Life & Works – Johann Sebastian Bach

by Jeremy Siepmann

Although now beloved and revered by millions as the greatest composer who ever lived, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was best known in his lifetime as an organist, and was eclipsed in fame as a composer by two of his 20 children. For the last 27 years of his life he was a schoolteacher and choir director whose duties extended to meal supervision and dormitory inspection. Yet throughout his career he composed a vast body of music, which is amongst the most joyful, dancing and enrapturing ever written. This portrait-in-sound includes many examples of the music that made him immortal.

With compelling narration by Jeremy Siepmann, character portrayals by acclaimed actors, and the interpolation of over 25 substantial musical extracts reflecting the development of one of music's most enduringly awe-inspiring composers, we are transported back three centuries straight into the life of Johann Sebastian Bach. This innovative sense of immediacy is at the heart of this comprehensive audio-biography, depicting the life of a composer whose music is universally admired.

Genres: Music, Biography, History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography Memoir

125 pages, Audiobook

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Jeremy Siepmann (16 January 1942 – 6 April 2016), born in America and living in Britain for most of his career, was a broadcaster and writer on music.

Reviews

[Henry Oakley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m wanting to be more like Dake and Charlie in 2024 and I thought listening to more classical music would be a good start.

Bach Fun Facts:
-Married second cousin. 20 children. A workaholic. Seems like a funny and sarcastic guy from the letters he wrote (or just mean).
My Favorite Bach:
-Violin Concerto in E Major Finale, Suite No. 3 in D, Art of Fugue, The Musical Offering

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This narrated discography is not for the faint of heart. However, any person who has even a smidgeon of knowledge/interest in music has the propensity to latch onto the extraordinary tale that is the life of the Father of Music himself, J.S. Bach.

I actually laughed out-loud in my car while listening to the narrator and author, Siepmann, relate tales from Bach's youth in his highbrow, very witty manor. Court documents, letters, eye witness testimonies and personal written accounts by Bach himself are all used to piece together this interesting biography, sprinkled with direct Bach quotes that portray his intelligence, dry humor, and personal intolerance for laziness or foolishness. An example of this can be found in this quote by Bach, which he often repeated when anyone praised his genius musical ability at the organ: "There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself."

The aspect of this discography that definitively sets it apart from its text-only counterparts is the fact that Bach's compositions are played throughout, during the point in the narration that discusses his life and surroundings at the time it was written. As a person with a degree in music, I have heard Bach's works nearly my entire life. However, I never knew any of the historical or anecdotal context surrounding the pieces. The ability to see the chronological order of these works of art, the age Bach was when he composed them, and the station of life he was in, has brought a brand new insight to my appreciation of this incredibly talented individual that paved the way for Western music as we know it today.

[Kenny Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What is remarkable is that he was just a ordinary, overweight citizen”

[Billy Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This won’t be a particularly clever review. This book is wonderful. It is an audiobook and it includes a generous selection of music to illustrate the biography of this great composer. I have listened to Siepmann’s audiobook on Haydn, and I intend to follow the list of all of his audiobooks on composers. I think these are great introductions to the lives of the composers, and my main knowledge is of modern composition, so I am delighted by this addition to my musical knowledge. I believe his writing is accurate, since the one quote I have researched about Bach, this little volume got right, and it is not the version of the quote you can find on the Internet repeated more than 20 times by seemingly reputable quote sights. The Bach quote is properly about playing the organ, and everywhere the quote is about “any instrument” and everywhere it differs from the German original. You won’t get everything there is to know about Bach in this four-hour audiobook. To learn all you need to know about Bach, you have a lifetime of listening and learning to do. This little volume is a lovely start.

[Hassan Heydari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like Jeremy Siepmanns audiobooks and his dedication in finding out about the artist, their, family letters and putting pieces in chronologic order in order for listener to follow along the legends journey from rags to prosperity. Bach indeed set the tone for classic music. Influencing the like of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. He was also deeply religious and saw making music as way of serving god. He became orphan at an early age and got taken care of by his older brother. He had 20 children from two wives, though only half of them made it to adulthood. He worked a lot and some of his children became renowned musician. He became blind later in life due to an illness.
His music influences people to this day and people often study and sample his music.

Listening to his works while learning things about him made the book all the more pleasing and engaging.

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful audiobook series for those who enjoy both biographies and music.

[Jason Comely · Rating 5 out of 5]

The letters Bach wrote are as entertaining as his music.

[Gazmend Ceno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish the book was longer and more informative... but time has passed, I suppose the material available today is rather limited. 5 stars anyway, first to Bach music, second to authors effort.

[Jean Donze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another interesting account of perhaps the greatest classical composer of all time. Who knew that he was imprisoned for about a month for forcing his dismissal from an unappreciative employer.

[Niranjana Sundararajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read much about Bach before I picked this up. This was beyond a delight to listen to. I’m definitely listening to it again soon! made my heart so v happy. Never have a heard a more apt description of Bachs music - “irresistibly joyful”! I love how the author describes how much emotional regulation,discipline and order Bach had. He truly defies the notion of “mad genius”. Bach was a hard working,diligent genius with a stable family life and a flourishing, well established and consistent career. The author goes as far as to describe him as a smart businessman! I also love how the author unequivocally clarifies that Bach,s music being played on the piano is not just musically but historically justified ! So interesting ! Loved this read

Ps- sorry for the crude writing - no time to edit

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely dramatized and concise biography of Bach interspersed with performances of compositions written at different points in his life. The author is especially fond of quoting at length from Bach's obsequious letters to high officials, but all in good fun. Bach was a very serious man, a disciplinarian of the highest order when it came to music, but he also knew how to have a good time. He loved his beer and his wine, he had twenty children, and aside from a short stint in jail (a misunderstanding, of course) his life was without the kind of personal drama that one expects from great artists. His biography is not quite as interesting as his music, which is a very good thing. I'm sure most people, given the choice, would rather have the life of Bach than that of Beethoven, who was a huge admirer of Bach but struggled in a way Bach couldn't have imagined.

[R.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting. It's short, but the blending of Bach's music to match the timeline of his biography made this audiobook all the more valuable than any standalone book.