“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.
14 Popular Arrangements for Piano solo
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1696483
Edition for Medium Voice
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1690713
Edition for Low Voice
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1690714
Original für Flöte in a-moll
for: Bassoon
Music score
Item no.: 1688031
for: Accordion [piano]
Music score
Item no.: 1672261
for: 4 brass instruments [brass ensemble]
Ensemble score (C)
Item no.: 1672169
Arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach's St. Matthew Passion
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1615898
Sacri Concentus Ratisbonenses
Reihe geistlicher Musik
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1646210
mit vereinfachte Klavierbegleitung
Dumb it down
for: Clarinet (B-flat/A), piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1645612
Edition without fingering
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559395
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559399
Edition without fingering
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559396
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559398
Vereinfachet Klavierbegleitung
Dumb it down
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1633851
Edition without fingering
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559394
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559397
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582667
clothbound edition with gold embossing
for: Piano
Music score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1633276
BWV 1067 und BWV 1068
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1629256
for: Cello
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582653
mit vereinfachter Klavierbegleitung
Dumb it down
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1615960
BWV 243 (BWV3 243.2)
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1612000
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582673
Quellenkritische Edition in drei Bänden von Jonas Seeberg
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 1570849
Die Meisterwerke in neuer Perspektive
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 1479687
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1558306
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1558308
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1558303
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1558293
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1558305
arranged for Viola solo
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 1011750
Version II (1725)
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello (Double bass/ Violone) [Basso continuo] (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1534654
8 famous works
for: Flute
Music score, online audio
Item no.: 1355623
Autograph: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Bärenreiter Facsimile
Score (facsimile hardcover)
Item no.: 1534701
Cantata for the 1st day of Christmas
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1549505
Revised & Extended Edition in Chronological Order
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1549238
Fassung für Klavier solo
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1549129
Rekonstruktion
for: Oboe, violin, basso continuo
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts
Item no.: 1357783
Spannende Geschichten und viel Musik
Illustrated book, CD
Item no.: 1351546
"Triple Concerto"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord, flute, violin, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 817353
BWV 1002, BWV 1004, BWV 1006
(transcribed for flute)
Collection Strings in the Wind
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 1331563
Reconstruction by Klaus Hofmann
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 1316884
From Organ Sonata No. 4 E minor
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1209890
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209875
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209865
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209874
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209867
Collection Anachronismes
Opus 3
for: Bassethorn (F)
Music score
Item no.: 1050413