Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the monumental
figures in the religious history of Germany, undoubtedly
the most considerable in the two centuries following
the death of Luther. Like Luther, of whom in some
respects he reminds us, he was a man rooted fast in
German soil, sprung from sturdy peasant stock, en-
dowed with the sterling piety and steadfastness of
moral purpose which had long been traditional in the
Teutonic character. His culture was at its basis purely
German. He never went abroad to seek the elegancies
which his nation lacked. He did not despise them,
but he let them come to him to be absorbed into the
massive substance of his national education, in order
that this education might become in the deepest sense
liberal and human. He interpreted what was perma-
nent and hereditary in German culture, not what was
ephemeral and exotic. He ignored the opera, although
it was the reigning form in every country in Europe.
He planted himself squarely on German church music,
particularly the essentially German art of organ play-
ing, and on that foundation, supplemented with what
was best of Italian and French device, he built up a
massive edifice which bears in plan, outline, and every
decorative detail the stamp of a German craftsman.

The most musical family known to history was that
of the Bachs. In six generations (Sebastian belonging
to the fifth) we find marked musical ability, which in a
number of instances before Sebastian appeared amounted
almost to genius. As many as thirty-seven of the name
are known to have held important musical positions. A
large number during the seventeenth and eighteenth cen-

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