“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.
Kantate zum Sonntag Exaudi
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Study score
Item no.: 485324
FJH Piano Solo Series
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 967771
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 886282
Cantata for the Purification of Mary or 3rd day of Easter
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), oboe, violin, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 233922
Passio secundum Joannem BWV 245 - Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
Fassung IV (1749) mit der unvollendeten Revision 1739 im Anhang
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 657036
Chorale from Cantata No. 142
for: Chor und Klavier
Choir score
Item no.: 876255
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir part Tenor
Item no.: 373397
Sonntag Estomihi
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 428480
from Cantata 147
for: Choir (3 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1660825
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 964681
Volume with detailed booklet in English
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 243453
Cantata for the 13th Sunday after Trinity – Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben – revised edition 2017
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233268
16th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 232791
Kantate zur Trauung
Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 661349
Cantata for the 18th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bachausgaben
for: Soloist (alto), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 661119
for: SATB with SATB Soli
Book
Item no.: 912136
for: 4 solo voices (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 929035
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 904542
Passio secundum Joannem BWV 245 - Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
Fassung IV (1749) mit der unvollendeten Revision 1739 im Anhang
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 170209
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Study score
Item no.: 168012
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 216576
for: 4 solo voices (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285560
for: Organ
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 365118
nach Interpretationen von Pablo Casals
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 156347
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 1556065
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 839635
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 812623
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 812413
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 151261
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 234061
Eb
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1030816
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 317734
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 317727
for: Voice (low), piano
Score
Item no.: 316732
for: Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 975579
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1168699
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 118981
for medium voice and piano
for: Voice (medium), piano
Single edition
Item no.: 316970
for: Accordion orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 884076
for: 5 soloists (SATBB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 202353
Cantata for the 8th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 662993
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Score
Item no.: 564212
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 470991
for: Children's choir (2 voices), pian; strings ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 361719
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 329175
"Christ lag in Todes Banden"
Cantata for Easter Sunday
– Graduated prices on request –
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1703391
Es erhub sich ein Streit
Cantata at St Michael and All Angels
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 328318
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285415