“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.
Kantate zum Sonntag Estomihi
Violine 1
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233933
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
E minor
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 233080
Cantata for the 1st day of Christmas
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Set of parts
Item no.: 797045
for: Soprano Solo, SATB Chorus, and Chamber Orchestra or Piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1004694
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 464938
for: 2 Klarinetten, Saxophon (A), Streicher, Klavier, Vibraphon
Single part(n)
Item no.: 184748
Item no.: 618535
for: 2 soloists (ST), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 680140
Single part Organ
Item no.: 171757
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 217614
for: Piccolo trumpet, organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1018883
for: Soli ATB, Gemischter Chor (SATB), Orgel
Item no.: 1587064
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 1551787
for: Soli, Gemischter Chor, Orgel
Item no.: 1355820
for: Soli, Gemischter Chor, Orgel
Item no.: 1355819
for: Soli, Gemischter Chor, Orgel
Score
Item no.: 1355814
Cantata for the Feast of Annunciation Day
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 385523
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 314167
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 171752
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 123312
Arrangement for soli, choir and organ
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 1013024
Cantatas I–III
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 343028
Buch
Item no.: 252175
Cantatas IV–VI
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1215620
Kantate zum 3. Weihnachtsfesttag (Urfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233901
Kantate zum 3. Weihnachtsfesttag (Urfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233899
Kantate zum 3. Weihnachtsfesttag (Urfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233898
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Flute 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 681833
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 955705
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 171274
for: ORG (+ GES/INST)
Item no.: 577473
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1551785
for: Soli, Gemischter Chor, Orgel
Score
Item no.: 1355815
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 913749
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score
Item no.: 233439
Cantatas I–III
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 343029
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 214033
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210131
Feast of the Annunciation
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1667817
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 1, 2
Item no.: 135248
Arie aus dem Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248
for: Piccolo trumpet, organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1018882
Kantate zum Sonntag Estomihi
für Solostimmen (SATB), gemischten Chor (SATB), Oboe, Violinen (2), Viola, Basso continuo
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Single part Organ
Item no.: 233939
for: Mixed choir (SATB), brass winds
Item no.: 160532
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 153596
Die berühmte Pastorale von Bach instrumentiert für Streichorchester
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 656100
Feast of the Annunciation
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 232698
Cantatas IV–VI
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1215621