Ben Wilson

Then from age 23 until age 32, that's nine years, he's in Weimar. Or maybe it actually works out to eight years, but whatever, you know how ages are. And then in Coton for the next six years until he's 38. And then from 38 years old on, he would spend the rest of his life in the city of Leipzig. So he seems to have enjoyed monarchical arrangements much more than democratic ones.

Then from age 23 until age 32, that's nine years, he's in Weimar. Or maybe it actually works out to eight years, but whatever, you know how ages are. And then in Coton for the next six years until he's 38. And then from 38 years old on, he would spend the rest of his life in the city of Leipzig. So he seems to have enjoyed monarchical arrangements much more than democratic ones.

Because, you know, you could kind of count on the largesse of these princes and dukes. But, you know, it's like, oh, if you like these arrangements, then why do you go to Leipzig as your final act? Which is, in fact, another free city with a city council, no prince, no duke. And he has many of the same problems and run-ins in Leipzig that he had in Arnstadt and Mulhausen.

Because, you know, you could kind of count on the largesse of these princes and dukes. But, you know, it's like, oh, if you like these arrangements, then why do you go to Leipzig as your final act? Which is, in fact, another free city with a city council, no prince, no duke. And he has many of the same problems and run-ins in Leipzig that he had in Arnstadt and Mulhausen.

It's not like the problems go away. It's a bigger city, so there is more of an appetite for some of his more ambitious works. But ultimately, he considers the city council unreliable and penny-pinching and annoying. So why does he do this? Why leave Weimar and Coton? And the answer is, it's a big city. And he gets the top music appointment where he oversees the St.

It's not like the problems go away. It's a bigger city, so there is more of an appetite for some of his more ambitious works. But ultimately, he considers the city council unreliable and penny-pinching and annoying. So why does he do this? Why leave Weimar and Coton? And the answer is, it's a big city. And he gets the top music appointment where he oversees the St.

Thomas School and four different churches. It's one of the most prestigious music appointments in all of Germany. They actually say they hire him because he is a celebrity. He's a celebrity for what, right? For being a virtuoso, for performing, not as a composer at this point. People actually, even at any point in his lifetime, people never really know his compositions outside of Germany.

Thomas School and four different churches. It's one of the most prestigious music appointments in all of Germany. They actually say they hire him because he is a celebrity. He's a celebrity for what, right? For being a virtuoso, for performing, not as a composer at this point. People actually, even at any point in his lifetime, people never really know his compositions outside of Germany.

He's not known as a composer in his own lifetime. What he is known as is in his youth, a great, great singer. Once his voice breaks, he no longer has this nice tenor. So he's no longer known as a great singer, but he's a great violinist and a great keyboard player, great organist, great harpsichordist.

He's not known as a composer in his own lifetime. What he is known as is in his youth, a great, great singer. Once his voice breaks, he no longer has this nice tenor. So he's no longer known as a great singer, but he's a great violinist and a great keyboard player, great organist, great harpsichordist.

And because he wasn't appreciated primarily as a composer, there initially weren't many efforts to collect and preserve his music. And so we don't know how much Bach music has been lost. We do know the number of cantatas alone that have been lost is in the hundreds, which is a real tragedy. But yeah, he wasn't known for his compositions.

And because he wasn't appreciated primarily as a composer, there initially weren't many efforts to collect and preserve his music. And so we don't know how much Bach music has been lost. We do know the number of cantatas alone that have been lost is in the hundreds, which is a real tragedy. But yeah, he wasn't known for his compositions.

He really didn't become famous as a composer until the early 1800s. So, for example, let's look at something like St. Matthew's Passion, which is this unbelievably great work that he writes in Leipzig and is now very, very famous as one of Bach's more famous compositions. So how does it become famous? So let's go back to the beginning.

He really didn't become famous as a composer until the early 1800s. So, for example, let's look at something like St. Matthew's Passion, which is this unbelievably great work that he writes in Leipzig and is now very, very famous as one of Bach's more famous compositions. So how does it become famous? So let's go back to the beginning.

Bach never wrote an opera, which was an art form that was flourishing at the time. Bach had been to Hamburg, a city that had a great opera scene. And so he had seen and experienced opera.

Bach never wrote an opera, which was an art form that was flourishing at the time. Bach had been to Hamburg, a city that had a great opera scene. And so he had seen and experienced opera.

But instead of actually writing an opera himself, what he did instead was to compose two passions, two retellings of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to be played during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter on the Christian calendar. And these had different singers playing various characters like Peter, Pilot, John.

But instead of actually writing an opera himself, what he did instead was to compose two passions, two retellings of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to be played during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter on the Christian calendar. And these had different singers playing various characters like Peter, Pilot, John.

So they technically aren't operas, but they are very operatic in their performance and how they play out. And they're just unbelievably beautiful, especially the St. Matthew's Passion. This is really like Bach's magnum opus. It's unbelievable.

So they technically aren't operas, but they are very operatic in their performance and how they play out. And they're just unbelievably beautiful, especially the St. Matthew's Passion. This is really like Bach's magnum opus. It's unbelievable.