Short Name: | Johann Sebastian Bach |
Full Name: | Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750 |
Birth Year: | 1685 |
Death Year: | 1750 |
Johann Sebastian Bach was born at Eisenach into a musical family and in a town steeped in Reformation history, he received early musical training from his father and older brother, and elementary education in the classical school Luther had earlier attended.
Throughout his life he made extraordinary efforts to learn from other musicians. At 15 he walked to Lüneburg to work as a chorister and study at the convent school of St. Michael. From there he walked 30 miles to Hamburg to hear Johann Reinken, and 60 miles to Celle to become familiar with French composition and performance traditions. Once he obtained a month's leave from his job to hear Buxtehude, but stayed nearly four months. He arranged compositions from Vivaldi and other Italian masters. His own compositions spanned almost every musical form then known (Opera was the notable exception).
In his own time, Bach was highly regarded as organist and teacher, his compositions being circulated as models of contrapuntal technique. Four of his children achieved careers as composers; Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, and Chopin are only a few of the best known of the musicians that confessed a major debt to Bach's work in their own musical development. Mendelssohn began re-introducing Bach's music into the concert repertoire, where it has come to attract admiration and even veneration for its own sake.
After 20 years of successful work in several posts, Bach became cantor of the Thomas-schule in Leipzig, and remained there for the remaining 27 years of his life, concentrating on church music for the Lutheran service: over 200 cantatas, four passion settings, a Mass, and hundreds of chorale settings, harmonizations, preludes, and arrangements. He edited the tunes for Schemelli's Musicalisches Gesangbuch, contributing 16 original tunes. His choral harmonizations remain a staple for studies of composition and harmony. Additional melodies from his works have been adapted as hymn tunes.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Tunes by Johann Sebastian Bach (111)![]() | As | Instances | Incipit |
---|---|---|---|
[A Boy was born in Bethlehem] | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 2 | 11122 32177 34323 |
ACH BLEIB BEI UNS | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685 - 1750 (Arranger) | 8 | 33453 12343 21123 |
ACH GOTT UND HERR (17655 major) | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 37 | 17655 67121 76765 |
SALZBURG (Hintze) | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 99 | 51565 43554 32215 |
ALLEIN ZU DIR | Johann S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 2 | 37123 45433 |
ALLES IST AN GOTTES SEGEN | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 5 | 11534 53133 23127 |
ES IST DAS HEIL | Bach (Composer) | 1 | 55557 65453 13456 |
AUCTOR OMNIUM BONORUM | J. S. Bach (Adapter) | 2 | |
ST. AUGUSTINE (51232) | Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer) | 2 | 51232 13554 3231 |
AUS TIEFER NOT (Luther) | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 4 | 51565 43455 67654 |
WAS GOTT TUT | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1756) (Composer) | 3 | 51234 54365 43321 |
BEHOLD THE LAMB (Bach) | J. S. Bach (Composer) | 3 | 56543 45256 52343 |
BREMEN | Bach (Composer) | 2 | 51232 12177 76511 |
CHAMBER MUSIC | J. S. Bach (1685-1750) (Composer) | 2 | 51232 52343 5555 |
CHRIST DER DU BIST DER HELLE TAG | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Harmonizer) | 2 | 11321 34555 56765 |
CHRISTE, DER DU BIST TAG UND LICHT | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Harmonizer) | 1 | 13217 12321 3333 |
CHRIST LAG IN TODESBANDEN | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 14 | 17134 32116 7176 |
CHRISTUS, DER IST MEIN LEBEN | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 13 | 13234 53654 32356 |
GENEVAN 42 | J. S. Bach (Adapted, harmonized) | 10 | 12321 76512 34321 |
DANK SEI GOTT IN DER HÖHE | Johann Sebastian Bach (Arranger) | 7 | 53565 43323 22153 |
DARMSTADT | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 35 | 53215 56622 54321 |
DAS NEUGEBORNE KINDELEIN | Johann S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 12 | 11154 35432 55676 |
DAS WALT' GOTT VATER | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 12 | 13553 12315 56717 |
SCHMÜCKE DICH | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 4 | 32123 54353 43213 |
DER GEIST | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 3 | 11155 66512 34322 |
DU FRIEDENSFÜRST, HERR JESU CHRIST | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 4 | 31234 54335 43234 |
EIN FESTE BURG | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 36 | 11156 71765 1 |
ERHALT UNS, HERR | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 56 | 12321 71232 13 |
ERMUNTRE DICH | Johann S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 42 | 11234 55453 43232 |
LUTHER'S HYMN | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685 - 1750 (Harmonizer) | 4 | 11321 22313 45321 |
[Eternity, O thund'rous word] | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 2 | 12345 56711 23455 |
FAITHFUL (Bach) | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 18 | 55345 17655 5345 |
FRANKFORT | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Harmonizer) | 1 | 15315 66556 71766 |
OLD HUNDREDTH | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 1 | 11765 12333 32143 |
GILDAS | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Adapter) | 1 | 51232 13554 32314 |
[God, be merciful and gracious unto us] | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 2 | 57555 56544 3 |
GOTT DER VATER WOHN UNS BEI | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Harm. based on) | 1 | 55671 17615 3432 |
GOTT DES HIMMELS | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 8 | 12351 76567 12321 |
GOTTLOB, ES GEHT NUNMEHR ZU ENDE | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 17 | 31343 21233 36711 |
DE FLEURY (German) | J. S. Bach (Composer) | 12 | 51513 13543 53212 |
HEINLEIN | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer (attributed to)) | 4 | 55123 45557 76655 |
HERR CHRIST, DER EINIG GOTTS SOHN | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Arranger) | 1 | 11321 76342 32111 |
HERR, ICH HABE MISGEHANDELT (Bach) | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Composer) | 2 | 15671 23432 21321 |
HERR JESU CHRIST | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 29 | 13454 32345 65321 |
HERR JESU CHRIST, DU HÖCHSTES GUT | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Harmonizer) | 2 | 11712 32112 25432 |
BRESLAU | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 1 | 11161 27667 12567 |
HERR NUN LASZ IN FRIEDE | Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer) | 1 | 55671 17771 23323 |
PASSION CHORALE (Hassler) | Johann S. Bach (Adapter and Harmonizer) | 214 | 51765 45233 2121 |
HERZLIEBSTER JESU | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685 - 1750 (Harmonizer) | 16 | 11175 12334 22345 |
[Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts] (Bach) | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Ascribed to) | 3 | 53215 65177 65565 |
HOSANNA (Bach) | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Composer) | 3 | 53215 65123 54321 |
ICH HALTE TREULICH STILL | J. S. Bach (Composer (attr.)) | 22 | 53156 55234 32123 |
ICH STEH AN DEINER KRIPPEN | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 6 | 51231 76573 23455 |
IN DIR IST FREUDE | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Adapter) | 3 | 55431 55431 54321 |
IPSWICH | I. S. Bach (O) | 2 | 12432 35617 6543 |
JEJUNIA | Johann S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 2 | 56715 51757 65671 |
WERDE MUNTER | J. S. Bach (Arranged, harmonized) | 29 | 34554 32234 54321 |
JESU, MEINE FREUDE | J. S. Bach (Adapted, harmonized) | 29 | 55433 21155 67171 |
JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 6 | 54367 11767 15434 |
MEINEN JESUM LASS ICH NICHT (Hammerschmidt) | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 1 | 55667 71221 17665 |
KOMM, SÜSSER TOD | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Composer) | 2 | 17655 32177 |
LAUS DEO | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 2 | 15654 32171 |
LIEBSTER IMMANUEL | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 14 | 33321 71654 3 |
LIEBSTER JESU | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 29 | 32125 32121 11123 |
LOBT GOTT IHR CHRISTEN | Johann S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 19 | 15555 65432 3456 |
EISENACH (Gesius) | J. S. Bach (Adapted, harmonized) | 42 | 13455 43256 71766 |
MEINE HOFFNUNG | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Adapter and Harmonizer) | 2 | 17123 21255 776 |
MEINHOLD | Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer) | 11 | 33354 43332 34321 |
MINDEN (Peter) | Johann Sebastian Bach (Arranger) | 2 | 53323 11755 56543 |
NEUMARK | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 7 | 51232 12757 77651 |
NICHT SO TRAURIG (Bach) | Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer) | 17 | 32154 32347 1 |
NUN DANKET | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Harmonizer) | 1 | 55566 55432 32155 |
NUN FREUT EUCH | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 2 | 11514 32112 43267 |
NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 14 | 11732 12112 34345 |
NUN LASST UNS GOTT | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 3 | 11761 21112 7517 |
INNSBRUCK | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 55 | 32123 54334 5523 |
NURNBERG | J. S. Bach (Composer) | 7 | 51271 65432 123 |
O GOTT DU FROMMER GOTT (51712) | Johann Sebastian Bach (Harmonizer) | 10 | 51712 33432 17551 |
O JESULEIN SÜSS | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Arranger) | 16 | 11712 71765 32211 |
O HERZENSANGST | J. S. Bach (Composer) | 2 | |
O JESUS, DEIN KREUZ | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Composer) | 2 | 12312 71556 717 |
OLD 113TH | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Arranger) | 1 | 11231 34554 32134 |
[Of Thee, Jehovah, is our singing] | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 2 | 51323 16451 42124 |
PHUVAH | John Sebastian Bach (Composer) | 1 | 13234 54354 3212 |
POTSDAM | J. S. Bach (Composer) | 28 | 12432 15617 65346 |
POUR RÉPONDRE (Bach) | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 2 | 55435 43225 67665 |
PRESBURG (Bach) | Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer (attributed to)) | 1 | 17153 21771 6 |
RINKART (Bach) | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Melody and bass by) | 10 | 53211 76534 56 |
CHRISTOPHER (Peter) | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (Harmonizer) | 1 | 12345 17123 34431 |
SEBASTIAN (Freylinghausen) | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 4 | 32433 21332 34432 |
SEGNE UNS | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 6 | 34551 23671 3545 |
SO GIEBST DU | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 5 | |
ST. ALBAN (Haydn) | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 1 | 33221 55566 24433 |
ST. ANNE | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 1 | 53651 17151 5645 |
ST. AUGUSTINE | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Arranger) | 4 | 51232 13554 32314 |
KOMM, O KOMM, DU GEIST DES LEBENS | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 1 | 31251 27567 11223 |
ST. THEODULPH (Teschner) | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 14 | 15567 11321 17151 |
[Chant] (Tonus Peregrinus 54654) | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Plainsong setting) | 1 | 54654 34413 21 |
VATER UNSER | Johann S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 36 | 55345 32155 47534 |
KOMM, GOTT SCHÖPFER | Bach (1685-1750) (Composer) | 2 | 56545 12115 71233 |
VERLEIH UNS FRIEDEN | J. S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Harmonizer) | 2 | 11171 23213 44345 |
WACHET AUF (Nicolai) | J. S. Bach (Adapted, haromonized) | 71 | 13555 56551 51232 |
WAS FRAG | J. S. Bach (Harm. adapted from) | 1 | |
WAS MEIN GOTT WILL | J.S. Bach (Arranger) | 7 | 57173 32332 1421 |
WIE LIEBLICH IST DER MAIEN | J. S. Bach (Arranger) | 1 | 51232 17666 51171 |
[We offer our gifts and ourselves] | Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750 (Composer) | 2 | 35432 34321 |
[We wait for the eternal light] | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 3 | 12321 12321 54322 |
WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET | Johann S. Bach, 1685-1750 (Adapter and Harmonizer) | 41 | 15315 66556 71766 |
WEIMAR (Vulpius) | Johann Sebastian Bach (Adapter) | 4 | 32123 45654 3221 |
VOM HIMMEL HOCH | J. S. Bach (Harmonizer) | 24 | 17675 67111 55345 |
ZUM FRIEDEN | Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer) | 6 | 53116 56543 65432 |