Ben Wilson

For whatever reason, there's that connection there. And so maybe these were innocent pranks. Maybe he was bullying other kids. Either way, I think this image serves as a much-needed corrective image to that of Bach as, you know, what we think of as Bach. Anyways, so Bach has this childhood. It all changes when he's eight years old.

For whatever reason, there's that connection there. And so maybe these were innocent pranks. Maybe he was bullying other kids. Either way, I think this image serves as a much-needed corrective image to that of Bach as, you know, what we think of as Bach. Anyways, so Bach has this childhood. It all changes when he's eight years old.

Tragically, both his mother and father die within nine months of each other. Of course, for a family as large and close-knit as the Bachs, there was no chance that he was going to experience, like, real hardship. He was going to go to an orphanage. But still, it takes a heavy toll on him emotionally to see his parents go when he's only eight.

Tragically, both his mother and father die within nine months of each other. Of course, for a family as large and close-knit as the Bachs, there was no chance that he was going to experience, like, real hardship. He was going to go to an orphanage. But still, it takes a heavy toll on him emotionally to see his parents go when he's only eight.

He's very close with his uncle, Christoph, that is sort of the great musician of the family. And in part, probably because, you know, he connected with...

He's very close with his uncle, Christoph, that is sort of the great musician of the family. And in part, probably because, you know, he connected with...

with that aspect of his personality and was interested in it knew he wanted to do that however christoph can't take him so he actually ends up going with his much older brother who he barely knows also named christoph ironically christoph bach his brother is also like all box a successful musician and he does quite a bit to teach young sebastian the basics of composition and theory he

with that aspect of his personality and was interested in it knew he wanted to do that however christoph can't take him so he actually ends up going with his much older brother who he barely knows also named christoph ironically christoph bach his brother is also like all box a successful musician and he does quite a bit to teach young sebastian the basics of composition and theory he

He's a little heavy-handed and sometimes a stickler for the rules. One of the famous stories is that Kristoff has this book of difficult music from the likes of Vivaldi and Pachelbel and all these other great composers. And young Sebastian Bach really wants to try to take it on, even at this very young age. He's like nine or ten. And Kristoff won't let him. You know, he says, not your time yet.

He's a little heavy-handed and sometimes a stickler for the rules. One of the famous stories is that Kristoff has this book of difficult music from the likes of Vivaldi and Pachelbel and all these other great composers. And young Sebastian Bach really wants to try to take it on, even at this very young age. He's like nine or ten. And Kristoff won't let him. You know, he says, not your time yet.

Stick to the basics, line by line. That's how you learn. And so Sebastian Bach is sneaking into the attic and reading this sheet music by Moonlight until he is eventually caught and reprimanded by his brother. So, you know, Bach is relentless. He's very high agency. When someone puts up obstacles to what he wants to learn, he just goes ahead anyway. He finds a way.

Stick to the basics, line by line. That's how you learn. And so Sebastian Bach is sneaking into the attic and reading this sheet music by Moonlight until he is eventually caught and reprimanded by his brother. So, you know, Bach is relentless. He's very high agency. When someone puts up obstacles to what he wants to learn, he just goes ahead anyway. He finds a way.

So Bach is living with his brother and now he's at a very different school because he's got to move towns to be with his brother. And this school is apparently not as rambunctious. He doesn't get pulled out as much for whatever reason he was being pulled out. And so he doesn't have the same issues. And in fact, he starts to get very good grades.

So Bach is living with his brother and now he's at a very different school because he's got to move towns to be with his brother. And this school is apparently not as rambunctious. He doesn't get pulled out as much for whatever reason he was being pulled out. And so he doesn't have the same issues. And in fact, he starts to get very good grades.

So as a teenager, he finishes number four in his class, despite being one of the youngest students. And then the next year he finishes first in his class. And as soon as he is able to leave and escape his brother's tutelage, he does and heads north to Lundberg to continue his musical studies. So this is when he is 15 years old.

So as a teenager, he finishes number four in his class, despite being one of the youngest students. And then the next year he finishes first in his class. And as soon as he is able to leave and escape his brother's tutelage, he does and heads north to Lundberg to continue his musical studies. So this is when he is 15 years old.

He was the first Bach to complete the upper classes at the gymnasium and qualify for university studies, although he never does actually attend college, attend a university. So at 15 years old, he travels the 200 miles to Lundberg. I believe this would be close to the longest journey he makes in his life. And it's actually interesting. Bach never left Germany during his lifetime.

He was the first Bach to complete the upper classes at the gymnasium and qualify for university studies, although he never does actually attend college, attend a university. So at 15 years old, he travels the 200 miles to Lundberg. I believe this would be close to the longest journey he makes in his life. And it's actually interesting. Bach never left Germany during his lifetime.

And you might think, oh, yeah, you know, 1600s. But no, like... That was not normal, even for the time. His contemporaries, you know, Handel, who's another great composer from that era, traveled extensively, including to Italy and England. Scarlatti, who was also a contemporary, you know, he's from Italy, but he travels to Spain and Portugal.

And you might think, oh, yeah, you know, 1600s. But no, like... That was not normal, even for the time. His contemporaries, you know, Handel, who's another great composer from that era, traveled extensively, including to Italy and England. Scarlatti, who was also a contemporary, you know, he's from Italy, but he travels to Spain and Portugal.