•          1685 Johann Sebastian Bach born, 21 March, at Eisenach. Youngest child of Johann Ambrosius Bach, town and court musician, and his wife Maria Elisabetha, née Lämmerhirt. Baptized, 23 March.

•          1692Enters Lateinschule, Eisenach. 1694Mother (50) dies, 1 May.

•          1695Father (49) dies; 20 Feb. Bach leaves Eisenach to live with brother, Johann Christoph (24), in Ohrdruf. Enters lyceum there.

•          1700 Leaves Ohrdruf for Lüneburg. Enrolls in Michaelisschule there

•          1702 Applies unsuccessfully for organist's post at Jakobirche, Sangerhausen

•          1703 Court musician at Weimar, March-Sept. Appointed organist at Neuekirche, Arnstadt, 9 Aug.

•          1705 Granted 4 weeks leave of absence to visit Lübeck in Oct, but stays away longer

•          1706 Returns to Arnstadt, Jan/Feb. Appears before the consistory to answer for length of absence.

•          1707 Appointed organist at Blasiuskirche, Mühlhausen, 15 June. Marries Marie Barbara Bach (23) at Dornheim, 17 Oct. 1708 Appointed organist and chamber musician to Duke Wilhelm Ernst at Weimar, June. First child, Catharina Dorotheo, baptized. 29 Dec1710 Second child, Wilhelm Friedemann, born, 22 Nov.

•          1713 Visits Weissenfels, Feb. Third and fourth children (twins), Johann Christoph and Maria Sophia, born 23 Feb, and die, 23 Feb and c.13 March. Bach competes for organist's post at Halle, Dec.

•          1714 Declines offer of Halle post, Feb, and is promoted to Konzertmeister at Weimar, 2 March. Fifth child, Carl Philipp Emanuel, born, 8 March.

•          1715 Sixth child, Johann Gottfried Berhard, born, 11 May.

•          1716 Examines new organs at Liebfrauenkirche, Halle, 29 April - 2 May, and Augustinerkirche, Erfurt, July.

•          1717 Appointed Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold at Cöthen, 5 Aug., but is at first prevented by Duke Wilhelm Ernst from taking up the post. Visits Dresden and accepts invitation to take part in contest with Marchand. Is imprisoned by Wilhelm Ernst, 6 Nov., but then allowed to leave Weimar, 2 Dec. Examines organ in Paulinerkirche, Leipzig, 16 Dec.

•          1718 Visits Karlsbad with Prince Leopold, May-June. Seventh child, Leopold Augustus, born, 15 Nov. 1719 Death of son, Leopold Augustus (10 months); buried, 29 Sept.

•          1720 Visits Karlsbad, May-July. Wife (35) dies; buried 7 July. Bach visits Hamburg, Nov., and is offered post as organist at the Jakobikirche, which he declines.

•          1721 Brandenburg Concertos dedicated to Margrave Christian Ludwig, 24 March. Marries Anna Magdalena Wilcke (20) at Cöthen, 3 Dec. Prince Leopold (27) marries Frederica Henrietta von Anhalt-Bernburg (19) at Bernburg, 11 Dec.

•          1722 Brother, Johann Jacob (40) dies, 16 April. Bach enters candidature for cantorate at Leipzig, Dec.

•          1723 Eighth child, Christina Sophia Henrietta, born. Bach signs contract as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, 5 May. Arrives in Leipzig with family, 22 May. Cantata 75 performed in Nikolaikirche, 30 May. Examines organ at Störmthal, Nov. Magnificat (BWV243a) performed in Thomaskirche, 25 Dec. 1724 Ninth child, Gottfried Heinrich, born, 26 Feb. St. John Passion performed in Nikolaikirche, 7 April. Examines organ in Johanniskirche, Gera, 25 June. 1725 Tenth child, Christian Gottlieb, baptized., 14 April. Bach gives organ recitals in Sophienirche, Dresden, 19-20 Sept. Visits Cöthen, 15 Dec.

•          1726 Eleventh child, Elisabeth Juliana Friederika, baptised., 5 April. Daughter, Christiana Sophia Henrietta (3) dies, 29 June. Partita I (BWV 825) published, Michaelmas.

•          1728 Son, Christian Gottlieb (3), dies, 21 Sept. Thirteenth child, Regina Johanna, baptized., 10 Oct. Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen (33) dies, 19 Nov. Bach's sister, Marie Salome Wiegand (née Bach) (51), dies in Erfurt, buried 27 Dec. 1729 Bach visits Weissenfels, Feb. Visits Cöthen to perform funeral music for Prince Leopld, 23-4 March. St. Matthew Passion performed (for second? time) in Thomaskirche, 15 April. Disputes with council over admission of unmusical pupils to Thomasschule. Bach assumes direction of collegium museum. Illness prevents his visiting Handel in Halle, June. Rektor of Thomasschule, J.H. Ernesti (77) dies, 16 Oct.

•          1730 Fourteenth child, Christiana Benedicta Louise, baptised, 1 Jan.; dies, 4 Jan.; Bach addresses memorandum on church music to town council, 23 Aug., and letter to Erdmann seeking possible employment in Gdansk, 28 Oct.. J.M. Gesner appointed Rektor of the Thomasschule, 8 Sept..

•          1731 Clavier-Übung I (BWV825-30) published. Fifteenth child, Christiana Dorothea, baptised, 18 March. St Mark Passion performed in Thomaskirche, 23 March. Bach gives organ recitals in Dresden, 14-21 Sept. Examines organ at Stöntzsch, 12 Nov.

•          1732 Sixteenth child, Johann Christoph Friedrich, born 21 June. Daughter, Christiana Dorothea (1), dies, 31 Aug. Bach examines organ in Martinskirche, Kassel, 22-8 Sept.

•          1733 Daughter, Regina Johanna (4), dies 25 April. Son, Wilhelm Friedemann (23), appointed organist at Sophienkirche, Dresden, 23 June. Bach visits Dresden, July, and presents Missa (BWV232) to the Elector Friedrich August II. Seventeenth child, Johann August Abraham, baptised., 5 Nov; dies, 6 Nov.

•          1734 J.A. Ernesti (27) appointed Rektor of the Thomasschule. Christmas Oratorio, parts I-III performed 25, 26, 27 Dec.

•          1735 Christmas Oratoria, parts IV-VI performed, 1, 2, 6 Jan. Clavier-Übung II (BWV971, 831) published, May. Bach examines organ in Marienkirche, Mülhausen, June, where his son Gottfried Bernhard (20) is appointed organist, 16 June. Bach's eighteenth child, Johann Christian, born, 5 Sept 1736 'Battle of the prefects' with Ernesti begins, July. Appointed Hofcompositeur to the Elector of Saxony, 19 Nov. Gives organ recital in Frauenkirche, Dresden, 1 Dec.

•          1737 Son, Johann Gottfried Bernhard (22), appointed organist at the Jakobikirche, Sangerhausen, 4 April. Bach temporarily relinquishes directorship of the collegium museum, Spring. J.A. Schiebe publishes adverse criticism of Bach's music. Johann Elias Bach joins Bach's household as tutor and secretary, Oct. Nineteenth child, Johanna Carolina, baptised., 30 Oct.

•          1738 Son, Carl Philipp Emanuel (24), appointed harpsichordist to crown prince Frederick of Prussia. Bach visits Dresden, May. Son, Johann Gottfried Bernhard (23) contracts debts at Sangerhausen and absconds.

•          1739 Son, Johann Gottfried Bernhard (24), dies, 27 May. Bach gives organ recital in the Schlosskirche, Altenburg. Clavier-Übung III published, Sept. Resumes as director of the collegium museum, 2 Oct. Visits Weissenfels with Anna Magdalena, 7-14 Nov. 1740 Visits Halle, April.

•          1741 Visits son, Carl Philipp Emanuel, in Berlin, Aug. Anna Magdalena seriously ill. Bach visits Dresden, Nov. Clavier-Übung IV published (or 17421742 Twentieth child, Regina Susanna, baptised., 22 Feb. Johann Elias Bach leaves Leipzig, 31 Oct.

•          1743 Examines organ in Johanniskirche, Leipzig, Dec.

•          1744 Son, Carl Philipp Emanuel (30), marries Johanna Maria Dannemann (20) in Berlin

•          1745 First grandchild, Johann August Bach, born, 10 Dec1746 Son, Wilhelm Friedemann (36), appointed organist at the Liebfrauenkirche, Halle, 16 April. Bach examines organ in Wenselskirche, Naumburg, 27 Sept.

•          1747 Visits court of Frederick the Great at Potsdam, 7-8 May, and gives organ recital in the Heiliggeistkirche there, 8 May. Composes and published (Sept.) the Musical Offering. Joins Mizler's Society of Musical Sciences, June, for which he composes the Canonic Variations (BWV869).

•          1749 Daughter, Elisabeth Juliana Frederica (23), marries Johann Christoph Altnikol (29) in Leipzig, 20 Jan. Harrer performs Probe in Leipzig, with a view to succeeding Bach as Thomaskantor, 8 June.

1750 Son, Johann Christoph Friedrich (18), appointed court musician at Bückeburg, Jan. Bach occupied engraving the Art of Fugue. Operated on by oculist, John Taylor, March-April. Takes final communion, 22 July, and dies, 28 July. Buried in graveyard of the Johanniskirche, 31 July.

 

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