Johann Nikolaus Bach

Johann Nicolaus Bach (20 October {O.S. 10 October} 1669, Eisenach? — 4 November 1753, Jena, Thuringia) was a German composer, organist, and maker of harpsichords and organs, the eldest son of Johann Christoph Bach and J.S. Bach's second cousin. He grew up in Thuringia, graduating from Eisenach Latin School in 1689. Johann then attended Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena and studied with organist Johann Magnus Knüpfer, Sebastian Knüpfer's son; he was also influenced by Antonio Lotti. After his 1696 trip to Italy, Bach returned to Jena and took over the late J.M. Knüpfer as a titular organist at St. Michael Stadtkirche. In 1719, he became an organist at the University's Kollegienkirche. A few of his compositions survived, incuding a lithurgy, two chorale preludes on the Lutheran's hymn "Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein," and a singspiel "Der jenaische Wein- und Bierrufer."