Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany, on� March 21, 1685, into a family of musicians.� His parents died when he was nine years old, and in 1695 he went to live with his brother Johann Christoph, who was a professional organist at Ohrdruf. He remained there until 1700, learning the fundamentals of the keyboard from his brother and studying composition on his own, using works of older composers as models.� After several years, he won a scholarship to study in Luneberg, Northern Germany.

In 1703 he took a job as a "lackey and violinist" in a court orchestra in Weimar and after six months was appointed organist at the Neukirche in Arnstadt.� In 1705 he went to Lubeck to hear Dietrich Buxtehude, one of the great northern German organist composers. His Arnstadt tenure lasted two more years as he became fed up with the lousy musical standards of Arnstadt. He fled to Weimar after one year in Muhlhausen.

In 1707, he married his first cousin Maria Barbara.� On the same year� and was appointed organist in Muhlhausen.� After a year he went back to Weimar where he work as a court organist for nine years.� There he composed his first few major works which includes cantatas, and his duties expanded.� Hoping to get a post as a Kapellmeister which he did hot get, he sought for a job somewhere else.� He was then given a job as a court conductor in Cothen.

Bach remained at Cothen until 1723.� After the death of his first wife, he married Anna Magdalena Wilcken. He had 13 children with his new, Anna Magdalena of which only six which survived childhood in addition, four children which was raised with Maria Barbara. Among his children, Wilhelm Friedmann, Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian became well known composers.

In 1723 in Leipzig, he was appointed a choir leader and Kapellmeister of Saint Thomas Church. He remained in Leipzig for the rest of his life and wrote many of his greatest works there. Bach died in Leipzig on July 28, 1750.