“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.
Cantata for Bass
for: Bass und Cembalo (Klavier)
Music score
Item no.: 748834
from: J. S. Bach, Concerto for Harpsichord (after Marcello) BWV 974
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 722197
No. 6
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 759311
Arie aus der Matthäus-Passion
for: Voice (alto), piano
Music score
Item no.: 760457
for: 2 double basses
Sheet music
Item no.: 1285662
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 731380
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 163103
for: Guitar
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 183468
from the Orchestral Suite No. 3
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726043
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 317836
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316437
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 868484
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 133942
Chorale from the Cantata No. 147 "Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life"
for: 4 cellos
Score, Parts
Item no.: 737110
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Parts (2)
Item no.: 418735
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620986
Five concertos based on works by Vivaldi and others / Two sonatas and fugue based on works by Reinken
BWV 985-987, 592a, 972a
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 289313
Johann Sebastian Bach. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke (NBA) II/5 (Gesamtausgabe, Urtextausgabe) (Complete edition, Urtext)
for: Soloists, 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 215847
Reconstructed after BWV 1055
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Oboe d'amore [oboe], string orchestra, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116743
Score, Parts
Item no.: 378772
for: Treble recorder, harpsichord
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 418710
BMW 1027
after the viola da gamba sonata in C major
for: Cor anglais, harpsichord
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 628394
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 552363
für Englischhorn und Cembalo
for: Cor anglais, harpsichord
Score, part
Item no.: 661673
from: J.S. Bach, Suite BWV 1006a
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 731776
Transcribed for Double Bass Solo
for: Double bass
Music score
Item no.: 360084
for: 2 guitars
Score, Parts
Item no.: 636835
for: Voice (high), piano
Item no.: 120603
for: Sopran (Tenor) oder Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Item no.: 105971
for: Guitar
Item no.: 119109
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 344592
for: Violin, viola, cello (string trio)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 479192
for: Baritone saxophone
Music score
Item no.: 689530
for: 3 guitars
Score, part
Item no.: 1199667
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285429
for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord
Volume II: Sonatas IV-VI
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116715
with Fingerings
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 426089
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116784
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 116764
for: Organ, strings
Score
Item no.: 288733
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 132052
for: Double bass
Music score
Item no.: 164194
for: 2 Cellos and Piano
Book
Item no.: 404284
for: Saxophone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 113652
for: 2 flutes, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 179737
for: 2 flutes, basso continuo
Item no.: 401307
arranged for Viola solo
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 1011750
with fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401068