A comprehensive early biography of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach that reconstructs his family background and musical training, follows his professional appointments including the Leipzig years, and examines his abilities as clavier player, organist, teacher, and composer. It analyzes compositional technique and personal character, discusses surviving manuscripts and editions, and concludes with an assessment of his artistic genius. Extensive appendices provide chronological catalogues, a chronologically arranged list of church cantatas, information on major editions, a bibliography, manuscript collations, and a family genealogy, while illustrations and tables support the narrative and reference material.