“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.
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 873756
Chorale from the Cantata No. 147 "Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life"
for: 2 violins, viola, cello; double bass ad lib.
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 688823
for: Guitar [lute]
Music score
Item no.: 394057
Early version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 643748
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
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 459255
'Lutheran Mass'
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Oboe 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 430739
for: Baroque orchestra
Viola da gamba 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 313415
for: Piano 4 hands
Score
Item no.: 821859
for: Organ
Score
Item no.: 820797
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 883455
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 874287
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 890863
for: Oboe
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 882121
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 261194
Edition Rondo Prague
for: Accordion
Item no.: 479756
Festlicher Schlussgesang zum Gottesdienst
für gemischten Chor (oder 3 Oberstimmen) und Orchester
nach der Kantate BWV 207
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Violin 1, 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 684866
for: Clarinet, piano
Book
Item no.: 977423
for: Harpsichord, strings, basso continuo
String parts 3/3/2/2/1
Item no.: 648601
Cantata for the first sunday after Trinity
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 623355
(Urtext)
for: Soloists, 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 328537
for: Violin, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210586
for: Harpsichord, strings, basso continuo
Cello, violone [double bass] (orchestral part)
Item no.: 491616
Motet
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); instruments ad lib.
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 478733
(Urtext)
for: Soloists (SAB), choir, orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 459271
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 363295
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
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Cello 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462134
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462131
for: Symphonic orchestra
Single part(n)
Item no.: 428815
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 864637
for: Oboe, Englischhorn, Fagott, Posaune
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 869106
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 819415
for: Mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Organ (orchestral part)
Item no.: 468507
"Coffee Cantata"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 voices (STB), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Flute (orchestral part)
Item no.: 444409
Cantata for the 8th Sunday after Trinity
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 345049
Cantata for the Feast of Visitation B. V. M.
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 329606
Cantata for the Feast of Visitation B. V. M.
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 329605
for: Flute Sextet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 995956
for: Piano
Solostimme
Item no.: 1619366
New revised version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 580399
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 297787
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 866444
for: gemischter Chor unisono und zweistimmig
Item no.: 1621230
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Treble recorder 1 (single part)
Item no.: 269187
for: GCH OB 2VL VA
Score
Item no.: 381125