Johann Ambrosius Bach (February 22/24, 1645 – February 20/24, 1695) was a German musician, father to Johann Sebastian Bach.
The son of Christoph Bach (1613–1661), Ambrosius was born in Erfurt, Germany as the twin brother of Johann Christoph Bach (1645–1693). Ambrosius was employed as a violinist in Erfurt.
In 1671, he moved his family to Eisenach, Thuringia, where he was employed as a court trumpeter and director of the town musicians with duties that included performing chorales twice daily from the tower of the town hall, assisting church musicians on feast days, and providing music for civic and municipal functions.
In 1684, he unsuccessfully petitioned to be released from his duties to accept a position in his native town.
He married his first wife Maria Elisabeth Lämmerhirt on April 1, 1668, and had eight children by her, four of whom became musicians, including Johann Sebastian. She was buried on May 3, 1694. On November 27, 1694 he married Barbara Margaretha, née Keul (she had already been twice widowed). He died in Eisenach less than three months later.
Famous quotes containing the word bach:
“We know that a man can read Goethe or Rilke in the evening, that he can play Bach and Schubert, and go to his day’s work at Auschwitz in the morning.”
—George Steiner (b. 1929)