“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.
Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (Teil II) in einer Übertragung für Streicher (Heft 6)
nach BWV 874, 885
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 662530
for: 4 trumpets, 2 horns, 2 trombones, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 597466
in D Minor
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 597243
for: Brass ensemble (5 parts)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 597194
Piano / Timpani / Percussion optional
for: 8 trombones
Sheet music
Item no.: 1313162
for: Solo for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet or Violin & Concert Band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1315242
"Ich steh mit einem Fuss im Grabe"
for: für Tenor- oder Sopranblockflöte und Klavier (Cembalo)
Item no.: 113151
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 972191
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 971960
for: 2 Flutes, Oboe and Clarinet
Set of parts
Item no.: 994195
for: Flute ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 295012
for: 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass (string quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 579515
for piano
for: Piano
Item no.: 876702
mit vereinfachte Klavierbegleitung
Dumb it down
for: Clarinet (B-flat/A), piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1645612
Goodmusic Concert Classics
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 951678
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 949631
From Cello Suite 3
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 949952
Konzertwerk
for: 5 Blechbläser und Schlagwerk
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1108754
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 330058
zen-on piano library
for: Piano
Item no.: 1356670
for: FAG (VC POS) STR
Score, Parts
Item no.: 148955
for: Trumpet
Music score
Item no.: 154440
BWV 806–811
for: für Klavier
Item no.: 124267
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 192564
for: Violin, Viola and Violoncello
Book
Item no.: 212754
Version für barockes Festorchester
Edition Berliner Bachakademie
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 277447
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 212566
Das kleine Saitenspiel, Spielbuch 10
Das kleine Saitenspiel - Spielbücher
for: Zither
Item no.: 139062
Johann Sebastian Bach. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke (NBA) I/32/2 (Gesamtausgabe, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband) (Complete edition, Urtext, Collection)
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 617475
Klassik
for: 2 pianos
Music score
Item no.: 1591223
BWV 772–786
Fingerings and articulations by Ottavio Dantone
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score
Item no.: 693101
for: Saxophone ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 994234
for: Choral
Item no.: 1523857
for: Piano Duets & Four Hands
Item no.: 1523705
for: Horn (E-flat), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1250275
for: Tuba (B-flat), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1250191
for: Flute, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1251183
for: Viola, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1251166
for: Bass clarinet, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1233765
for: Tenor saxophone, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1233761
aus der Orchestersuite in B-Dur BWV 1068
for: Tuba (E-flat), organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 1296221
for: Bass clarinet, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295811
for: Alto saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295805
Suite für Brass-Quartett
Time for Brass
for: 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1560286
for: 2 cellos
Ensemble score
Item no.: 679537
Study score
Item no.: 563154
für 4 Instrumente eingerichtet
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 330051