Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany on March 21, 1685. He is considered the greatest composer of the Baroque period. At the age of 10 he was orphaned and taken in by his brother. In his teen years Bach was thought music by his brother. Among the instruments which he played were the harpsichord and clavichord. He studied music until the year 1703 and then decided to go professional. His first job came as a violinist for the orchestra at Weimar. He later became an organist for the Church in Arnstadt from 1703 to 1707 and then the Church of St. Blaise at Muhlhausen from 1707 and 1708. There were several problems with his career as an organist and he returned to Weimar.
In 1707, Bach married his cousin Maria Barbara. They had seven children before Maria died in 1720. Four of the seven children themselves were successful composers. During this transition in his life Bach worked for several powerful nobles. It was at this point that he produced some of his greatest compositions. His entire works fill about 60 volumes and were made primarily for religious reasons. He often wrote I.N.J (in the name of Jesus) on his musical works to show their religious significance. Bach's works usually used the modern techniques of the day like the basso continuo and imitation.
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