Born on March 21, 1685, celebrated German composer and organist Johann Sebastian Bach remains one of the music world's most influential figures. A deep love for music was common in Bach's family, with an extended family of musicians (including his father) sharing the Bach namesake. His own love of music began early on and was encouraged by father, who taught him to play the violin and harpsichord. When Bach's father died, he remained with his older brother, who taught him to play the organ. Thanks to this early music education, Bach later became an virtuosic organist, for which many of his compositions are written.
Throughout his early career, Bach held various posts as a musician, including a violinist position in Weimar and an organist position at the Neue Kirche in Arnstadt. In 1707, he married and continued to focus on composing his own work. A decade later, Bach was named director of chapel music at the royal court of Anhalt-Cöthen, and in 1723, was named Cantor of the choir at St Thomas's in Leipzig (the last appointment of his career).
Bach died on July 28, 1750, leaving over 1,100 compositions. Spanning several musical genres, Bach's works are hailed by many as some of the most complex and influential of any composer. For more on Bach's life and work, visit the J.S. Bach website or watch the BBC Great Composers Series (parts 1 and 2) available online.