Johann Sebastian Bach
Life
Born: 21 March 1685
Died: 28 July 1750
Biography
Johann Sebastian Bach was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Although he introduced no new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, a control of harmonic and motivic organization from the smallest to the largest scales, and the adaptation of rhythms and textures from abroad, particularly Italy and France.
While Bach's fame as an organist was great during his lifetime, he was not particularly well-known as a composer. His adherence to Baroque forms and contrapuntal style was considered "old-fashioned" by his contemporaries, especially late in his career when the musical fashion tended towards Rococo and later Classical styles. A revival of interest and performances of his music began early in the 19th century, and he is now widely considered to be one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition.
- The above is an excerpt from Wikipedia. For the full article, click here.
List of choral works
- Bach works published at CPDL sorted alphabetically by title, see Johann Sebastian Bach compositions
- Bach Cantatas sortable by BWV number and calendar, see Sortable list of cantatas (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Cantatas (BWV1-BWV 224 and BWV 249)
Chorale Harmonizations (BWV 250-BWV 438)
Comparative Editions (Chorales with different harmonizations)
- Chorals of the German Organ Mass (Clavier Übung III)
- Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh' darein (Chorale) Harmonizations used in Cantatas BWV 2, BWV 77 and BWV 153
- Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid (Chorale) Harmonizations used in Cantatas BWV 3 and BWV 153
- Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr' (Chorale) BWV 260 Harmonizations used in Cantatas BWV 104 and BWV 112
- Christ ist erstanden (Chorale) BWV 276 4 editions of other harmonizations.
- Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam (Chorale) BWV 280 Harmonizations used in Cantatas BWV 7 and BWV 176
- Christus, der uns selig macht (Chorale) BWV 283 Harmonizations used in BWV 245
- O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden aka PASSION CHORALE or Herzlich tut mich verlangen
- O sacred head
- O caput cruentatum
- Señor, tu que eres bueno as harmonized in No. 17 Ich will hier bei dir stehen of the Matthäuspassion, BWV 244
- Signore dolce volto as harmonized in No. 17 Ich will hier bei dir stehen of the Matthäuspassion, BWV 244
Other works
- Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 Choral parts only.
- Gelobet sei der Herr
- Ich esse mit Freuden mein weniges Brot
- Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn
- Jesus meine Zuversicht
- Komm, Gott Schöpfer
- Komm, süsser Tod
- Lobe den Herren
- Magnificat, BWV 243 two editions available (full score and piano-vocal) and 1723 interpolations:
- Markus-Passion BWV 247
- Mass in B minor, BWV 232
- Missa in F BWV 233
- Missa brevis in G, BWV 236
- Missa in g minor, BWV 235
- Missa in A BWV 234
- 6 Motets
- Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist
- Nun danket alle Gott
- Nun hilf uns, Herr, den Dienern dein
- Nun preiset alle
- Nun sich der Tag
- O Jesulein süß
- Sanctus, BWV 325
- Sanctus in C, BWV 237
- Sanctus in D BWV 238
- Sanctus in D minor BWV 239
- Schemellis Musicalisches Gesangbuch (BWV 439–507):
- Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren
- Singen wir aus Herzensgrund
- Sollt ich meinem Gott nicht singen
- St John Passion, BWV 245 Choral parts only.
- St Mark Passion: see Markus-Passion BWV 247
- St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 Choral parts only.
- Vergiss mein nicht
- Verleih' uns Frieden gnädiglich
- Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe
- Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
- Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten
- Wir Christenleut'
Editions with texts translated to other languages
- Ah Lord when my last end is come
- All glory, laud and honour
- All my heart this night rejoices
- Behold! in lowly manger stall
- Credo in unum Deum
- Discendi Santo Spirito
- Ein Kind geborn zu Bethlehem
- Lodate Dio (Italian version of 'Lobet den Herrn')
- Now Blessed be Thou, Christ Jesu
- Now join we all to praise Thee, BWV 362
- Now let us to the bagpipe' sound (from 'Peasant Cantata')
- O caput cruentatum
- O hail this brightest day of days
- O Little Sweet (English translation of Jesulein süß)
- Ode to the Seasons (and to Change)
- Oratório de Natal (Portuguese version of Christmas Oratory)
- Psallite Deo nostro in laetitia (sicut locutus est from Magnificat)
- Rejoice ye Heavens
- Round me falls the night
- Señor, tu que eres bueno
- Signore dolce volto
- We Christians may rejoice
- Van 't vroeglicht van de dageraad, BWV 121
Vocal Arrangements based on Bach's works
- Aria de la Suite No. 3 aka "Air on G String"
- Bach's Christmas Carol Hark the Herald adapted to Gavotte from 4th Orchestral Suite
- Come, let us all this day, BWV 479
- Dona nobis pacem (arrangement of keyboard Prelude in C# minor, BWV 849)
- Haec Tibi dona pura anon. harmonization of Passion Chorale
- Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV 600 (Orgelbüchlein), arr. soprano, fl, vln, bc
- from Schemellis Gesangbuch
- Ode to the Seasons (and to Change) contrafactum of Jesu bleibet maine Freude, [[Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (Johann Sebastian Bach)
|Cantata 147]]
- O sacred head (from St. Matthew's-Passion, nrs. 15/17 and nr. 54)
- Spiritus Domini (Arrangement of fugue nr.9 from WTC II BWV 878)
- Wachet auf! multiple harmizations
- Veni Sancte Spiritus Die Kunst der Fuge BWV 1080
Misattributed works
- Aperite Portas (misattributed)
- Bist du bei mir BWV 508 (Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel)
- St. Luke Passion, BWV 246 (Anonymous)
Click here to search for this composer on CPDL
Recordings of interest
BWV | Title | Performers | Orchestra | Medium | Label | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
35, 54, 170 | Bach: Cantatas for alto | Andreas Scholl, Marcel Ponseele, Markus Markl | Collegium Vocale Orchestra | 1 CD 1999 | Harmonia Mundi 314902016440 | |
172, 68, 1 | Bach Kantaten (1) | Arleen Augér, Ortrun Wenkel, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam | Rotzsch, Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum | CD 1981-1983 | Berlin Classics 0021502BC | Highlights: Arleen Augér, Peter Schreier, Ludwig Güttler trumpet, good tempos and control of Thomanerchor by Rotzsch |
137, 21 | Bach Kantaten (3) | Arleen Augér, Ortrun Wenkel, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam | CD 1981-1983 | Leipzig Classics BC-2175-2 | ||
140, 61, 36 | Bach: Kantaten (7) | Arleen Augér, Peter Schreier, Siegfried Lorenz | CD 1980-1983 | Berlin Classics 0020992BC | ||
110, 71 | Bach: Kantaten (8) | Arleen Augér, Ortrun Wenkel, Peter Schreier, Siegfried Lorenz | CD 1981-1982 | Berlin Classics 0021002BC | ||
79, 80, 192, 50 | Bach Kantaten (9) | Arleen Augér, Ortrun Wenkel, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam | CD 1980-1982 | Berlin Classics 0021762BC | ||
244 | Matthäus-Passion | Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, Siegfried Vogel, Johannes Künzel, Hermann Christian Polster | Mauersberger & Mauersberger, Dresdner Kreuzchor & Thomanerchor; Gewandhausorchester Leipzig | 3 CD 1970 | Leipzig Classics | One of the best recordings: clarity of Schreier, especially the passion of the combined choirs. The last chorus is especially moving, given the history of Dresden in the decades before 1970. See review here. |
245 | Johannes-Passion | Hermann Prey, Evelyn Lear, Ernst Haefliger, Hertha Töpper | Karl Richter, Münchener Bach-Chor & Münchener Bach-Orchester | 2 CD 1964 | Deutsche Grammophon 453-007-2 | Definitely a romantic interpretation, but one that improves with age. |
External links
- Johann Sebastian Bach Home Page
- JSB's autograph scores at Bach Digital
- Bach Cantatas Website: Free PDF vocal scores to nearly every Bach cantata
- The BGA-edition piece by piece (in PDF) on the site of the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
- The (almost) complete BGA in PDF (complete books) - Russian site
- Parts for BWV 11, 43, 48, 213, 232 and complete Chorales at CCARH
- Johann Sebastian Bach bibliography