“Music owes as much to Bach as religion to its founder.” Robert Schumann
It is astounding how abundant and inexhaustible are his works. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is more than the epitome of baroque music, and one wonders how a single person could accomplish so much in one lifetime. Show others the brilliance of Bach through Stretta!
After a number of engagements as an organist, in which he often confused more than supported parishes with his improvisational skills and harmonic experiments, in 1708, J. S. Bach was appointed Court Organist & Chamber Musician by the Duke of Saxony-Weimar. It was during this period that he composed most of his organ music. In 1714 he was promoted to Concert Master of the Court Orchestra, and one of his duties was to compose weekly cantatas for the Sunday Service, laying the foundations for the 300 or more Bach Cantatas, of which around 200 remain. For his next position, as Kapellmeister to the Prince of Anhalt-Köthen from 1717, Bach’s role no longer required him to compose sacred music, so it was here that many of any his instrumental works were developed, including The Brandenburg Concertos.
With his last role as Cantor of St. Thomas in 1723, Bach held his first and only official position working for the city, the city of Leipzig. He was responsible for the music at the four main churches in Leipzig, and he taught at St. Thomas’ Boarding School. The St. Thomas’ Boys’ Choir is still one of the most important, and traditional boys’ choirs in the world today. In his final years, despite his steadily declining sight, Bach still created works that are the sum, and pinnacle of counterpoint, such as The Musical Sacrifice or the The Art of Fugue.
As was common in the 18th century, Bach’s works were quickly forgotten after his death. People were only concerned with new music. It was Bach’s sons, and his successors at St Thomas’, who preserved his memory. Composers of the First Viennese School, like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, especially admired Bach’s counterpoint, and learned a great deal from him. In the 19th century Bach Renaissance, the St. Matthew Passion was famously rediscovered, and performed in Berlin in 1829 by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Another important milestone was the first complete edition of Bach’s works, which was created between 1850-1899. Today’s “New Bach Edition” was published between 1954-2007 by Bärenreiter and has become the authoritative Bach edition. The Original Manuscript of Bach’s B Minor Mass was declared a UNESCO World Document Heritage in 2015.
Johann Sebastian Bach came from a long line of musicians, whose family dated back centuries. Four of his sons continued this tradition, also becoming composers, ending up in London and Milan. With their works, they bridge the gap between baroque and classical music.
for: Marimba
Item no.: 130642
for: 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1345523
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209873
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209869
Das Handbuch in 2 Teilbänden
Mit Geleitworten von Ton Koopman und Gustav Leonhardt
42 Abbildungen und 41 Notenbeispiele
(Das Bach-Handbuch Teil 4)
for: Piano [harpsichord/organ]
2 Books (Hardcover)
Item no.: 295764
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 990107
for: 2 violins, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383779
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1383777
Choralvorspiel
for: Clarinet, violin, viola, cello
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1563637
nach der Neuordnung von Wolfgang Graeser
for: 2 pianos
Ensemble score
Item no.: 409177
for: Harp
Item no.: 372333
for: 4 cellos
Score, Parts
Item no.: 555407
for: SATB with TB Soli
Book
Item no.: 932376
for: Mixed choir (SAB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 934520
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 936494
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 899844
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 890617
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 849940
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 849779
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 849189
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 942494
Geistliche Musik
for: Soprano Alto Bass Voice SATB Piano Accompaniment
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 902228
Organ Solo
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 177201
for: Mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 796679
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 848062
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 379146
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 348188
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 169121
Nos. 4-6
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 280069
for: Flute, guitar
Item no.: 285243
Adapted for Saxophone Duet
for: 2 Saxophone (AA oder AT)
Item no.: 357405
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 197960
BWV 883–888
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 285822
for: Violin, cello, basso continuo
Item no.: 285011
BWV 659
for: Oboe [violin], organ [piano]
Score, solo part, audio file (pdf/mp3 download)
Item no.: 1410
for: Trumpet [cornet], piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 191139
for: Fanfare
Score
Item no.: 1181647
for: Fanfare
Score
Item no.: 1181369
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1183691
for: Guitar Duet and Cello
Buch + Einzelstimme(n)
Item no.: 1583401
G
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1553986
for: 3 cellos
Score, part
Item no.: 1199625
for: 2 violins, viola, 2 cellos (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 769219
for: 2 Bb Clarinets, and Bb Bass Clarinet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 935536
CD
Item no.: 385770
for: Flute, piano
Score
Item no.: 238311
The famous “Minuet in G” by Bach transformed into a rock tune
Discovery Band – A Series for Developing Bands
for: Youth concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 557566