“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.
without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 493451
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Item no.: 418562
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 486536
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620989
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 726000
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116759
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 296589
24 Preludes and Fugues BWV 846–869
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 379244
Joh. Seb. Bach - Inventionen und Sinfonien BWV 772-801
for: 2 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 109123
without fingering
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664942
aus der Kantate BWV 140
bearbeitet für Altsaxophon und Orgel
for: Alto saxophone, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 2810
Übertragung für Viola solo
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 228730
Sechs Sonaten und verschiedene Einzelwerke
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116769
24 Präludien und Fugen BWV 870-893
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 379246
from Cantata 208: Was mir behagt
Symphonic Transcrption
for: Chamber orchestra
Score
Item no.: 380529
Two and Three Part Inventions
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 471312
Fourth Part of the Clavier Übung
with Fingerings
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 622174
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 149204
for piano duet
The Walsh Collection
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 150976
Music For Recorders
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 275132
From Organ Sonata No. 4 E minor
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1209890
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
für Orgel bearbeitet
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 622191
Arrangement for Piano
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 663229
for: 2 pianos 8 hands
Music score
Item no.: 659771
bearbeitet für Cembalo
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 671306
(Urtext)
for: Viola da gamba, harpsichord
Item no.: 383713
BWV 870-893
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401125
Festliche Musik zur Hochzeit für Orgel solo 7
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 278821
BWV 992, 993, 989, 963, 820, 823, 832, 833, 822, 998
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 296588
Classics for Saxophone
for: Saxophone
Music score
Item no.: 140186
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 275112
Preludes and Fugues II
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Organ
Music score (Urtext edition), online media
Item no.: 577762
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Solo voices, mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392137
Cantata for the Feast of Ascension
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir, orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 621647
Cantata for the 27th Sunday after Trinity
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 137061
for: Mixed choir; basso continuo ad lib.
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 303691
Air from Suite No. 3 BWV 1068
(with optional 3rd Violin part in place of Viola)
for: 2 violins, viola, cello [3 violins, cello]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 311182
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - 6th Sunday after Trinity
for: 4 solo voices (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285540
Cantata for the Sunday Septuagesim
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (SAT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 217133
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 374559
"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir"
Cantata for a penitential service (Version in a minor)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 144612
Arrangement of the "Stabat Mater" by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
STUTTGARTER BACH-AUSGABEN
Urtext
for: 2 voices (SA), 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 137218
Coffee Cantata
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 voices (STB), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 691346
Easiest Piano Pieces
Easy Composer Series
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 632994
Passio secundum Joannem BWV 245 - Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
Fassung IV (1749) mit der unvollendeten Revision 1739 im Anhang
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 346649
Kantate zum 15. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 673155
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