“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: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235548
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag (Frühfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233445
Kantate zum 2. Weihnachtstag
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben (revidiert 2017)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 679022
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
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 499163
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 679027
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag (Frühfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233443
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag (Frühfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233442
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 781074
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 781071
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
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 499166
Kantate zum 2. Weihnachtstag
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben (revidiert 2017)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 679026
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 152212
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 242499
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
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 499165
Cantata for the 1st day of Christmas
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 797046
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 649781
aus: Magnificat - BWV 243a, 2
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
4 Instrumente colla parte
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235531
Kantate zum 2. Weihnachtstag
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben (revidiert 2017)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 679025
aus: Magnificat (Fassung in Es-Dur)
Originale Besetzung durch zwei Querflöten, Orgel und Bc
for: Recorder
Single part(n)
Item no.: 231105
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
for: Viola
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235549
Arie aus der Weihnachtskantate "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe"
Violoncello / Kontrabass
for: Voice (alto), chamber ensemble
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234078
Single part Organ
Item no.: 149314
3rd Day of Christmas [St John's Day]
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 458326
for: Harpsichord
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 126835
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag (Frühfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233444
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
for: Mixed choir (SSAB), organ; 4 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Single part(n)
Item no.: 235537
BWV 248 III (BWV3 248.3)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 1551901
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
for: Mixed choir (SSAB), organ; 4 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235541
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 242497
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 302624
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 344550
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 781072
for: 2 soloists (ST), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 680142
aus: Magnificat (Fassung in Es-Dur)
Originale Besetzung durch zwei Querflöten, Orgel und Bc
for: Basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231104
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
for: Mixed choir (SSAB), organ; 4 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235543
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
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 499164
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 781073
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 242498
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1551788
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 362917
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 362094
for: Akkordeon, 3 Elektroniae
Single part
Item no.: 135246
Single part
Item no.: 363920
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Organ (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1551792
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Basso continuo (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1551791
3rd Day of Christmas [St John's Day]
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 458328
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
Single part Organ
Item no.: 499167
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 3, Bass instrument
Item no.: 126833