“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.
Performers' Facsimiles (Faksimile) (Facsimile)
for: Organ
Item no.: 334787
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401167
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 113219
for flute solo
Version with basso continuo in appendix
for: Flute; basso continuo ad lib.
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 685303
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 109015
Arrangements of Works by other Composers
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116770
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 379002
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 162932
for: 2 accordions (duet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1010907
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 223372
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285500
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [clarinet], piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1835
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 724602
Cantata for the feast of John the Baptist
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 673075
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 658385
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 619151
for: Piano
Item no.: 409170
for: Cello, piano
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 603345
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116689
for: Trumpet
Music score (anthology), Playback-CD
Item no.: 611173
for: Descant recorder
Buch + CD
Item no.: 576410
for: Flute, Viola and Guitar
Score, Parts
Item no.: 343172
aus der Pfingstkantate BWV 68 "Also hat Gott die Welt geliebet"
for: Voice (alto), piano
Music score
Item no.: 760348
Edited and provided with fingering by Henryk Szeryng
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 756759
BWV 1002
for: Soprano saxophone [alto saxophone]
Music score
Item no.: 731703
for: 2 treble recorders [flutes], organ [piano]
Score, parts, audio file (pdf/mp3 download)
Item no.: 1730
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1106
for: Violin, viola, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 433850
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 684236
for: Wind ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 427614
for: Flute, Oboe, Violin and Piano
Book
Item no.: 169780
Complete Organ Works 1
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 101261
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 636188
for: Trumpet (C/B-flat), organ
Item no.: 136807
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 375768
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 746504
for: Trumpet [cornet]
Music score
Item no.: 489700
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 816861
for: Trombone
Ensemble score
Item no.: 625141
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 109083
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Item no.: 418562
for: 4 trumpets, horn, 4 trombones, tuba
Score (C), Parts
Item no.: 280150
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 393383
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 196758
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285503
for: 3 guitars
Score, part
Item no.: 167341
for: Piano
Book
Item no.: 208637
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1215