“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: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 778190
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 368089
Urtextausgabe ohne Fingersatz (Urtext)
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 493446
for: Orgel, Basso continuo
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 377889
formerly attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 378981
for: Organ (manuals)
Music score
Item no.: 777651
for: Piano
Item no.: 356082
for: Guitar
Music score (hardcover)
Item no.: 226453
Violoncello, Kontrabaß, Fagott
for: KAMMERMUSIK STREICH- + BLECHBLASINSTRUMENTE TRIOS
Item no.: 393035
for: Double bass, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 374132
BWV 1002, BWV 1004, BWV 1006
for: Clarinet (A/B-flat)
Music score
Item no.: 1050423
for: Alto saxophone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 240232
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1438
for: Trumpet (B-flat), horn (E-flat), trombone
Score, parts (pdf download)
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for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 128721
for: Voice, guitar
Score
Item no.: 412948
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 279866
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 257451
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 216079
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020848
for: Violin, viola, cello (string trio)
Sammelband (Stimmensatz)
Item no.: 394559
for: 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 796810
for: Piano
Piano Solo
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for: Cor anglais
Item no.: 581792
for: Flute, violin [2 flutes], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 122185
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559397
for: Solo voices, mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392137
Hochzeitskantate (komplett) (complete)
for: Voice (soprano), orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 337046
Reconstructed from BWV 169, 49, 1053
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Viola, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 141553
for: Violin
Solostimme
Item no.: 661289
for: 2 harpsichords [2 pianos]
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 443930
for: Flute, clarinet
Set of parts
Item no.: 551869
for: Recorder ensemble
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 615632
for: 4 flutes (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 582981
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - 6th Sunday after Trinity
for: 4 solo voices (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Score
Item no.: 190089
Score
Item no.: 379148
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 948618
for: Bassoon
Music score
Item no.: 113753
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 1162454
for: Basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 293212
Preludes and Fugues II
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition), online media
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First Part of the Clavier Übung
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116748
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1010259
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 641826
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 360598
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285589
for: Lute
Item no.: 559399
arrranged for piano
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 284292