Essential Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was an ordinary man who held ordinary jobs but wrote extraordinary music. He was born just a few miles from the castle in which the great reformer and hymn-writer Martin Luther translated the bible, and was subjected to a rigorous Lutheran education that would inform his diligent but very human life. Bach was no stranger to personal hardship or professional rejection. Only his final appointment, as Music Director of the Leipzig Churches and Cantor at St Thomas's School, was one of genuine prestige.
Read more…- Bach•Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major BWV 1048•I. (Allegro)
- Bach•Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major BWV 1048•II. Adagio
- Bach•Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major BWV 1048•III. Allegro
- Bach•Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Basso Continuo in D minor BWV 1043•I. Vivace
- Bach•Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Basso Continuo in D minor BWV 1043•II. Largo ma non tanto
- Bach•Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Basso Continuo in D minor BWV 1043•III. Allegro
- Bach•Magnificat in D major BWV 243•No. 1 Chorus 'Magnificat' (Chorus)
- Bach•Partita for Solo Violin No. 2 in D minor BWV 1004•V. Ciaccona
- Bach•English Suite No. 2 in A minor BWV 807•I. Prélude
- Bach•Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor BWV 582•Passacaglia
- Bach•Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor BWV 582•Fugue
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 1 Chorale 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' (Chorus)
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 2 Aria 'Ermuntre dich, dein Heiland klopft' (Tenor)
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 3 Recitative and Arioso 'Wie teuer sind des heilgen Mahles Gaben' – 'Ach, wie hungert mein Gemüte' (Soprano)
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 4 Recitative 'Mein Herz fühlt in sich Furcht und Freude' (Alto)
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 5 Aria 'Lebens Sonne, Licht der Sinnen' (Soprano)
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 6 Recitative 'Herr, laß an mir dein treues Lieben' (Bass)
- Bach•Cantata 'Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele' BWV 180•No. 7 Chorale 'Jesu, wahres Brot des Lebens' (Chorus)
- Bach•Matthäus-Passion (St. Matthew Passion) BWV 244•Part I • No. 1 Chorus 'Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen' (Chorus)
- Bach•Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Basso Continuo No. 5 in F minor BWV 1056•I. (Allegro moderato)
- Bach•Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Basso Continuo No. 5 in F minor BWV 1056•II. Largo
- Bach•Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Basso Continuo No. 5 in F minor BWV 1056•III. Presto
- Bach•Matthäus-Passion (St. Matthew Passion) BWV 244: 'Am Abend, da es kühle war' (Bass, Part II)•Am Abend, da es kühle war – Mache dich, mein Herze, rein
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Aria
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. I. a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. II. a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. III. Canone all'Unisono a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. IV. a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. V. a 1 ovvero 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. VI. Canone alla Seconda a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. VII. a 1 ovvero 2 Clav. al tempo di Giga
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. VIII. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. IX. Canone alla Terza a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. X. Fughetta a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XI. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XII. Canone alla Quarta (a 1 Clav)
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XIII. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XIV. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XV. Canone alla Quinta
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XVI. Ouverture a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XVII. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XVIII. Canone alla Sesta a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XIX. a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XX. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXI. a Canone alla Settima (a 1 Clav)
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXII. Alla breve a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXIII. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXIV. Canone all'Ottava a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXV. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXVI. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXVII. Canone alla Nona a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXVIII. a 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXIX. a 1 ovvero 2 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Var. XXX. Quodlibet a 1 Clav
- Bach•Goldberg Variations (Clavier-Übung IV) BWV 988•Aria da Capo è Fine
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 1 Chorale 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme'
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 2 Recitative 'Er kommt, der Bräutgam kommt' (narrator)
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 3 Aria 'Wenn kömms du, mein Heil?' (The Soul, Jesus)
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 4 Chorale 'Zion hört die Wächter singen'
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 5 Recitative 'So geh herein zu mir' (Jesus)
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 6 Aria 'Mein Freund ist mein! Und ich bin sein' (The Soul, Jesus)
- Bach•Cantata 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' BWV 140•No. 7 Chorale 'Gloria sei dir gesungen'
- Bach•Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 538 “Dorian”•Toccata
- Bach•Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 538 “Dorian”•Fugue
- Bach•Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (The Well-Tempered Clavier), Book I BWV 846-869•BWV 847 • Prelude No. 2 in C minor
- Bach•Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (The Well-Tempered Clavier), Book I BWV 846-869•BWV 847 • Fugue No. 2 in C minor
- Bach•Johannes-Passion (St. John Passion) BWV 245•Part II • No. 39 Chorus 'Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine' (Chorus)
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•I. Praeambulum
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•II. Allemande
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•III. Courante
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•IV. Sarabande
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•V. Tempo di Minuetta
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•VI. Passepied
- Bach•Partita for Harpsichord No. 5 in G major BWV 829•VII. Gigue
- Bach•Suite for Solo Violoncello No. 1 in G major BWV 1007•I. Prélude
- Bach•Suite for Solo Violoncello No. 1 in G major BWV 1007•II. Allemande
- Bach•Suite for Solo Violoncello No. 1 in G major BWV 1007•III. Courante
- Bach•Suite for Solo Violoncello No. 1 in G major BWV 1007•IV. Sarabande
- Bach•Suite for Solo Violoncello No. 1 in G major BWV 1007•V. Menuet I – VI. Menuet II – Menuet I (da capo)
- Bach•Suite for Solo Violoncello No. 1 in G major BWV 1007•VII. Gigue
- Bach•Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Basso continuo No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052•I. Allegro
- Bach•Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Basso continuo No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052•II. Adagio
- Bach•Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Basso continuo No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052•III. Allegro
- Bach•Mass in B minor BWV 232•Gloria • No. 10 Aria 'Quoniam tu solus sanctus' (Bass)
- Bach•Mass in B minor BWV 232•Gloria • No. 11 Chorus 'Cum Sanctu Spiritu' (Chorus)
- Bach•Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of the Fugue) BWV 1080•Contrapunctus I
As a church musician, a court musician and multi-instrumentalist in charge of choirs and orchestras, Bach wrote music out of necessity. He probably didn't think much (if any) of it would outlive him, but there's reason to believe he stopped once or twice to take stock of a particular piece, knowing it was exceptional. He conceived his monumental Mass in B minor as a compendium of his greatest and most inspired sacred music and a testament of his faith. He filled the score for The Goldberg Variations with number games that were designed as much to delight the analyst as advance his own believe that numerology advanced his technique. He frequently wove his own initials, equivalent to the notes B flat, A, C B natural, into his works.
Bach's mastering of harmony and counterpoint has never been surpassed and influenced everyone from Beethoven to Britney. But no matter how technical it sounds, Bach's music never lacks emotional poetry. Nobody combined the mathematical, the spiritual and the exuberant like Bach did. And nobody has since.