Ben Wilson

from the moment of his conception, frankly, like he never knows a moment where he isn't receiving some sort of musical education. Bach is involved in one of the most heartwarming stories of child labor you'll ever hear about. When he is young, he acts as an assistant for organ repairs and installations, crawling in between the pipes to inspect and fix things.

It's like the positive heartwarming version of Victorian era child labor in factories, right? He's kind of doing the same thing, like going in this heavy machinery and because he's small and has these delicate fingers going in and getting into stuff and fixing stuff that the adults can't do. Okay, so there you go. First lesson, child labor, not always as bad as they say.

It's like the positive heartwarming version of Victorian era child labor in factories, right? He's kind of doing the same thing, like going in this heavy machinery and because he's small and has these delicate fingers going in and getting into stuff and fixing stuff that the adults can't do. Okay, so there you go. First lesson, child labor, not always as bad as they say.

Okay, so from the time he's a child, Bach basically has a destiny as a musician. So look, Laszlo Polgar in his book, Raise a Genius, says the best way to raise a genius is to introduce them to the craft before the age of five, ideally around three and a half. And Bach provides evidence that, you know, he might be on to something because Bach is the greatest of all time.

Okay, so from the time he's a child, Bach basically has a destiny as a musician. So look, Laszlo Polgar in his book, Raise a Genius, says the best way to raise a genius is to introduce them to the craft before the age of five, ideally around three and a half. And Bach provides evidence that, you know, he might be on to something because Bach is the greatest of all time.

And, you know, again, we don't know when he started. Probably even he couldn't tell you when he started, but it was certainly by age three and a half. The other big influence in the Bach family was religion, which we've already said, Lutheranism.

And, you know, again, we don't know when he started. Probably even he couldn't tell you when he started, but it was certainly by age three and a half. The other big influence in the Bach family was religion, which we've already said, Lutheranism.

They were an intensely religious family, and it was very easy to mix those two things, music and religion, because Luther, Martin Luther, who, if you don't know, was a Christian reformer who created this movement of Protestantism, kind of got a piece of Christianity to break away from the Catholic Church. So Luther himself was very musical. He encouraged music in worship.

They were an intensely religious family, and it was very easy to mix those two things, music and religion, because Luther, Martin Luther, who, if you don't know, was a Christian reformer who created this movement of Protestantism, kind of got a piece of Christianity to break away from the Catholic Church. So Luther himself was very musical. He encouraged music in worship.

He's reported to have often asked, why should the devil have all the good tunes? Which is important because there's kind of another big movement within Protestantism, which is called Calvinism, and they were very opposed to worship music and music of all kinds. So the fact that Luther...

He's reported to have often asked, why should the devil have all the good tunes? Which is important because there's kind of another big movement within Protestantism, which is called Calvinism, and they were very opposed to worship music and music of all kinds. So the fact that Luther...

really encouraged music in worship is different from this other sect of Protestantism and is what leads to this fusion that creates Bach. So Lutheran church services were very musical. Lutheran education was also very musical. You would learn all these Christian doctrines and scriptures by singing them.

really encouraged music in worship is different from this other sect of Protestantism and is what leads to this fusion that creates Bach. So Lutheran church services were very musical. Lutheran education was also very musical. You would learn all these Christian doctrines and scriptures by singing them.

And that was a mnemonic device to help you remember all this stuff in a very religious education. And as a consequence, music played an outsized role in all these little Lutheran towns in Germany.

And that was a mnemonic device to help you remember all this stuff in a very religious education. And as a consequence, music played an outsized role in all these little Lutheran towns in Germany.

Even a town of just a few thousand people would have a beautiful organ and a well-paid music director, and parishioners could expect to be treated to original compositions from time to time, even in these little small towns. And Bach really internalized this culture of music and religion. He was fervently religious his entire life.

Even a town of just a few thousand people would have a beautiful organ and a well-paid music director, and parishioners could expect to be treated to original compositions from time to time, even in these little small towns. And Bach really internalized this culture of music and religion. He was fervently religious his entire life.

In later life, he would have an excellent library of religious texts. He would spend months worth of salary on a rare volume of Luther. But what's more interesting is that This isn't just for external purposes, right? He's not just outwardly pious. Bach really believed it. This wasn't just a family tradition or a cultural script.

In later life, he would have an excellent library of religious texts. He would spend months worth of salary on a rare volume of Luther. But what's more interesting is that This isn't just for external purposes, right? He's not just outwardly pious. Bach really believed it. This wasn't just a family tradition or a cultural script.

Bach believed that he, as a composer, was carrying on the work of the Old Testament, of offering up sacred sound in divine services. So in his Bible, you can go and you can find a note he has written. He writes, this chapter is the foundation of all church music pleasing to God. And this is next to 1 Chronicles chapter 25.