“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.
Zwei Stücke aus dem berühmten Magnificat BWV 243
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 671611
Die berühmte Pastorale von Bach instrumentiert für Streichorchester
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 656101
für Solo (Instrument/Gesang) und 4 Gitarren (Bass und Bc ad lib)
Performance scores
Item no.: 637071
Kantate für den 2. Sonntag nach Epiphanias
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 463884
Zeitschrift für Spielmusik
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 413725
for: Women's choir a cappella
Item no.: 477539
for: Saxophone, piano
Music score
Item no.: 490094
G
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1045643
Uns ist ein Kind geboren
zum 1. Weihnachtsfesttag
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 293790
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285395
for: Flute [violin], guitar
Ensemble score
Item no.: 373487
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
komplettes Orchestermaterial
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 671649
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 974170
Shawnee Press
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 323419
Schlusssatz aus dem Magnificat
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 553534
for: 4 recorders (quartet)
Score
Item no.: 167302
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285485
Eulenberg Taschenpartitur
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392278
Kantate zum Sonntag nach Weihnachten
Piano reduction
Item no.: 605252
für Sopran (Tenor) oder für Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 1664708
bearbeitet von Johann Sebastian Bach
BWV Anh30
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra, organ
Score
Item no.: 621646
for: Choral
Item no.: 1524034
Meditation über das 1. Präludium von Bach
for: Mezzo-Sopran (Bariton), Violine (Violoncello) und Klavier (Orgel)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 105988
2. Fassung mit 4 Einlagesätzen der Es-Dur-Fassung (transponiert)
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Flöten (2), Oboen (2), Oboe d'amore, Trompeten (3), Pauke
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 175263
Cantata for Whit Monday
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116721
Weihnachtsoratorium (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 284227
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1645294
Kantate Nr.121 BWV121
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285515
2. Fassung mit 4 Einlagesätzen der Es-Dur-Fassung (transponiert)
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Gesang, Gemischter Chor, Orchester
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116690
für 5 Solostimmen, Chor und Orchester
mit Anhang: 4 weihnachtliche Einlagesätze aus der 1. Fassung Es-Dur BWV 243a (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 378581
Kantate zum 3. Weihnachtsfesttag (Urfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1659317
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1209402
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano [organ]
Score
Item no.: 744905
Transcription for mixed choir a cappella
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 750675
for: 4 clarinets
Score, Parts
Item no.: 335638
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 137845
for: SSA SATB Piano Accompaniment
Book
Item no.: 321232
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (ST), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 627287
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
Score
Item no.: 235545
for: Piano
Item no.: 356813
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 210134
Cantata for the feast of Epiphany
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 649037
Cantata for the feast of Epiphany
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 233094
Kantate zum Sonntag Estomihi
Violine 2
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1652439
Cantatas IV–VI
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 797093
Cantata for the feast of Epiphany
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233100
Cantata for the Sunday after Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), 3 recorders, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo, organ
Set of parts
Item no.: 499161
Cantata for the feast of Epiphany
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233099