“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: Vocal and Organ
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1157932
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 227201
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 227200
for: für Gitarre
Item no.: 113183
for: für Tenor- oder Sopranblockflöte und Klavier (Cembalo)
Item no.: 113151
for: Harp
Music score
Item no.: 266689
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 255624
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 255568
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 198501
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 135903
for: Oboe [flute], clarinet, bassoon
Score, Parts
Item no.: 255161
from the "Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 255099
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 255088
for: Unison Voices or solo Voice and Organ
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 905066
for: Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Gemischter Chor (SATB), Oboen (2), Streicher, Basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116778
for: für Altblockflöte
Item no.: 112955
for: für Klavier
Item no.: 300393
for: für Klavier
Item no.: 124267
for: für Altblockflöte und Cembalo
Item no.: 113855
for: Flute, harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 113824
Two copies needed for performance
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1355463
for: Double bass, piano
Score
Item no.: 266529
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1203363
for: Flute, harpsichord [piano]
Piano reduction, solo part, Playback-CD
Item no.: 378111
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 859946
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 1037828
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1037393
for: SATB, Keyboard [Organ or Piano], opt. Two Flutes
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1005179
for: TTBB opt. Two Flutes
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1004999
for: SATB soli, SATB, Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 909601
for: SSAA , Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1041822
for: SSA , Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1039703
for: SSAA and Organ
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 908244
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Buch
Item no.: 908172
Kantate zum 4. Sonntag nach Epiphanias
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Postcard
Item no.: 424131
for: Organ
Score
Item no.: 1198962
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1209875
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 849764
for: Cello
Score
Item no.: 216235
for: STREICH- UND ZUPFINSTRUMENTE LAUTE LAUTE SOLO
Item no.: 392970
for: Piano [organ]
Book
Item no.: 334033
for: Sopran solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Gemischter Chor (SATB), Trompeten (2), Pauke, Fagott, Violinen (2), Viola, Basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 609557
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano [organ]
Choir score
Item no.: 477626
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 192564
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 301016
for: Piano
Item no.: 299044
for: 3 recorders (SSB)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 694022
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 619482