JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (bio)

Johann Sebastian Bach (Eisenach, 1685 - Leipzig, 1750) German composer. From a modern point of view, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach represents both an end and a beginning. With Bach, a centuries-old tradition of predominantly polyphonic (multi-voiced) composition in the German-speaking world culminated and concluded, and so did the pre-Enlightenment concept of music primarily as a vehicle for the glorification of God. But Bach is now recognized as the first giant in Germany's musical domination of Europe, which lasted until the early 20th century. Born in the Thuringian town of Eisenach, he belonged to a 300-year-long dynasty of artisan-musicians that began with one of his great-great-grandfathers and ended with one of his grandsons. He received musical instruction from his father and an older brother, and then as a member of the choir at St. Michael's Church in LÄneburg. When he was in his early 20s, his fame as a keyboard virtuoso began to spread through many of the large and small city-states into which Germany was divided (in his lifetime, he owed his fame more to his performing abilities than to his compositions), and for the next few years he held positions as church or court organist or music director in Arnstadt, MÄhlhausen, Weimar and Cûthen.

- Italian Concerto, BWV 971 Prelude,
BWV 922

- Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51

- Johannes-Passion, BWV 245

- Johannes-Passion BWV 245

- Johannes-Passion, BWV 245 · 3 Arias
(version 1725)

- Komm, Jesu, komm

- Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen, BWV 32

- Magnificat, BWV 243

- Magnificat, BWV 243 · Masses, BWV 233 · BWV 234 · BWV 235 · BWV 236

- Mass in B minor, BWV 232

- Mass in B minor, BWV 232 · Mass in F,
BWV 233

- Mass in B minor, BWV 232

- Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244

- Matthäus-Passion BWV 244

- Matthäus-Passion - St Matthew Passion - Passion selon saint matthieu

- St Matthew Passion

- Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199

- Motets, BWV 225-330

- "Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659

- Oboe Concertos, BWV 1053 · BWV 1055 · BWV 1059

- Oboe Concertos J.S. and C.P.E. Bach
- Oratorium Festo Paschali,
BWV 249:Sinfonia

- Organ Music

- Oster-Oratorium, BWV 11 · Himmelfahrts-Oratorium, BWV 249

- Partita (French Overture) in B minor,
BWV 831

- Partita, BWV 1004 · Suite, BWV 1009

- Partitas Nos. 1-3 & 5, BWV 825-827 & 829

- Partita No. 2, BWV 1004

- Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin, BWV 1004

- Partita No. 4 in D

- Partita for Solo Flute

- Partita for Solo Violin, BWV 1002

- Peasant Cantata BWV 212 "Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet"

- Prelude, Largo and Fugue, BWV 529 No.2/BWV 545

- Prelude and Fugue, BWV 552

- Prelude and Fugue (Schoenberg)

- Prelude (Fantasia), BWV 922

- Sacred Arias, Ave Maria

- Selig ist der Mann, BWV 57

- Siciliano, from BWV 1031 (arr. Kempff)

- Sinfonias & Chorals

- Sonata for Viola da Gamba No. 1,
BWV 1027

- Sonata for Viola da Gamba No. 2,
BWV 1028

- Sonata for Viola da Gamba No. 3,
BWV 1029

- St John Passion, BWV 245

- St Matthew Passion, BWV 244

- St Matthew Passion (highlights)

- Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kommt,
BWV 151

- Suite for Harp

- Suite No. 3 - Air

- The 4 Orchestral Suites, BWV 1066-1069 · Suite No.5 (Attributed to Bach)

- The Art of Fugue

- The Complete Orchestral Works

- The Complete Organ Works

- The Complete Partitas

- The Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1002 BWV 1004 BWV 1006

- Toccata and Fugue, BWV 565

- Toccata and Fugue, BWV 565 · Passacaglia (Stokowski)

- The 4 Orchestral Suites

- The Violin Concertos

- The Well-tempered Clavier Book 1

- The Well-tempered Clavier Book 2

- The Well-tempered Clavier I & II

- The Art of Fugue BWV 1080

- The Musical Offering BWV 1079

- Toccata in F sharp minor, BWV 910

- Triple Concertos, BWV 1044 & 1064

- Viola da Gamba Sonatas (complete)

- Violin Concerto, BWV 1041

- Violin Concertos, BWV 1041 · BWV 1042

- Violin Concerto, BWV 1042

- Violin Concerto, BWV 1056 (transcription from the Harpsichord Concerto)

- Violin Concerto, BWV 1042

- Violin Concertos (Complete)

- Violin Sonatas, BWV 1014-1023

- Wachtet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140

- Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140

- Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248

- Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten, BWV 74

- Great Pianists - Casadesus - French Suite No. 6

- Great Pianists - Alicia de Larrocha II
Italian Concerto
French Suite No. 6 in E
Beloved Jesu, We Are Here
Sanctify Us by Thy Goodness

In 1723 he was appointed Cantor at Leipzig's St. Thomas Church, where he remained for the rest of his life, composing, directing performances of his music, instructing the choir and, eventually, leading an instrumental ensemble. In Leipzig he also produced 13 children with his second wife, Anna Magdalena; his first, Maria Barbara, who died in 1720, had already borne him seven. By the time Bach reached his late 50s, his musical style had become unfashionable. After his death - in Leipzig - most of his works were already forgotten by all but a few connoisseurs and specialists, and not until nearly 100 years later did he begin to assume, for musicians and listeners alike, the reputation that is still attributed to him: a genius in whose works inspiration and intellectual control are fused in an almost mystical synthesis. Harvey Sachs Biographical notes (c) 1996, reprinted by permission of Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg.

A selection of his works. Orchestral: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-6, Orchestral Suites Nos. 1-4, Harpsichord Concertos, Violin Concertos, Chamber: A Musical Offering, The Art of Fugue, Trio Sonatas, Flute Sonatas, Violin Sonatas. Instrumental solo: For organ: Concertos for Organ Solo, Fantasies, Partitas, Passacaglias and Fugues, Preludes and Fugues, SchÄbler Chorales, Toccatas (including the famous in D minor). For harpsichord: Capriccii, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, Goldberg Variations, Italian Concerto, Partitas, the Well-Tempered Clavier (I and II). For violin: Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo. For cello: Suites for Cello solo. Vocal/Choral: Cantatas (mainly religious, some secular such as the famous Peasant, Coffee and Hunt Cantatas), Magnificat, Masses (including the Mass in B minor), St John Passion, St Matthew Passion