“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.
Kantaten I - VI
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 587159
Kantaten I - VI
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 587157
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag (Frühfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 233441
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Klavierauszug vokal, Urtextausgabe, Digitalartikel (AODP)
Item no.: 1640415
Kantate zum Sonntag Estomihi
Violoncello / Kontrabass
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233936
Cantatas I–III
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 343026
aus: Magnificat
Es-Dur-Fassung, transponiert nach D-Dur
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 235546
Cantata for Christmas Day
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 552476
Kantate zum 3. Weihnachtsfesttag (Urfassung)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233900
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
E minor
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233084
über den Weihnachtschoral "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her"
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 103044
3rd Day of Christmas [St John's Day]
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 371834
Gesamtausgabe, Kritischer Bericht, Sammelband
Item no.: 883815
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 364216
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 364215
Cantata for the Feast of Annunciation Day
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 385520
Cantata for the Feast of Annunciation Day
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Violin 1 solo
Item no.: 385517
Cantata for the 1st day of Christmas
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 227892
for: Wind ensemble
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 381414
for: BLM INST
Item no.: 275104
Ich freue mich in dir
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1658789
Kantaten I - VI
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 587158
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 781070
Cantata for the 3rd day of Christmas
E minor
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 766821
Cantata for the Sunday after Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 voices (SB), descant (soprano) recorder, oboe, viola d'amore, viola da gamba, basso continuo
Organ (orchestral part)
Item no.: 642200
Cantatas IV–VI
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 579651
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag
Komplettes Orchestermaterial
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Set of parts
Item no.: 649782
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: SOLI (TB) GCH ORCH BC
Study score
Item no.: 392220
für Solostimmen, Chor und Orchester
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 174736
for: Voice, piano
OTHER
Item no.: 263487
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 898621
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1004887
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309771
Cantata for the Feast of Annunciation Day
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part violin 2 solo
Item no.: 385518
Orchestra Set C
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1077339
Orchestra Augmenting Set
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1077008
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 344549
Kantate zum 1. Weihnachtstag
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233066
Cantata for the 1st day of Christmas
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 233677
Cantatas IV–VI
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 797101
Cantata for Christmas Day
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 552477
Cantata for the Sunday after Christmas
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 voices (SB), descant (soprano) recorder, oboe, viola d'amore, viola da gamba, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 642096
for: Symphonic orchestra
Additional parts
Item no.: 165043
(complete)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 427756
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, bassoon, violone (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210133
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 214034
Weihnachtsoratorium (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 187751
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.: 235539