“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.
Motette
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben - Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 279223
"Christ lag in Todes Banden"
Cantata for Easter Sunday
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 232737
Cantata for the Sunday of Septuagesimae
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 233455
Cantata for the Sunday after New Year
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 voices (SB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233001
Cantata for Ascension
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 214701
Kantate zur Trauung
Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 661348
Cantata for Easter Tuesday BWV 134
for: 2 soloists (AT), mixed choir (SATB), 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 655992
Cantata for the 9th Sunday after Trinity (1725)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 655820
Cantata for the 9th Sunday after Trinity (1725)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 655819
Cantata for the 9th Sunday after Trinity (1725)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 655817
Cantata for New Year's Day; Circumcision of Christ
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 181107
"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir"
Cantata for a penitential service (version in g minor)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 164264
Klassik
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1103495
Klassik
for: Unison Choir
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1103142
Kantate zum Reformationsfest
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 233309
Cantata for Trinity Sunday
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 674664
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 971750
BWV 806, 807 & 808
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1163198
With their librettos in German-English parallel text
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 556952
Vier Bände
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 1–3 recorders
Music score
Item no.: 675534
Reconstruction by Klaus Hofmann
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 1316878
BWV 828-830
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 642293
for: Solo voices, mixed choir, baroque orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 933339
for: SATB with SB Soli
Book
Item no.: 910035
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1069953
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 649536
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 1565926
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir part Soprano
Item no.: 373395
Choral
for: Mixed choir (SAB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 815174
Kirchenkantate für den 2. Osterfesttag (Ostermontag)
Klavierauszug (dt/en)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285400
15 Pieces Arranged for Three or More Guitarists
for: Guitar ensemble
Buch
Item no.: 638512
"Coffee Cantata"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 voices (STB), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 444403
Cantata for Trinity Sunday
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 565033
Kantate zum Reformationsfest
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 212496
Kantate zum 3. Osterfesttag
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 634805
Cantata for the Purification of Mary – Ich habe genung
Original setting in C minor – Vocal score for the version with bass solo
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (bass/mezzo-soprano), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 279217
Cantata for the Purification of Mary – Ich habe genung (Version for solo soprano)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Voice (soprano), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 363435
"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir"
Cantata for a penitential service (version in g minor)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233814
Cantata for 25th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 556142
simplified version
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1197126
Cantata for the 8th Sunday after Trinity
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben Urtext
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 492895
Cantata for the Sunday Estomihi
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (SAT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232855
Jubilate
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
– Graduated prices on request –
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232821
Cantata for the 7th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 673180
Cantata for a wedding
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 673074
Kantate zum 3. Sonntag nach Epiphanias
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 672952
Cantata for the 2nd Sunday afer Trinity / Reformation Day
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233253
Cantata for the 24th Sunday after Trinity
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233025