Johann Sebastian Bach Timeline

Revered through the ages for his stylistic innovations and the complexity of his works, Johann Sebastian Bach had an immense impact on the music created today. Every musical form – from classical vocal, solo, orchestral and chamber music to modern rock and jazz – owes something to the German composer. Although, under the old Julian calendar (used in 17th century Germany), Bach was born on March 21, 1685, nowadays his date of birth actually falls on the 31st according to the Gregorian calendar (in effect today). While others argue about when Bach’s birthday should be celebrated, we will timeline the other significant events of the composer’s life.

The Johann Sebastian Bach Timeline illustrates some of the major events and achievements in the life of the baroque composer, both personal and professional. The milestones positioned below the time band depict the musician’s childhood, personal and family life, while the ones displayed above the scale refer to his career and musical works. To ensure clarity and simplicity, not all life events and professional accomplishments were included in the graphic. For instance, although Bach has fathered a total of 20 children during his lifetime, only the four sons who have become famous themselves are displayed on the timeline.

The illustration was built in PowerPoint using the Office Timeline add-in and can be copied, reproduced and distributed for public or private use. The free version of the add-in can be used to quickly edit the timeline, while the Plus edition enables more advanced customization and offers powerful features to help create stunning visuals.

Download the Johann Sebastian Bach Timeline for PowerPoint here.