Johannes Bach

Johann or Johannes Bach (November 26, 1604, Erfurt - buried May 13, 1673, Erfurt) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque. He was the father of the so-called "Erfurt line" of Bach family musicians.

Johannes was the son of Hans Bach. He spent seven years studying under Johann Christoph Hoffmann, a "stadtpfeifer" in Suhl. From 1634 he served as organist at St. Johannis church in Schweinfurt. In 1635 he became town musician in Erfurt, and was organist at the town's "Predigerkirche" from 1636. His first wife, Barbara, did not bear any children and died in 1639. Following this he married Hedwig Lämmerhirt, the daughter of a town councilman. His children from this marriage included Johannes Christian Bach, Johann Aegidius Bach, and Johann Nicolaus Bach.

Bach composed three known compositions: two motets, "Unser Leben ist ein Schatten" and "Sei nun wieder zufrieden", and an aria, "Weint nicht um meinen Tod".

References

*Entry for "Johann(es) Bach" under "Bach", "The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians" online.