One of the greatest geniuses of classical music, Bach's (1685–1750) family included over 50 more or less renowned organists, cantors and musicians (see Fig. B5). Of the four surviving children from his first marriage to his second cousin Maria Barbara Bach, three were musicians (inbreeding coefficient 1/64 [three offspring died in infancy]). Five of the 13 children from his second marriage to unrelated singer Anna Magdalena Wilcken (assortative mating) survived and of these three were musically talented. This family tree reveals that musical ability may be controlled by relatively few genes, and the cultural environment may also play a major role. Recent studies have demonstrated that musical talent is correlated with stronger development of the left planum temporale, increased leftward asymmetry of the cortex. dysmelodia, musical talent, Mozart, Beethoven; Wolff C 2000 Johann Sebastian Bach: The learned musician, Norton, New York.
Bach and Bach morning prayer. Morning prayers in the family of Sebastian Bach, painted in 1870 by American artist Toby Edward Rosenthal in Europe. Members of the large family are either playing music or singing. From Music with Ease (http://www.music-with-ease.com); courtesy of Paul Wagner.
