“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.
Cantata for the 27th Sunday after Trinity
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 137061
Cantata for the Feast of Ascension
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir, orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 621647
for: Mixed choir; basso continuo ad lib.
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 303691
for: Posaune
Book
Item no.: 311208
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 374559
Coffee Cantata
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 voices (STB), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 691346
Arrangement of the "Stabat Mater" by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
STUTTGARTER BACH-AUSGABEN
Urtext
for: 2 voices (SA), 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 137218
"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
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 144612
Cantata for the Sunday Septuagesim
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (SAT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 217133
Easiest Piano Pieces
Easy Composer Series
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 632994
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 346649
Cantata for the 15th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (soprano), trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232993
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 673155
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 638336
Instructive edition in German-English-French-Italian
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 284294
Original Works and Arrangements
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 612201
The Bartók Performing Editions
for: Piano
Music lesson book
Item no.: 686828
for: Mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 167439
for: Voice (soprano), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 632332
Cantata for the Purification of Mary – Ich habe genung (Version for solo soprano)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (soprano), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 172338
Jubilate
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232820
The Bartók Performing Editions
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 686829
Cantata for Palm Sunday and the feast of the Annunciation Cantata for Palm Sunday and the feast of the Annunciation
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 627276
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 215811
Cantata for the feast of John the Baptist
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 673189
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 349754
Cantata for the inauguration of the town council in Mühlhausen
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233182
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), 2 violins, viola, bassoon, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233890
for: Piano
Book
Item no.: 767331
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 135063
from Suite No. 3
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722311
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 672951
"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
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 683036
for: SATB or SSAATTBB -SATB
Book
Item no.: 936467
Complete edition in 23 volumes
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 666512
Clavierübung III / Schübler-Chorales / Canonische Veränderungen
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 561479
Three-Part Inventions
BWV 787-801
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 284506
Funeral motet
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 280494
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 722496
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 971694
Cantata for the 1st Sunday after Easter
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 624179
Cantata for the Purification of Mary – Ich habe genung
Original setting in C minor – Vocal score for the version with mezzosoprano solo
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (bass/mezzo-soprano), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 584556
for: Classical guitar
Music score, CD
Item no.: 371585
Volume with detailed booklet in German
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 358088
The Bartók Performing Editions
With performance marks, fingering and commentaries for beginners
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 254879
for: 4 guitars (quartet)
Score, solo part
Item no.: 771356
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 586305
Preludes and Fugues I
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
You will find supplementary material online
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition), online media
Item no.: 577750