“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.
Motet
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); instruments ad lib.
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 478732
for: Organ, orchestra
Part 1 (oboe / violin)
Item no.: 1545435
Cantata for funeral service / Purification of Mary.
Reconstruction Klaus Hofmann
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 797192
(nach BWV 99/125/115)
for: Flute, oboe d'amore, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 245402
(nach BWV 99/125/115)
for: Flute, oboe d'amore, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Oboe damore solo
Item no.: 460282
(nach BWV 99/125/115)
for: Flute, oboe d'amore, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part (Flute solo)
Item no.: 460280
Cantata for the New Year's Day
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir, orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 797156
Cantata for 24th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 769267
Cantata for the 6th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Solo voice (alto), organ (obl.), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 684717
for: Solo voices, mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra
Single part Organ
Item no.: 671874
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Single part Organ
Item no.: 611422
Cantata for Michaelmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 578480
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424878
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); 8 melodic instruments (colla parte), basso continuo ad lib.
Single part(n)
Item no.: 422093
"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir"
Cantata for a penitential service (Version in a minor)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 370801
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Single part Kettledrums
Item no.: 684870
Cantata for the 20th Sunday after Trinity.
Leipzig Version.
Reconstruction Masaaki Suzuki
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello [Basso continuo] (orchestral part)
Item no.: 797125
Cantata for the 20th Sunday after Trinity.
Leipzig Version.
Reconstruction Masaaki Suzuki
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 797124
for: 3 soloists (SAT), mixed choir (SATB), 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 681096
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 673152
Version Hellmann/Glöckner
Edition published in cooperation with the Bach-Archiv Leipzig, reconstructed version (2001)
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SAT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Viola da gamba 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424854
Cantata for the 3rd Sunday in Advent (Reconstruction)
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234053
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part(n)
Item no.: 233514
Cantata for the 10th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 232967
Cantata for the 20th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233983
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233657
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233529
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233502
Cantata for Whit Sunday BWV 74
after the second setting by Bach
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233231
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 232710
Cantata for the 3rd Sunday in Advent (Reconstruction)
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234056
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234020
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233957
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233956
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233489
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233408
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233332
Cantata for the 13th Sunday after Trinity – Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben – revised edition 2017
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233275
Cantata for the 13th Sunday after Trinity – Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben – revised edition 2017
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233274
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Viola
Item no.: 232728
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB), 6 melodic instruments (colla parte), basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 1549850
for: 4 recorders (AATB)
Treble recorder 1 (single part)
Item no.: 603010
Single part
Item no.: 164959
Hunting Cantata
for: 4 soloists (SSTB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 797992
Cantata for the feast of John the Baptist
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1628923
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424385
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 385324
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 385320