Bach short biography in 60 minutes (8), please click here..

Advertisement. Get here to the Bach Biography for Children, a full-length book, not a short biography ... featuring Balthazar and Veit. End of Advertisement..

Criteria to Help You Decide Which “Right” Bach Biography to Buy..

The first mention of a Bach from the Thuringian family of musicians in a church document. Earlier records were destroyed by fire ... much to the regret of all Bach genealogists..

One of the first “graffiti” in the world: A Bach researcher found the long-awaited entry in a church register of immeasurable value. And he drew a red line under it. But we were all lucky ... at least he didn’t tear the page out and take it with him..

1619 ... one of the most important dates in the Bach Genealogy..

There are certain criteria for a Bach biography ... a real one, I mean. I’m talking about a book, not this chapter here. First of all, there’s simply the scope. You can tell the story of Bach’s life in two minutes. Or in a two-volume biography. Like the one by Bach biographer Spitta. Of course, this goes hand in hand with the level of detail. What’s far too detailed for one person is downright superficial to another..

What else? The author’s premise in his biography. For one writer, the musical work is clearly the main focus. For another author, it’s scholarly accuracy. And the third takes a completely “out-of-the-box” approach to examining the life of the court composer..

Then it’s a matter of style. If you prefer a factual approach, then the biography A Brief Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach isn’t a good choice. Can you feel it? Does it feel cosmic? Esoteric? It’s a collective groan from Bach connoisseurs all over the world. Right now. Can you feel that groan? That’s right, the "Kleine Chronik der Anna Magdalena Bach" isn’t a Bach biography in the traditional sense. But to me, that simply doesn’t matter. My goal with this project is to “convey” Bach in all his brilliance. And that means – first and foremost – not “scaring off” anyone who’s just beginning to take an interest in the master with the wrong reading material. Because … that material does exist..

Fourth ... I almost forgot: Perhaps you’d enjoy a historical biography. One written 100 or even 200 years ago. Many people share this interest. Otherwise, the Bach biographies by Albert Schweitzer, Julius August Philipp Spitta, and even the oldest Bach biography by Johann Nikolaus Forkel would no longer be available ... not as used copies, but brand-new, hot off the press. The style transports the reader to another era. Furthermore, if you compare them to contemporary biographers, you’ll notice a huge difference ... depending on whether you prefer this writing style … or that one. That … would then be: fifth..

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What Do You Prefer: A Bach Biography or a Bach Short Biography?..

Self-made. Bach wasn't only capable of creating music. No, he could seals as well. In wax you realize it less obviously: two times the letters JSB, one set is mirrored, a crown on top: seal ready..

Not a Bach Biography..

You’re right: Only one of my nine “works” in our Bach Mission is a biography. Seven aren’t even close. Because they’re short biographies, after all. And then there’s the “wanted poster” (... only in German). How on earth does a term like that even come close to the master from Thuringia? And why? We’ll get to that later. That leaves seven short Bach biographies. Like the entire Johann Sebastian Bach Project, this chapter also originates from my own experience with the Thomas Cantor: Back then, I myself would have wanted what I’m offering you today. Information. A first impression. And also: a selection. Now you choose the length in which you’d like to get a first impression. A quick glance … and that has to be enough? Then the “wanted poster”, which for you is “facts, facts, facts” is right for you: the key facts, a concise overview of his life, and one or two interesting details. That’s it..

If you'd like to finally learn more about Johann Sebastian Bach without my “user manual”:

For Facts, Facts, Facts click via the link..

For the Bach short biography as Bach Mini Short Biography Video (1) please click on the link above..

The Bach biography to listen to (2): Please click here..

You can access the three versions of the Bach Necrology from 1750 (3) via the link in the line above..

To the 10 minutes Bach short biography (5), you get via this link on the left..

To the 15 minutes long Bach short biography (6), please click here..

To the 25 minutes Bach short biography (7), please click to your left..

To the cross-media Bach short biography in 60 minutes (8), please click here..

Advertisement. Get here to the Bach Biography for Children, a full-length book, not a short biography ... featuring Balthazar and Veit. End of Advertisement..

And now for the world’s shortest biography and the ultra-short biography about Bach. You can “get through” both in a good two or five minutes, respectively. Without using bullet points or a tabular format like in the “facts, facts, facts department,” the essentials of the life of the greatest composer of all time (… as the New York Times has stated, not me …) are summarized. And what applies to the ultra-short Bach biography naturally also applies to the 15-minute Bach biography and the 60-minute Bach biography. More and more details are added. Only the dates remain the same. And that isn’t the only thing that stays the same. It also depends on what each biographer – including me (…even though I’m hardly one…) – considers worth telling. So, no matter the length, one thing or another will always be missing. Not every biography covers every aspect of Bach’s life. And ultimately, tastes vary beyond all objectivity anyway. And that’s just fine!..

Different Illustrations..

It’s not just the length of my “short ones” that sets my “minis” apart from one another. I also wanted to illustrate these brief biographies for you in different ways, yet in a consistent manner. Hopefully, this will somehow give you the agony of choice. But perhaps I can help you a little … and encourage you to first skim through the facts. Then start with the ultra-short Bach biography. And finally, decide on one of the following versions. By the way: If you’d like to remember a little bit of everything. There are nine Bach cities and Bach places that are associated with the name Johann Sebastian Bach. So, to speak, nine Johann Sebastian Bach cities and places. And there are five Bach cities where he lived and worked after finishing school. That is, where he really made his mark. Professionally..

Well, maybe you should just decide for yourself: whether you think Bach was already earning money with his talent and uniqueness in Eisenach, Ohrdruf, and even Lüneburg. Or whether you believe Bach’s actual career began in Arnstadt (... let’s just ignore his first six months in Weimar for now. Besides, after his first stay in Weimar, he “returned” there anyway). That would make it – easy to remember – “only” five locations. A for Arnstadt, M for Mühlhausen, and W for Weimar. Then he headed north to Köthen. And finally back down to Leipzig..

Acht Bach Short Biographies ... Where Else in the World Do You Find Such an Offer?..

We found it. More precisely? We had it found? Even more precisely? Many others had already found it before us..

Seriously: Our professional genealogist, Mr. Hoske, found this record of the wedding of Johann Sebastian Bach and his wife, Maria Barbara Bach, in Dornheim. Be honest: If you’d actually held this document in your own hands, would you have realized that it contained information about the Thomas Cantor?..

The year of 1707. Sure, so close you recognize it more than clear..

Something special on the internet: the most cross-media experience – if such a term even exists – is definitely my 60-minute short biography about Bach on this website. First, it offers reading material; second, you can learn about the cities and places associated with Bach through short videos filmed in those very locations. Or, alternatively, you could even play Bach’s music in the background while you read. Bach today and a little interactive … so to speak. Maybe you’ll click over there quickly … but then please come back. After all, you should finish reading this “user guide” first, shouldn’t you?!..

Each of my short biographies of Bach is a reasonable length. You can “consume” – that is, read – them in 10, 15, 25, or 60 minutes: And you’ll already get a pretty good sense of Bach’s life. Together with the book recommendations found elsewhere on this website, this lays the foundation for enjoying Bach even more. Once you’ve read one, you’ll know what’s best to tackle next … or whether the content you’ve read is already sufficient for a solid general knowledge base. 10 minutes, 15, 25, or 60. How did he (… I …) come up with that?..

Originally, I was planning to write four “short biographies about Bach.” That’s what I wanted to offer you. But when you have a cool idea, the hard part always comes afterwards. And what should I even call these four? “Short Biography about Bach, Long,” “Short Biography about Bach, Longer,” and maybe even “Short Biography about Bach, Really, Really Long”? I realize I need to get serious again. One section away, the “emergency exit” has been set up for you once more: your escape route … and don’t worry: The short biographies about Bach are not that silly..

I do, however, recommend reading one ( ! ) of these short biographies about Bach as pre-concert reading. To get you in the mood. Or as a “stepping stone” to a proper Bach biography … that is, a real Bach biography … whether historical or contemporary. Or in the style of Anna Magdalena Bach. Alternatively, the one with the highest conceivable level of expertise … that would be the one by Professor Christoph Wolff. How did I come up with the time estimate for my 60-minute version? Well, on Wikipedia (…where else?) you can look up how fast you can read in one minute. First, I counted the number of words. At an average reading speed – according to Wikipedia – 14,092 words would take – guess what? – 60 minutes to read. It’s wonderful how you can put these statistics to use yourself. And please don’t forget while reading: I’m not a writer. But now, let’s get to it... ..

If you'd like to finally learn more about Johann Sebastian Bach without my “user manual”:

For Facts, Facts, Facts click via the link..

For the Bach short biography as Bach Mini Short Biography Video (1) please click on the link above..

The Bach biography to listen to (2): Please click here..

You can access the three versions of the Bach Necrology from 1750 (3) via the link in the line above..

To the 10 minutes Bach short biography (5), you get via this link on the left..

To the 15 minutes long Bach short biography (6), please click here..

To the 25 minutes Bach short biography (7), please click to your left..

To the cross-media Bach short biography in 60 minutes (8), please click here..

Advertisement. Get here to the Bach Biography for Children, a full-length book, not a short biography ... featuring Balthazar and Veit. End of Advertisement..

800 Bach Books to Discover ... 25 Bach Books Are My Recommendations..

The second book from the left on the bottom row is arguably the most sought-after Bach biography today, written by undoubtedly the most accomplished Bach scholar, Professor Christoph Wolff. and there is a English version. If you make your purchase via the following link – through jpc, Europe’s largest music retailer – our Bach Mission will receive a small commission. However, this will not increase the cost of your purchase. Click here. But there is a second "however", a huge "however"... ..

Ordering from outside Germany makes probably no sense because of the shipping and handling fee! It's better to order via Amazon, and we don't get a tiny commission. It's different, when it comes to a very special bach subject and you don't get this reading anywhere else. However, please check, most of the books are in German!..

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Thousands of Bach Gift Ideas?..

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