“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.
aus der Kantate "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben", BWV 147
bearbeitet für Violine (Oboe) und Klavier
for: Violin [oboe], piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1836
Urtext from the New Bach Edition – Revised (NBArev)
for: Violin
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 773593
BWV 244
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Soloists, 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116686
Urtext Primo – A new concept for the beginner
Edition with German and English Commentary
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition, anthology)
Item no.: 498364
Part 1: BWV 846-869
Henle Urtext Edition
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401105
for: Flute
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401439
mit Fingersatz (Michael Schneidt)
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 630388
Transcribed by August Stradal (1860-1930). Contains the famous Andante / Adagio
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1008807
New revised version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 577618
arranged for Viola solo
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 1011750
Breitkopf Urtext
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts
Item no.: 216546
From Organ Sonata No. 4 E minor
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1209890
Choralvorspiel, BWV 721
a 2 Clav. e Pedale
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 3368
BWV 245
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116685
BWV 1001–1006
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 378868
for flute and piano
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404287
Nach den Suiten für Violoncello ohne Bass, BWV 1007-1012
L'arte del flauto
for: Flute
Ensemble score
Item no.: 215241
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 778190
revised edition
replaces HN 169
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 638975
without fingering
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664942
Including Suite de Clavecin by Christian Petzold
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition, anthology)
Item no.: 194732
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 360071
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620989
Bearbeitung für Klavier zu 4 Händen
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 360598
for: Guitar
Item no.: 214623
für Gitarre
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 216079
Choralvorspiel, BWV 639
Klaviertranskription von Feruccio Busoni
for: Piano
Sheet music, audio file
Item no.: 2398
aus der Orchestersuite Nr. 3, BWV 1068
for: 2 violins, viola, basso continuo [string orchestra, basso continuo]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1028
for: Treble recorder, harpsichord
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 419146
Deconstructing and Reconstructing the Preludes in J. S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier
Volumes I & II Set
for: Piano
2 Music lesson books
Item no.: 1351630
1720
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1018210
Cantata for the 15th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (soprano), trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232993
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Cello/Trombone
Book
Item no.: 311208
Bach–Busoni–Ausgabe 5
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 284506
aus der Orchestersuite BWV 1068
Arrangiert für Solovioline von Roman Kim
for: Violin
Ensemble score
Item no.: 635970
The Bartók Performing Editions
With performance marks, fingering and commentaries for beginners
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 254879
Suites 4,5,6 BWV 1010, 1011, 1012
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1007952
Movements by Johann Sebastian Bach and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
for: Treble recorder
Music score
Item no.: 741329
Reconstruction based on BWV 1056 and 156
Edition for Oboe and Piano
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 285058
h-MollBWV 1067
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 393383
bearbeitet für Violoncello
delights for strings
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 636024
from the "Well-Tempered Clavier" by Bach, in the arrangement by Mozart
for: String quartet, string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 394876
BWV 846–869
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116786
Piano Reduction
for: 2 violins, piano
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298883
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1202332
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401329
with fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401068
Choralvorspiel, BWV 721
bearbeitet für Trompete und Orgel
for: Trumpet (C/B-flat), organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 3365
Alle Werke Bachs für Laute solo
bearbeitet für Gitarre von Heinz Teuchert
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 368089
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401090