“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: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 631333
Single part Organ
Item no.: 585472
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 426116
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 301552
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part (Violin solo)
Item no.: 227753
(complete)
Trumpet (orchestral part)
Item no.: 215330
Cantata Nr. 82 for the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
in c-minor
for: Voice (bass), oboe, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 194394
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Cello 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 770659
for string orchestra and Basso continuo
Authenticity disputed
for: Strings, basso continuo
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 581148
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 578643
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 261194
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 266217
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 159030
Choir score
Item no.: 302540
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 208208
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 180244
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 213964
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 606944
(complete)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 564900
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 484943
(complete)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 476144
Single part(n)
Item no.: 472466
am 7. Sonntag nach Trinitatis (komplett) (complete)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 466969
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 460105
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 366317
for: Baroque orchestra
Viola da gamba 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 246581
(Urtext)
for: Harpsichord, strings
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 191473
(Urtext)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 182632
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 213660
for: Harpsichord, strings, basso continuo
Cello, violone [double bass] (orchestral part)
Item no.: 491616
and Concerto No. 5 »Early Version« D major BWV 1050a
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin (orchestral part)
Item no.: 459285
and Concerto No. 5 »Early Version« D major BWV 1050a
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Violone [Double bass]
Item no.: 459284
'Lutheran Mass'
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Oboe 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 430739
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 363295
for: Baroque orchestra
Viola da gamba 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 313415
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 292053
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 292051
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 882062
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 880521
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 878561
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 874438
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 874064
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 873756
after BWV 593
Copy on request
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Cello, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 765384
Early version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 643748
Motet
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); instruments ad lib.
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 478733
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Cello 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462134
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462131