along with nearly 900 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, nearly 400 by Johann Christian Bach, more than 300 by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, and nearly 200 by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
Together with as many as 200 more surviving compositions by other members of the Bach dynasty, scholars estimate that about 3 000 works are preserved in total, a collection that we today know as the Baroque Bach mountain.
Arguably the greatest composer of all time entered this world on March 31st, at the time of his birth (under the Julian Calendar) it would have been recorded as March 21st, but the actual date is today (March 31st) exactly 336 years ago.
Which pieces of his are your favorites?
Which pieces of his are sorely underrated?
>Johann Sebastian Bach didn’t like students much. Unfortunately for him, the church in Arnstadt where he first worked had a student choir and orchestra. There was no mention of the ensemble in his contract, but it turned out he was expected to conduct them anyway.
>He resented the job, partly because he wasn’t getting paid for it, but mostly because they weren’t very good. Discipline was another problem. Bach was only 20, and many of the students were older. Few were inclined to follow his orders, and so the relationship steadily grew worse.
>In addition to all of his other responsibilities, he was expected to train a small group of pupils from the Latin school. The pupils were such hard cases that the City Council called their behavior "scandalous." Because he was younger than most of them, Bach had a hard time maintianing discipline. For two years, the short-tempered teacher and the unruly class clashed.
>One of the more unruly musicians was a bassoonist named Geyersbach. He was three years older than Bach and made a point of being offensive. One dark night he confronted Bach on the street and began hitting him with a stick and calling him a "dirty dog." Bach was not altogether blameless. He had poked fun of Geyersbach and called him a "nanny goat bassoonist." Not one to take a beating lightly, Bach drew his sword and the fight was on. Dodging the stick, Bach made several thrusts that pierced Geyersbach's jacket before passers-by rushed in to prevent bloodshed.
>Bach wasn’t going to let the matter rest. He appealed to the church court, demanding Geyersbach be disciplined. At the hearing, Bach’s cousin was able to confirm his version of the evening’s events. But when Geyersbach was called, it turned out the composer had indeed called him a "nanny-goat bassoonist" at a rehearsal, much to the amusement of the other performers. The council ruled that no punishment was necessary, and advised Bach to try harder to get on with his students.
https://www.wpr.org/bach-draws-his-sword
https://www.classicfm.com/composers/bach/guides/when-bach-took-beating/
