“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.
for: Voice (alto), strings, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 392245
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392233
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392229
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392228
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392226
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 392221
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392212
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392208
for: CEMB STR BC
Study score
Item no.: 391953
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: 2 violins, strings, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 391931
for: Recorder
Music score
Item no.: 566097
for: 1. Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 328513
Cantata for Whitsunday
C major version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 164650
Cantata for Easter Tuesday
Third version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 soloists (AT), mixed choir (SATB), 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116699
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 117436
for: Treble recorder
Ensemble score
Item no.: 117272
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), Basso continuo (Orgel), Instrument ad libitum
Chorpartitur, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 117140
Comments on Basso continuo and Harmony, Counterpoint Studies, Sketches and Drafts
Half-leather binding
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 875455
Comments on Basso continuo and Harmony, Counterpoint Studies, Sketches and Drafts
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 634122
for: Cello, Kontrabass, Basso continuo
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 493399
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Music score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 476066
for: Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 444398
for: Violino piccolo
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 432388
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 283894
Gesamtausgabe, Faksimile
Item no.: 883038
for: Viola da gamba, harpsichord
Book (critical commentary, hardcover)
Item no.: 882982
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Gesamtausgabe, Partitur, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
Item no.: 871222
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796150
New Bach Edition. Serie VI, Volume 1
for: Violin
Score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 775131
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 634180
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Gesamtausgabe, Partitur, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
Item no.: 634162
for: Voice, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 631101
for: Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 630733
for: 2. Flöte
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 563913
for: Cembalo, Streicher
Gesamtausgabe, Partitur, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 488807
for: Organ
Spielpartitur, Sammelband
Item no.: 117745
New revised version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 580403
With a second violin part for two soloists (Collection, Urtext)
for: 1–2 violins
2 music scores
Item no.: 205533
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Gesamtausgabe, Partitur, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
Item no.: 434011
for: 1. Viola da braccio
Stimme
Item no.: 246971
for: Sopran solo, Alt solo, Bass solo, Gemischter Chor (SATB), Flöten (2), Streicher, Basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116776
Cantata for the first sunday after Trinity
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 602557
for: Sopran solo, Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Gemischter Chor (SATB), Oboe, Fagott, Trompeten (3), Pauke, Basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 260764
for: Sopran solo, Alt solo, Bass solo, Gemischter Chor (SATB), Oboen (2), Streicher, Basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196821
Appendix: Chorale "Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit"
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 196612
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 360158
for: Solo voice [choir], basso continuo; melodic instrument ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 114695