Johann Nikolaus Forkel

Born in 1749 near Coburg, Johann Nikolaus Forkel became one of Germany’s earliest important music historians. He studied at the University of Göttingen, where he built a long career as an organist, teacher, and eventually director of music, while also writing on musical theory and history.

Forkel is remembered above all for his deep admiration for Johann Sebastian Bach. His 1802 biography of Bach was the first substantial life of the composer and became a key source for later generations, helping preserve stories and details that might otherwise have been lost.

Beyond his work on Bach, Forkel wrote broadly about the history of music and the craft of musicianship. His books and teaching helped establish music history as a serious field of study, and his influence continued long after his death in 1818.