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Johann Sebastian Bach Trivia Questions

How much do you really know about Johann Sebastian Bach? Below are 8 true or false statements. Click each one to reveal the answer and explanation.

1.

Bach invented the piano, building the first one in his home workshop.

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Easy
✗ FALSE

The piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700 in Italy. Bach later played and endorsed early pianos but didn't invent them.

2.

Bach wrote the famous 'Air on the G String' specifically for a single violin string.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

The 'Air' is from Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3; the 'G String' nickname came from a 19th-century arrangement by violinist August Wilhelmj.

3.

Bach never left Germany during his entire lifetime.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

Unlike many composers, Bach never traveled outside the German states—no visits to Italy, France, or England. His world was remarkably contained.

4.

Bach once walked over 200 miles to hear a concert by Dietrich Buxtehude.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

In 1705, Bach took a month-long leave from his job to walk from Arnstadt to Lübeck (roughly 250 miles) to hear the famed organist.

5.

Bach fathered 20 children, but only half survived to adulthood.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

He had 20 children with two wives; only 10 lived past infancy, though several became famous composers like C.P.E. Bach.

6.

Bach was the first composer to write music for the cello as a solo instrument.

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Hard
✗ FALSE

While his Six Cello Suites are iconic, earlier composers like Domenico Gabrielli wrote solo cello works before Bach.

7.

Bach was arrested and jailed for a month by his employer, the Duke of Weimar.

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Hard
✓ TRUE

In 1717, Bach was imprisoned for nearly four weeks after insisting on leaving his job as court organist; the duke finally released him in disgrace.

8.

Bach was completely blind for the last year of his life, after a failed eye surgery.

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Hard
✓ TRUE

Eye surgeon John Taylor performed two botched operations on Bach in 1750, leaving him blind and contributing to his death months later.

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