There can be no doubt about it: The Bachs were a family of musicians. One of them was Johann Bach, who lived from 1604 to 1673 and experienced the turbulent times of the Thirty Years' War. When he – as the first in the family – found joy and fulfillment not only as an organist, but also as a composer, he would certainly never have imagined what historically great steps his successors were to take, especially his great nephew Johann Sebastian.

Johann Bach's motet Unser Leben ist ein Schatten w...