“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.
(zus. mit Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria)
for: Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 760376
for: Voice (high/medium), basso continuo
Sheet music
Item no.: 2817
for: Trumpet (C), organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1713820
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044378
(Weihnachten)
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 753375
Cantata for Christmas Day
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 260750
for: Organ
Item no.: 578917
Cantatas I–III
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 663805
for: Soprano Alto Tenor Bass Voice SATB Piano Accompaniment Orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 551979
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 330416
for: SATB and Keyboard
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 898950
for: SSA , Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1078288
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Vocal score
Item no.: 320462
Choir score
Item no.: 456041
Meditation on the first Prelude C major from "The Well-Tempered Clavier"
for: Piano
Noten Original-Ausgabe
Item no.: 749046
for: Voice, piano [organ]
Item no.: 479212
for: Brass ensemble (8 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 974161
für Blockflötentrio (ATB)
Musikalische Bibliothek Nr. 60
for: 3 recorders (ATB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 667762
for: 2 flutes, piano [organ]
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 313650
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 461770
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 364653
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ [harmonium]
Choir score
Item no.: 123872
for: Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 133783
Uns ist ein Kind geboren
zum 1. Weihnachtsfesttag (komplett) (complete)
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 579585
for: Organ and Trumpet
Buch
Item no.: 915570
Oratorium
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 964710
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir part Bass
Item no.: 298436
bearbeitet von Johann Sebastian Bach
BWV Anh. 30
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 621645
for: Brass ensemble, organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 310609
for: VL VC ORG (KLAV)
Item no.: 191813
Cantatas I–III
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 371538
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 647360
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 939361
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1004982
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 234242
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 477460
for: 4 euphoniums
Sheet music
Item no.: 596023
for: 4 trombones (quartet)
Sheet music
Item no.: 596022
for: Trumpet, organ
Buch
Item no.: 198858
for: Trumpet, string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 591326
from: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 738270
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones (brass quartet)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1094
for: Trumpet (C/B-flat), organ [piano]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5615
for: 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 6374
Anhang C zum Magnificat BWV 243
for: Mixed choir (SABar), organ
Music score
Item no.: 722936
Text: Str. 1: trad. 15. Jahrhundert; Str. 2+3: Mrtin Luther 1524; Mel.: Ebersberg um 1480 (Pfingsten)
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 730051
for: Violin, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 123462
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1038879