It has been said many times that Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most influential composers of all time. I have to wholeheartedly agree with this statement. The opinion of who was more influential varies from person to person because each individual has their own opinions and things that influence them. For me, Bach was one of the composers who seemed to have a big influence on my life and during my time taking piano lessons. As a former piano student I have seen, heard and played many pieces and compositions by Bach. Many of these were obviously modified to a simpler level of competence and skill than Bach had envisaged when composing. Even so, I found many of his pieces inspiring and each taught new skills. Whether the composition seemed to focus on rhythm, melody, scales, or any other technique, I was always challenged and seemed to become a better musician after mastering each particular composition. Many of the piano books I used in my lessons contained compositions and works by Bach because they are very useful for a student. There are also many books or book series that are all Bach compositions; this shows how important his works are for pianists who wish to improve their skills. During this semester I have learned to enjoy and further appreciate listening to Bach's different compositions. Each has been crafted with such skill, precision and attention to detail that there is nothing and no other composer that seems to come close to the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. His songs are way above anything I've ever heard so far in my life. I think the amount of composers after Bach's time were influenced and based their compositions... on paper... to master this style just like he did. Although he never wrote operas or other dramatic forms of music, he perfected styles that no one else was able to do. Countless composers have written wonderful works, but the amount of time needed to write fugues is substantially less. If works were as complex as fugues, more composers would be able to write them. Handel wrote many complex pieces and many of his works can be compared to Bach. However, Handel never managed to compose a fugue and no other style can compete with it. Bach's abilities to compose fugues are almost supernatural and it is this ability to master one of the most complex musical forms of the Baroque period. There have been many great composers who have created great pieces of music throughout the history of music, but none have surpassed that of Johann Sebastian Bach.