Johann Sabastian Bach

One of the most profoundly inspired and masterful composers in history, Johann Sebastian Bach was born into a musical family in Eisenach, Thuringia - until recently part of East Germany. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a talented violinist, and taught his son the basic skills of string-playing; another relation, the organist at Eisenach's most important church, instructed the young boy on the organ. In 1695, Johann Sebastian was orphaned; he went to live with his …

…keyboard - the Goldberg Variations and The Well-Tempered Clavier, among others - reveal an unsurpassed ability to combine intricate musical structure with pure spiritual force; in fact, most leading musicians point to the mastery of these pieces as their ultimate goal. Bach was the greatest master of the Baroque, and probably of all classical music. Any student of music must start - and end - an inquiry into the glories of classical music with him.