One of the greatest musicians in the Baroque period, Bach was born in the town of Eisenach, Germany. Bach came from a very musically talented family, almost all of its members with churches or town bands for several generations. He was orphaned at the age of 10 and was raised by his older brother, an organist who prepared him musically. Bach amazingly was almost self taught with only a limited help from his brother. At 1703, he held posts as an organist at Arnstadt and was appointed to his first important positon at the age of 23, court organist and chamber musician to the Duke of Weimar. Bach then went to prince of Anhalt - Cothen for 5 years, then moved on to Leipzig to supervise music and train Choristers and wrote music for all church functions at the St. Thomas church. Bach later in his life went blind and fell ill, later he died after finishing the 18 preludes for organ. Bach is considered on eof the greatest religious artists in history; he centered his music on the idea that music must serve the glory of god. He was a virtuoso organist; therefore most of his works were for organs. Back's most important works for the keyboard music is the wee tempered clavier, 48 preludes and 2 fugues nicknamed the pianist's Old Testament. Bach raised existing forms to the highest level and pushed the technology of the organ to it's fullest. He was a master of composition which his skills were never again matched by others. .
Hector Berlioz.
Hector Berlioz was born in a small town in France near Grenoble in 1803. This Romantic composer's father was a physician. His father expected the boy to follow his footpath and sent him to attend medical school in Paris. However Berlioz was far more into music, opera then human sciences. At the age of 19, Berlioz decided to give up medicine for music, a move that horrified his family for that most musicians do not succeed. In the beginning of his career, Berlioz gave music lessons and sang in a theater chorus to make ends meet.
