You have heard the music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), whether you realize it or not. He is by far the most performed and recorded composer in history; his music has been used in more than one thousand movies and television shows. To list just a few of the movies which have featured Bach’s compositions:
Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Love Story
The Godfather
A Bridge Too Far
The Money Pit
Die Hard
The Pelican Brief
Mr. Holland's Opus
Trainspotting
The English Patient
The Talented Mr. Rippy
Meet the Parents
Unbreakable
Enigma
Bach’s music, although difficult to play, is easy to listen to and “understand” (on an emotional level).
As to the technical complexity of his compositions, Bach would weave into his works a melody that was simultaneously played at different tempos, upside down, and backward. Any composer could, given enough time, do that; but how many could do that and also make it sound good?
J.S. Bach was the Thomas Edison of music: he wrote over eleven hundred compositions. He was influenced by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706, best known for Canon in D), and Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741, whose best-known work was The Four Seasons). Among those Bach influenced were Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and—last but certainly not least—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( 1756-1791).
In 1789, Mozart heard a performance of Bach's music. As it began, he sat up, startled. At the conclusion of one piece, he exclaimed, “This is indeed something one can learn from!”
On another occasion, Mozart visited a site which contained much of Bach’s written music. Mozart spread the sheet music on the floor. Traversing the music on his hands and knees, he went from sheet to sheet, absorbed and astonished. His final assessment? “This man was a genius!”
WAM also called Bach the progenitor of harmony.
For more on Bach’s life, you can read Albert Schweitzer’s two-volume biography, or the newer and shorter (but longer-titled) The Little Bach Book: An eclectic Omnibus of Notable Details about the Life and Times of the esteemed and highly respected Johann Sebastian Bach by David Gordon
Are you ready to explore Bach’s music, to see if it moves you as it does so many others? Here are links to some of my favorite renditions of what I considered his best compositions:
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude)
Sheep May Safely Graze (Schafe können sicher weiden)
Sleepers Awake (Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns die Stimme)
If you like what you heard and are intrigued, I recommend the CD Bach Greatest Hits Vol. I
Bach’s influence has not ended. After listening to the recordings above, especially Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, examine the organ intro by Jon Lord of the hard rock band Deep Purple on their song Lazy here— it segues from Bachesque to funky to jazzy.
J.S. Bach had a beautiful mind and boundless imagination. Enjoy it.