Johann Sebastian Bach

The culmination of Baroque music and, arguably, the greatest composer who ever lived. As Cantor of St. Thomas's Church in Leipzig he produced a weekly cantata for much of his career — over 200 survive. His St. Matthew Passion, Mass in B minor, Well-Tempered Clavier, and Brandenburg Concertos collectively define the expressive range of Western tonal music. Largely forgotten after his death, he was rediscovered by Mendelssohn in 1829.

• Roles: Composer, Organist, Cantor