music director) of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, after it had been turned down by two other composers.The job was a demanding one; he had to compose cantatas for the St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches, conduct the choirs, oversee the musical activities of numerous churches, and teach Latin in the St. Thomas choir school. He had to get along with the Leipzig church authorities, which proved to be difficult. But he persisted, polishing the musical component of church services in Leipzig and continuing to write music of various kinds with a level of skill that was his alone.Bach remained at his job in Leipzig until his death in 1750. He was creatively active until the very end, even after numerous heart problems virtually blinded him in 1740. His last musical composition, a chorale prelude entitled "Before They Throne, My God, I Stand", was dictated to his son-in-law only days before his death....
