5 Things We Learned About Musical Genius & Jailbird Johann Sebastian Bach

You may know that Johann Sebastian Bach is one of history's most beloved composers, but did you know he did prison time too? Professor Robert Greenberg, host of "Scandalous Overtures" on Ora.TV, schools us on the bad boy side of Bach.

And did you know. . .

1. Bach fathered 20 children – four of whom followed in their father’s footsteps to become famous composers themselves.

A portrait of Bach at age 61. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

2. Bach was only considered the third best musician in Weimar. He was kept from the top slot of cappelmeister by father-son duo Samuel and Wilhelm Drese.

3. Musicians were considered working class in the 1700s, and were subject to the whim of their royal employers – something Bach learned the hard way.

4. Bach started his masterpiece, The Well-Tempered Clavier, while in jail – he was in prison for nearly a month.

5. After his release from prison, Bach was fired and left Weimar to become the top dog cappelmeister in the northern German state of Anhalt-Kothen.

Get up close and personal with the bad boys of classical music by checking out the full episode of Scandalous Overtures with Prof. Robert Greenberg on Ora.TV!BACH MASTERPIECE

Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1

PLAY BY  Kimiko Ishizaka is a German-Japanese pianist who brings a vivid imagination and poignantly structured interpretation to the music of Bach and Chopin.