JS Bach composed music during the late baroque era which lasted from 1600 to 1650. This was a time when pomp and splendor were displayed in the courts of kings and noble men. Furthermore, this was the time of the Age of Science; the culture therefore was a conflicted combination of both extravagance and calculation. The style of music reflected both of these dualisms. Bach wrote incredibly complex and contrapuntal music (polyphonic music which has multiple independent melodies played concurrently in harmony). The issue of sublime harmony was the key to Bach's genius.

Cantatas

Bach's deep knowledge and interest in the liturgy led to his developing intricate relationships between music and linguistic texts. This was evident from the smallest to the largest levels of his compositional techniques. In 2005, Ton Koopman, a leading figure in the authentic performance movement, completed his project of recording a complete cycle of Bach's cantatas. This project is comprised of 22 volumes.

Brandenburg Concertos

The Brandenburg Concertos are a highlight of one of the happiest and most productive periods in Bach's life. At the time he wrote them, Bach was the Kapellmeister (music director) in the small town of Coethen, where he was composing music for the court. Since the Margrave of Brandenburg seemed to have ignored

Bach's gift of concertos, it's likely that Bach himself presided over the first few performances in Coethen. They didn't have a name then; that didn't come until 150 years later, when Bach's biographer Philipp Spitta called them "Brandenburg" Concertos for the very first time, and the name stuck.

Art of the Fugue

The art of the fugue is Bach's final systematic collection of fugues and canons. It consists of 18 complex fugues and canons based upon a simple theme. This unfinished work is often cited as the summation of polyphonic techniques and Bach's magnum opus (greatest work). This work was published by his sons posthumously.