26+ Best Johann Sebastian Bach Quotes From The Famous German Composer

Johann Sebastian Bach composed music mostly for the church. During that period, music was composed only as an offering to God.

The music that Johann Sebastian Bach created was human and related to the feelings a human goes through in his lifetime. He created all possible pathos with his music. It is no surprise that the music Bach composed in the 18th century is still relevant and enjoyed by all connoisseurs of music from all walks of life.

Many composers believe that they were closer to God while conducting his music. He was also an exemplary author who is highly revered even today. Some of the German maestro's best-known musical pieces are 'The Well-Tempered Clavier', 'Toccata and Fugue in D minor', 'Mass in B minor', 'Air on the G String', 'Goldberg Variations', 'Brandenburg Concertos', and many more. Bach was born in Eisenach's German region, the capital of the duchy of Saxe-Eisenach, in the year 1685. Born in a musicians' family, he started learning the violin at a very young age from his father. Most members of his family were church organists, court chamber musicians, or composers. His brother introduced him to the organ, which he went on to master. His excellence and brilliance are the reasons that the term "Johann Sebastian Bach quote" is searched on the internet often.

Along with Johann Sebastian Bach quotes, you can also read [Beethoven quotes] and Chopin quotes.

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Johann Sebastian Bach studied his contemporaries of the Baroque period and prior generation, which is very much visible in his music in 'Brandenburg Concertos' along with 'Goldberg Variations'. The German composer's style included four-part harmony, modulation or changing key, ornamentation, and instrumentation. Quotes by Bach are always ranked highly in the list of famous composer quotes about music. Here are some of the most inspiring Johann Sebastian Bach quotations and sayings that will motivate you towards excellence.

1. "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

2. "It is the special province of music to move the heart."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

3. "I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

4. "I have always kept one end in view, namely...to conduct a well-regulated church music to the honour of God.’’

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

5. “God's gift to his sorrowing creatures is a joy worthy of their destiny.’’

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

6. "The most stupendous miracle in all music.’’

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

You can find Bach's German influence on modern contemporary music, be it jazz, hip-hop, or soul.  Now we know why he is called the ultimate musician, what more can we say when 300 years later, we are still discussing his music such as the 'Brandenburg Concertos' and 'Goldberg Variations'. Here are some quotes about Bach by famous people along with some motivating Johann Sebastian Bach quotes.

7. "I had no idea of the historical evolution of the civilized world's music and had not realized that all modern music owes everything to Bach."

- Niccolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

8. "And if we look at the works of JS Bach - a benevolent god to which all musicians should offer a prayer to defend themselves against mediocrity - on each page we discover things which we thought were born only yesterday, from delightful arabesques to an overflowing of religious feeling greater than anything we have since discovered. And in his works we will search in vain for anything the least lacking in good taste."

- Claude Debussy.

9. "The hairy endings of the auditory nerve shuddered like weeds in a rough sea; a vast number of obscure miracles were performed in the brain, and Lord Edwards ecstatically whispered 'Bach!'."

- Aldous Huxley, 'Point Counter Point (1928) Ch. 3'.

Johann Sebastian Bach is without a doubt one of the most revered German composers in history. His compositions like 'Mass in B minor' still have loyal fan following even today, across the world. Bach quotes about music have a great fan following. Here are some of the most interesting Johann Sebastian Bach quotes and quotations as a composer and musician that you should certainly read about.

10. "What I have achieved by industry and practice, anyone else with tolerable natural gift and ability can also achieve."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

11. "It cannot remain unmentioned that so many poorly equipped boys, and boys who have no talent at all for music, have been accepted into the school to date that the quality of music has necessarily declined and deteriorated."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

12. "Like all music, the figured bass should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the recreation of the soul; where this is not kept in mind there is no true music, but only an infernal clamour and ranting."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

13. "My masters are strange folk with very little care for music in them."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

14. "I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

15. "If I decide to be an idiot, then I'll be an idiot on my own accord."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

16. "Without my morning coffee I'm just like a dried-up piece of roast goat."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

17. “Harmony is next to Godliness.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

18. "My present post amounts to about 700 thaler, and when there are rather more funerals than usual, the fees rise in proportion; but when a healthy wind blows, they fall accordingly..."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

Johann Sebastian Bach quotes and quotations are highly sought after by the fans of the majestic composer. Even after so many years of his death, his feats are unparalleled. Even to this date, 'Mass in B minor' is Bach's sole setting of the entire Latin text of 'Ordinarium Missae'. Bach quotes and quotations about music are equally enjoyable. Let's have a look at some of the most fascinating Bach music quotes that you will certainly enjoy.

19. “It's easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

20. “Old concept: Love is blind...Marriage is an eye opener. New concept: Love is not blind - it simply enables one to see things others fail to see.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

21. "Life is the unknown and the unknowable."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

22. “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.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

23. “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul's refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hubbub.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

24. “Ceaseless work...that is my secret.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

25. "Music is an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul."

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

26. “God's gift to his sorrowing creatures is a joy worthy of their destiny.”

- Johann Sebastian Bach.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Johann Sebastian Bach quotes] then why not look at Mozart quotes, or [Brahms quotes].

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