Page 111 - Green Butterfly Book 1

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unit 3
4. Extension to Art. Classical Composers Johann Sebastian Bach
The story you read in this unit titled “The Frog Prince” was written by two brothers known as the Grimm Brothers. As mentioned in unit 1, they were born in Germany, as was the famous composer you will study next.
Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach Germany in 1685, (just a few years before the Grimm Brothers), and is considered one of the greatest composers of all times. He wrote music, sang, and played different instruments, mostly the violin and organ.
He came from a family of musicians; many of his ancestors were composers. His father and uncles all played different instruments. It is known that during family gatherings they would bring and play their instruments.
Sadly, by the time Bach was ten years old both of his parents had died, so he had to move in with his older brother Johann Christoph who was also a musician. He was a church organist. It is very probable that it was with him that he learned to love the organ.
In 1707, Bach married his second cousin Maria Barbara Bach (remember it was not unusual to marry your cousins in those days) and they had seven children. After thirteen years of marriage Maria died, so in 1721 he married Anna Magdalena
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