“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: 4 bassoons
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 776713
BWV 817
for: 2 guitars
Score, Parts
Item no.: 553792
BWV 813
for: 2 guitars
Score, Parts
Item no.: 553625
Kaffeekantate
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285587
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620988
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383990
for: Piano
Playback-CD (without sheet music)
Item no.: 152140
eine Rekonstruktion der Artikulationsgefüge
dreier Werkfassungen und deren Entwicklung
for: Cello, piano
Book
Item no.: 1611286
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209875
for: 4 clarinets
Score, Parts
Item no.: 549520
for: 4 Tenor Trombones
Buch
Item no.: 914798
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1384443
for: Piano
Item no.: 299044
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 859946
for: Piano
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 426008
for: KLAV (CEMB) CD
Item no.: 377950
pour flûte seule
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 677109
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, 2 organs
Piano reduction
Item no.: 280490
nach dem 6. und 10. Satz (Choral) der Kantate Nr. 147
'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben'
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano [organ]
Choir score
Item no.: 477626
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1062114
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1064246
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1060670
[CD: Orchester-Begleitung / Solostimme Violine 1+2 - 2 Versionen]
MusicPartner - Klassik zum Mitspielen
CD
Item no.: 189395
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209865
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 477897
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1364547
for: 2 soloists (AT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Set of parts
Item no.: 1611374
for: Klavier solo, Flöte solo, Violine solo, Streichorchester
Item no.: 111876
Come, Thou the Saviour of man (2nd Version)
for: 3 Solostimmen, Chor und Orchester
Study score
Item no.: 739745
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 686403
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 745751
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 843463
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1670936
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 924283
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 921990
for: SATB with SATB Soli
Book
Item no.: 930201
for: SATB with SATB Soli
Book
Item no.: 933533
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 938851
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 939627
for: SATB with SAB Soli
Book
Item no.: 935502
for: Saxophone
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 947184
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 897825
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 909077
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 849595
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 850018
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 849764