“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: Violin, viola, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 433851
(Urtext)
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 605947
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1052
for: Flute
Instrumental Solo
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Piano score, parts
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Ensemble score
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Music score
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Sheet music
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Music score
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for: Piano
Music score
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Score
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for: Guitar
Music score
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for: Double bass
Music score
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for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
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for: Piano
Music score
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for: 2 guitars
Score, part
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Music score
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Set of parts
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arranged for harpsichord (piano)
for: Harpsichord [piano]
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for: Voice (soprano), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
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Piano reduction
Item no.: 285594
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285530
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285475
for: Piano
Music score, online playback
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for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score (Urtext edition)
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for: Guitar
Music score
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for: Piano
Spielpartitur, Sammelband
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for: Harp
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for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1559399
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1203015
Sonatas / Trios / Concertos
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition), online media
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for: Guitar
Music score, CD
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for: Alto saxophone, piano
Book
Item no.: 240228
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
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for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: STREICH- UND ZUPFINSTRUMENTE VIOLA VIOLA SOLO
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for: Organ
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for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet) [string orchestra]
Score
Item no.: 105894
for: Piano 4 hands
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Allowed reprint
First edition: 1896, Augener, London
spiral-bound
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1201114
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1556857
for: Piano / Harpsichord
Book
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Music score
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for: ORCHESTERWERKE STREICHORCHESTER SOLO-OBOE
Score
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for: Piano
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for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Organ
Music score
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for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
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