“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 4. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234047
Kantate zum 4. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
for: Violin
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234044
Kantate zum Sonntag Sexagesimae
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233999
Kantate zum 9. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233621
Kantate zum 22. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
for: 3 soloists (SAB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233422
Kantate zum 1. Pfingsttag
Ausgabe nach der 1. Fassung; Entstehung evtl. früher, Niederschrift spätestens zu Pfingsten 1723
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part(n)
Item no.: 233016
Cantata for the 10th Sunday after Trinity
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 232976
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234101
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 treble recorders, harpsichord, string orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 347002
Vorspiel der Ratswahlkantate No. 29
for: Organ, orchestra
Single part Viola
Item no.: 1544804
1. Osterfesttag [Ostersonntag]
BWV 31
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1644935
Himmelfahrt
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1689327
Cantata for Whit Monday
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 875430
aus der Kantate Nr. 161
for: gemischter Chor, Blockflöte (S/T), Klavier und Streicher ad libitum
Single part Cello/Double bass
Item no.: 1545881
Cantata for Easter Tuesday
Third version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 soloists (AT), mixed choir (SATB), 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 746031
Kantate Nr. 52
23. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 292136
D Major
for: 2 Oboen, Fagott, Streichorchester und Basso continuo (Cembalo oder Orgel)
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 783862
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 1557837
Single part Organ
Item no.: 180243
for: Viola
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 623709
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 321296
for: Violin
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 624192
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 321166
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 3
Item no.: 164963
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 227309
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 1
Item no.: 218654
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 361174
Single part Organ
Item no.: 361173
for: VA CHOR 1
Single part
Item no.: 364357
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 484944
aus der Orchestersuite Nr. 3 D-Dur BWV 1068
Forum Zupfmusik
for: Mandolin orchestra
Single part Mandolin 1
Item no.: 464614
Kantate (16. Sonntag nach Trinitatis)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSATTB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 349310
Kantate (16. Sonntag nach Trinitatis)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSATTB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 349292
Entstehungsjahr unbekannt, vermutlich im Zeitraum 1723-1732
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); 8 melodic instruments (colla parte), basso continuo ad lib.
Single part(n)
Item no.: 301959
Kantate zum 3. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 492423
Kantate zum 1. Sonntag nach Epiphanias (vor 1724)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 673144
Kantate zum 1. Sonntag nach Epiphanias (vor 1724)
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 673142
Motette
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben - Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Instrumental part 4 (Choir 1)
Item no.: 768525
Motette
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben - Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Instrumental part 2 (Choir 1)
Item no.: 768523
Coffee Cantata
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 3 voices (STB), flute, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 691350
Kantate zum Sonntag Rogate
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233398
Kantate zum Sonntag Rogate
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233397
Kantate zum Sonntag Rogate
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233396
Kantate zum 3. Sonntag nach Epiphanias
for: 3 soloists (STB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233216
Kantate zum Ratswechsel
Umgestaltung der gleichnamigen Kantate zum 12. Sonntag nach Trinitatis BWV 69a
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233158
Cantata for the Sunday after New Year
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 voices (SB), orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233004
for: Mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 274007
Cantata for funeral service / Purification of Mary.
Reconstruction Klaus Hofmann
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Viola d'amore (orchestral part)
Item no.: 233918