“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
Music score
Item no.: 197440
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 115120
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 671306
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 374770
for flute and piano
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404287
for: Horn
Music score
Item no.: 244959
for: Flute, guitar
Parts (2)
Item no.: 130983
for: Harp
Item no.: 129856
for: 2 pianos
2 Piano reductions
Item no.: 359932
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 379472
for: Voice (medium/high), piano
Score
Item no.: 379165
Aria from the Birthday Cantata No. 208
for: Sopran, 2 Alt-Blockflöten (Flöten) und Basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 748821
for: 2 pianos 8 hands
Music score
Item no.: 659771
for: Flute
Item no.: 113289
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404210
Complete works for Lute 2
for: Lute
Music score
Item no.: 549759
for: Lute
Item no.: 549752
for: Viola da gamba
Item no.: 430730
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 278821
for: Guitar
Item no.: 456372
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 557198
for: Violin
Item no.: 583054
for: 2 violins, viola, basso continuo [string orchestra, basso continuo]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1028
Arrangement for Piano
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 663229
(Urtext)
for: Flute, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 478991
"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir"
Cantata for a penitential service (Version in a minor)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 370795
for: Oboe
Music score
Item no.: 284661
für Soloinstrument in C (B) und Orgel
for: Melody instrument (C/B-flat), organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 662126
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 775930
Reconstruction based on BWV 1056 and 156
Edition for Oboe and Piano
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 285058
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 360140
for: Tuba (E-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1216019
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401090
for: Organ
Score
Item no.: 605144
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 665864
for: Flute
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116361
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 360165
for: Double bass
Score
Item no.: 484698
for: 2 violins, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 383115
from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D BWV 1068 (Arr. for Piano)
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 382108
for: Guitar
Music score, online audio
Item no.: 602934
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 271099
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 1551571
for: GIT (MAND/VL) GIT
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 563782
for: 2 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1136350
for: SATB and Instruments
Book
Item no.: 245808
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 750975
B minor
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 759731