Tag Archives: SDG

Johann Sebastian Bach used to sign all of his manuscripts with either the initials S.D.G. or the Latin phrase soli deo gloria. It means “To God alone be glory” and it’s a confession that the art contained therein belongs to the creator and is intended by the artist to glorify Him, not to glorify Bach. It’s less well-known that he often started his compositions with the initials J.J., or Jesu juva, “Jesus Help” or the German version, J.H.