“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: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664641
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285558
for: 3 guitars
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 2712
for: Cor anglais
Item no.: 581791
for: Oboe, clarinet, bassoon
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 492337
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 895659
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 550549
for: Piano
Score, CD
Item no.: 257197
for: Viola
Score
Item no.: 388867
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 197382
for: Cello, Kontrabass (1. Bass)
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 580822
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, 2 ensemble scores
Item no.: 286068
for: Voice (alto), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 360786
Lutherische Messe (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Soloists (SAB), choir, orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 116774
for: 2 descant recorders [tenor recorders]
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1011780
Edited from the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score
Item no.: 223746
for: Viola, harpsichord
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298885
Clarinette (Technik) (Technique)
for: Clarinet
Music score
Item no.: 238932
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 664642
"Triple Concerto"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord, flute, violin, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 817353
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 676303
for: Cello, piano
Score, solo part
Item no.: 284299
for: Piano
Item no.: 401189
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 580545
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 296586
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1201113
Triosonate (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 116751
Fourth Part of the Clavier Übung
with Fingerings
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 622174
Eb
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044375
for: Treble recorder, piano
Item no.: 587452
for: Guitar
Item no.: 216065
for: Guitar
Item no.: 216064
for: Guitar
Item no.: 214623
for: Guitar
Item no.: 173364
Complete Transcription for Organ
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 382357
Transkriptionen Fuer Gitarre Solo
for: Guitar
Item no.: 472818
Ausgabe für Violine, Oboe (2. Violine) und Klavier
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 361110
Music For Recorders
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 275132
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 202640
Cantata for the feast of John the Baptist
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 673192
for: Treble recorder, piano
Item no.: 587453
for: 4 recorders (AATB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 291531
Motet
for: gemischter Chor (SATB/SATB); Basso continuo und/oder Instrumente ad libitum
Stimmensatz B.c.-Cembalo/B.c.-Violoncello
Item no.: 781693
for: Sopran, 2 Alt-Blockflöten (Flöten) und Basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 355458
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 355291
for: Klavier oder Orgel
Item no.: 287501
A Minor
for: Violin
Buch + CD
Item no.: 143865