“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.
Arie aus dem Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248
for: Piccolo trumpet, organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1018880
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 387944
Ich freue mich in dir
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1668291
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
E minor
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Oboe d'amore (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1666841
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
for: Mixed choir (SSAB), organ; 4 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Ensemble score
Item no.: 235536
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
for: Mixed choir (SSAB), organ; 4 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Ensemble score
Item no.: 235535
Kantate zum Sonntag Estomihi
Viola
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233935
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
E minor
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233083
Cantata for Christmas Day
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 552480
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 278551
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1062272
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 956917
Cantatas I–III
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 343027
Choir score
Item no.: 334753
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309795
Kantaten I - VI
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 587156
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1625875
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 364214
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309775
Cantata for the 27th Sunday after Trinity
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 489209
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 193293
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 2, 3, 4
Item no.: 292144
Ich freue mich in dir
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1651774
Orchestra Set B
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1077912
Oratorium
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 964694
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Bass Voice
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 910049
for: 4 HRN TUBA
Item no.: 486647
1. Fassung Es-dur BWV 243a/ 2. Fassung D-dur BWV 243
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht
Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke (NBA) II/3
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 655565
Kantate zum Epiphaniasfest ("Heiligen Drei Könige")
Orchesterstimmen
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 655811
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233065
Cantata for the 1st day of Christmas
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233679
Cantata for Christmas Day
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 552479
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
E minor
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233082
Cantatas I–VI
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 679223
Cantatas IV-VI
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 579646
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 344551
for: 2 soloists (ST), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 680144
(complete)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 302625
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 388219
for: Cello and Guitar
Book
Item no.: 579744
Cantata for the 2nd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir, orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 232956
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 242944
Weihnachtsoratorium (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 179361
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 171755
for: Sopran (Tenor) oder Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Item no.: 105979
Single part Organ
Item no.: 227693
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir, piano
Item no.: 314598
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233067