Johann Nikolaus Forkel
The first true biographer of Bach, whose 1802 book rescued the composer from obscurity and laid the groundwork for modern music history.
1749–1818 (age 69)·German musicologist·Birthday: February 22
Biography
Johann Nikolaus Forkel lived at a pivotal moment when music was beginning to be studied as history, not just practice. As the director of music at the University of Göttingen, he was an academic in a field dominated by performers. His great passion was the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, which was then fading from public memory. In 1802, Forkel published 'Über Johann Sebastian Bachs Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke' (On Johann Sebastian Bach's Life, Art, and Works), the first substantive biography of the composer. Based on information from Bach's sons, it was a foundational text that sparked the 19th-century Bach revival. Beyond this, his ambitious 'General History of Music' was one of the first attempts to chart Western music's entire story, earning him the title of one of musicology's founding fathers.
#1 When Johann Was Born
The biggest hits of 1749
Johann's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1749Born
1754Started school
1762Became a teenager
1765Could drive
1767Could vote
1770Turned 21
1779Turned 30
1789Turned 40
1799Turned 50
1809Turned 60
1818Died at 69
Key Achievements
- Authored the first major biography of Johann Sebastian Bach in 1802, a crucial document for the Bach revival.
- Wrote the two-volume 'Allgemeine Geschichte der Musik' (General History of Music), a pioneering work in historical musicology.
- Compiled the 'Allgemeine Litteratur der Musik', a groundbreaking bibliography of musical literature.
- Served as the director of music at the University of Göttingen for decades, shaping its musical life.
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished keyboard player and organist.
His Bach biography was dedicated to Baron van Swieten, a patron who also supported Mozart and Beethoven.
He corresponded with Bach's sons Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm Friedemann to gather information for his book.
He never traveled far from Göttingen, conducting his historical research largely from his library.
“This man, the greatest musical poet and the greatest musical orator that ever existed, and probably ever will exist, was Johann Sebastian Bach.”
