Bach (disambiguation)

Bach is the surname of an extensive dynasty of musicians and composers:

1. Johann Bach (1604–1673), composer, brother of Christoph Bach and Heinrich Bach
2. Christoph Bach (1613–1661), composer, brother of Johann Bach and Heinrich Bach
3. Heinrich Bach (1615–1692), composer; brother of Johann Bach and Christoph Bach; father of Johann Christoph (4) and Johann Michael
4. Johann Christoph Bach (1645–1703), composer; father of Johann Nicolaus (7)
5. Johann Ambrosius Bach (1645–1695), violinist and trumpeter, nephew of Heinrich (3), father of Johann Sebastian (11)
6. Johann Aegidus Bach (1645–1716), organist and conductor, nephew of Heinrich (3), father of Johann Bernhard (9)
7. Johann Nicolaus Bach (1669–1753), composer and organist, also an organ and harpsichord builder
8. Johann Michael Bach (1648–1694), composer and organist; maternal grandfather of Wilhelm Friedemann (12), Carl Philipp Emanuel (13), and Johann Gottfried Bernhard (14)
9. Johann Bernhard Bach (1676–1749) composer, harpsichordist and organist
10. Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731), composer and violinist, descended from line of the uncle of Heinrich (3)
11. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), composer and organist, the best known of the Bachs; father of Wilhelm Friedemann (12), Carl Philipp Emanuel (13), Johann Gottfried Bernhard (14), Johann Christoph Friedrich (15), and Johann Christian (16)
12. Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784), composer and organist
13. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), composer, harpsichordist and pianist
14. Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach (1715–1739), organist
15. Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732–1795), composer, father of Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst (17)
16. Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782), composer ('the London Bach')
17. Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach (1759–1845), composer and conductor

The Bach family

Possibly the most prolific family of musicians in history, with over 100 members of the family having been musicians in Germany and elsewhere. Johann Sebastian himself traced the genealogy of his family back to a miller, Veit Bach (died c. 1576), whose son Johannes, or Hans (born c. 1550, died 1626), was the first member of the family to become a professional musician; Hans' three sons, Christoph, Heinrich (2 below), and Johann make up the three main lines of the family; Christoph was the father of Johann Ambrosius (12); and Johann was the father of Johann Aegidius (13); some other musical members of the family were descended from the brother of Hans, for instance Johann Ludwig (15).