The People J.S. Bach Insulted

J.S. Bach was a wise man with no patience for sub-par work; he is known as one of the people who changed the course of music. This incredibly gifted man has written the most theoretically interesting pieces. Just like many historic composers, he had a very...dynamic...personality.

1. He was payed in beer. One of his first positions did not give him money, but rather food and beer.
2. He threw his periwig at a student.
3. At rehearsal, he attacked his organ player with a knife. After correcting his organ player a few times, Bach was overcome by anger at his unskilled playing and attacked him. The church sternly asked Bach to no longer attack his students.
4. He carried a dagger because he had so many enemies. Bach freely slandered his students in rehearsal. He made his students so angry that he was being harassed by them on the streets. For that reason, he started carrying a dagger to protect himself. Bach was willing to stab a student in the street, although it is unknown if he ever did.
5. Bach was physically beat by his Basson player after calling him a "nanny-goat bassoonist. After being insulted in rehearsal, a bassoon player beat Bach with a stick. Bach wrote a strong letter about it to the church, who said that maybe he should stop verbally assaulting students.
6. Bach made a man flee. It is said that Bach challenged Louis Marchand, who was very arrogant, to a duel on harpsichord. Marchand overheard Bach practicing and therefore fled back to France. Bach was always too modest to speak of the incident.
7. Bach went on week-long walks. When Buxtehude—a prominent organ player—was giving a concert, Bach asked if he could take off from work to go see him so he "may learn one thing or another." He walked 200 kilometers to go see this man, from Arnstadt to Lübeck, leaving his kids, work, and wife.
8. Bach ran away for months. The church granted him a few weeks leave to go see Buxtehude, however, Bach decided he did not want to return and stayed for months. The church was extremely angry but could not reprimand him.
9. He went to jail for demanding he be fired. Bach worked for Duke Wilhelm. The head composer for the court died and Bach was sure that he would be promoted to the position. In actuality, the Duke did not give the job to Bach, which infuriated him. He demanded to quit his lawful contract which angered the Duke, who then put Bach in jail.
10. He refused a job because he didn't like the cantor's daughter.
11. He would improvise and pretend it was a composition. Bach was invited to play for Fredrick the Great. Characteristically, he did not feel like writing and instead improvised and pretended it was a composition.
12. HE HAD 20 CHILDREN. Not all survived to adulthood, and they repeatedly slandered his music.
13. He might not be in his grave. Typical of him.