“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: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 843463
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1670936
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 924283
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 921990
for: SATB with SATB Soli
Book
Item no.: 930201
for: SATB with SATB Soli
Book
Item no.: 933533
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 938851
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 939627
for: SATB with SAB Soli
Book
Item no.: 935502
for: Saxophone
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 947184
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 897825
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 909077
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 849595
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 850018
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 849764
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 893810
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 893730
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 893416
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 943992
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1381832
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1381811
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1381791
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1378411
Cello Suites 1-3 BWV 1007-1009
arranged for Bass Flute
for: Bass flute
Music score
Item no.: 674758
Easter Monday
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232763
for: Viola, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1216037
for: 4 recorders (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 560962
Motet
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); instruments colla parte, basso continuo ad lib.
Set of parts
Item no.: 234088
Kantate am Fest der Himmelfahrt Christi
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285522
Postkarte
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); orchestra ad lib.
Postcard
Item no.: 424132
Mit den Canonischen Veränderungen über »Vom Himmel hoch« (BWV 769)
Meisterwerke der Musik im Faksimile 5
for: Organ
Music score (reprint, hardcover)
Item no.: 274856
for: Tuba, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1239485
for: 3 cellos
Score, part
Item no.: 1199621
for: KLAR ENSEMBLE KLAV KB
Score, Parts
Item no.: 153980
for: 3 Saxophone (SAB/SAT)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 549271
for: 3 Saxophone (SAB/SAT)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 549269
for: 3 Saxophone (SAB/SAT)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 480464
for: für Gitarre
Item no.: 113183
for: 2 Bb Clarinets and Bass Clarinet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 612032
Kyrie-Gloria-Messe (Lutherische Messe)
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 480231
Edition Vieweg (Musikschätze vergangener Zeiten)
for: FL (VL) KLAV (CEMB)
Item no.: 186000
für Klavier
aus der Orchestersuite h-Moll BWV 1067
for: Piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 673361
Veröffentlichung der Neuen Bach Gesellschaft, Leipzig
89. Jahrgang
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 210570
for: Viola, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1251147
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1381803
Abbildung der handschriftlichen Eintragung zu 2. Chr 5,13: "Bey einer andächtigen Musique ist allezeit Gott mit seiner Gnaden gegenwärtig"
Postcard
Item no.: 424139
for: Horn (F)
Music score
Item no.: 1654742
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620987