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==Music==

==Music==

Bach was a devout [[Lutheran]], and much of his music was religious in nature. Bach attributed the beauty of his music to [[God]], by writing the letters "S.D.G." or "Soli Deo Gloria" in many of his scores and has been quoted as saying, "The purpose of all music is to give glory to God and bring rest to the soul". He is well-known for his complete mastery of [[counterpoint]], as well as his use of styles from many different regions of Europe. His music is filled with melodic harmonies and overlaping melodies, giving the impression that every instrument has the melody. He also used the cruciform B-A-C-H motif in his work as a sign of devotion to [[Christ]], although future composers used it to pay homage to their great predecessor.

Bach was a devout [[Lutheran]], and much of his music was religious in nature. Bach attributed the beauty of his music to [[God]], by writing the letters "S.D.G." or "Soli Deo Gloria" in many of his scores and has been quoted as saying, "The purpose of all music is to give glory to God and bring rest to the soul". He is well known for his complete mastery of [[counterpoint]], as well as his use of styles from many different regions of Europe. His music is filled with melodic harmonies and overlaping melodies, giving the impression that every instrument has the melody. He also used the cruciform B-A-C-H motif in his work as a sign of devotion to [[Christ]], although future composers used it to pay homage to their great predecessor.

Important works include:

Important works include:

*Since Bach's music was virtually unknown outside of a small circle of Leipzig-based connoiseurs after his death, it was something of a miracle that composers Mozart and Beethoven learned of it.  

*Since Bach's music was virtually unknown outside of a small circle of Leipzig-based connoiseurs after his death, it was something of a miracle that composers Mozart and Beethoven learned of it.  

*Beethoven's teacher as a boy, Christian-Gottlob Neefe (who came from Leipzig), made sure that Beethoven played Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier; the young genius had memorized all 48 by the age of 12!  

*Beethoven's teacher as a boy, Christian-Gottlob Neefe (who came from Leipzig), made sure that Beethoven played Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier; the young genius had memorized all 48 by the age of 12!  

*Mozart learned of Bach's music relatively late in life, in the 1780's, from Baron Gottfried van Swieten, an ambassador and connoisseur who brought Bach's music with him to Vienna (after he also had learned of it in Berlin). Swieten would hold all-night music sessions where only Bach and Handel was played; a few decades later, Beethoven would also be invited to Swieten's palace.

*Mozart learned of Bach's music relatively late in life, in the 1780s, from Baron Gottfried van Swieten, an ambassador and connoisseur who brought Bach's music with him to Vienna (after he also had learned of it in Berlin). Swieten would hold all-night music sessions where only Bach and Handel was played; a few decades later, Beethoven would also be invited to Swieten's palace.

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