Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685, in what is now Germany. Born into a family of musicians, his older brother taught him to play the organ. Shortly thereafter, in his teenage years, he began to devote himself to composing and performing keyboard music and sacred music. Hundreds of his compositions, such as church cantatas, originated in a religious context; he also composed a vast amount of secular music, much of which was purely instrumental. His most notable works are the Brandenburg Concertos (1720), *The Well-Tempered Clavier* (1722 and 1742), and the masterpiece *Art of Fugue * (1751). Bach's influence was felt by all the great composers who came after him, including Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and virtually all other Western composers. Although he was primarily known as a keyboard virtuoso in his time, his compositional achievements ensured his fame for centuries to come. He mastered all musical styles at his disposal and, with his many works, created a synthesis of the rules of composition that remained unchanged until the twentieth century. His influence is still felt today; his music remains a source of inspiration for musicians all over the world.