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Today Johann Sebastian Bach is considered the eminent church musician of his age. Although he was well respected in his lifetime, his fame rested on his ability as an organist. Music history shows that this provincial cantor in Leipzig dominated the sacred music of the period with his mastery of:
During several generations, before and after Johann Sebastian, members of the Bach family were leading Lutheran church musicians, principally in northern and eastern Germany. Johann Sebastian was greatly influenced by Dietrich Buxtehude, as well as other French and Italian composers such as Vivaldi. His prolific contemporary, Georg Philipp Telemann, was far more renowned at the time. While Johann Sebastian Bach was the most famous, he came from a long line of musicians with the name Bach. Their vocation had been music for a number of generations. The reputation of the Bach family was well known throughout much of Germany. Dietrich Buxtehude, who was born in Denmark in about 1637 and died in Luebeck in 1707, was an important composer and organist who greatly influenced Johann Sebastian Bach. Buxtehude was an organist at St. Mary's Church in Luebeck for nearly 40 years. He also served as business manager of the church. Although much of his music was performed in ordinary Lutheran worship, he was most famous for performances in the popular late afternoon Abendmusiken concerts of sacred music given on Sundays in Advent. Following a tradition begun by his predecessor Franz Tunder, Buxtehude presented a variety of often-dramatic choral and organ music in concerts at the conclusion of Vespers worship. Bach traveled more than 250 miles on foot to experience these concerts and worship first hand. Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was one of the most prolific, energetic, well-known and celebrated composers of the century. At Leipzig, he was a church musician, founded a Collegium musicum, and became Director of the Opera. In Zary, Poland, and later in Eisenach, he was Court Capellmeister. In Frankfurt he became City Music Director. His most enduring assignment was in Hamburg, where he spent 46 years, serving as music director of five churches, Director of the Opera, and of a Collegium musicum. While in Hamburg, he wrote about 30 operas, many oratorios, and chamber music. It is interesting to note the vacant St. Thomas position in Leipzig first was offered to Telemann before it was offered to his friend Bach. Telemann ultimately refused the offer and stayed in Hamburg when the authorities there refused to release him. (They increased his salary).
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