“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, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 295667
for: Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Gemischter Chor, Kammerorchester
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196820
for: Viola
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 612279
for: Baroque orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 643267
for: Harpsichord, flute, violin, strings, basso continuo
Violin ripieno / tutti (orchestral part)
Item no.: 302004
Chorale from the Cantata No. 147 "Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life"
for: 2 violins, viola, cello; double bass ad lib.
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 688822
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309797
for: Harpsichord, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 379009
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1621065
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1621042
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1717431
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 746235
Cantata for Whit Monday
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Orchestra part cello piccolo
Item no.: 659875
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Organ (orchestral part)
Item no.: 497996
"Coffee Cantata"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 voices (STB), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 444407
Cantata for the Feast of Visitation B. V. M.
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 329609
for: Cello
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 130734
for: Flute
Single part
Item no.: 130149
for: Guitar
Item no.: 129938
Cantata for the first Advent
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 145466
Cantata for the first Advent
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 145464
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 300803
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 300799
for: Harpsichord, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 191466
for: 2 harpsichords, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 157200
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 156920
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 156917
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 147301
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 147299
11th Sunday after Trinity
for: Voice (soprano), orchestra
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 461912
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 333991
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 213659
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1644986
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1644967
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 655251
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 647125
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 631123
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 457173
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 371224
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 327637
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 302543
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 215334
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 636905
Cantata for the Purification of Mary – Ich habe genung
Original setting in C minor
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (bass/mezzo-soprano), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 621016
Cantata for New Year
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 233865
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score
Item no.: 233758
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score
Item no.: 233732
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score
Item no.: 233524