Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a … Read Full Bio ↴Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival he has been generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.
The Bach family already counted several composers when Johann Sebastian was born as the last child of a city musician in Eisenach. Having become an orphan at age 10, he lived for five years with his eldest brother, after which he continued his musical formation in Lüneburg. From 1703 he was back in Thuringia, working as a musician for Protestant churches in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen and, for longer stretches of time, at courts in Weimar—where he expanded his repertoire for the organ—and Köthen—where he was mostly engaged with chamber music. From 1723 he was employed as Thomaskantor (cantor at St. Thomas) in Leipzig. He composed music for the principal Lutheran churches of the city, and for its university's student ensemble Collegium Musicum. From 1726 he published some of his keyboard and organ music. In Leipzig, as had happened in some of his earlier positions, he had a difficult relation with his employer, a situation that was little remedied when he was granted the title of court composer by the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland in 1736. In the last decades of his life he reworked and extended many of his earlier compositions. He died of complications after eye surgery in 1750.
Bach enriched established German styles through his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and his adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include hundreds of cantatas, both sacred and secular. He composed Latin church music, Passions, oratorios and motets. He often adopted Lutheran hymns, not only in his larger vocal works, but for instance also in his four-part chorales and his sacred songs. He wrote extensively for organ and for other keyboard instruments. He composed concertos, for instance for violin and for harpsichord, and suites, as chamber music as well as for orchestra. Many of his works employ the genres of canon and fugue.
Throughout the 18th century Bach was primarily valued as an organist, while his keyboard music, such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, was appreciated for its didactic qualities. The 19th century saw the publication of some major Bach biographies, and by the end of that century all of his known music had been printed. Dissemination of scholarship on the composer continued through periodicals and websites exclusively devoted to him, and other publications such as the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV, a numbered catalogue of his works) and new critical editions of his compositions. His music was further popularised through a multitude of arrangements, including for instance the Air on the G String, and of recordings, for instance three different box sets with complete performances of the composer's oeuvre marking the 250th anniversary of his death.
The Bach family already counted several composers when Johann Sebastian was born as the last child of a city musician in Eisenach. Having become an orphan at age 10, he lived for five years with his eldest brother, after which he continued his musical formation in Lüneburg. From 1703 he was back in Thuringia, working as a musician for Protestant churches in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen and, for longer stretches of time, at courts in Weimar—where he expanded his repertoire for the organ—and Köthen—where he was mostly engaged with chamber music. From 1723 he was employed as Thomaskantor (cantor at St. Thomas) in Leipzig. He composed music for the principal Lutheran churches of the city, and for its university's student ensemble Collegium Musicum. From 1726 he published some of his keyboard and organ music. In Leipzig, as had happened in some of his earlier positions, he had a difficult relation with his employer, a situation that was little remedied when he was granted the title of court composer by the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland in 1736. In the last decades of his life he reworked and extended many of his earlier compositions. He died of complications after eye surgery in 1750.
Bach enriched established German styles through his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and his adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include hundreds of cantatas, both sacred and secular. He composed Latin church music, Passions, oratorios and motets. He often adopted Lutheran hymns, not only in his larger vocal works, but for instance also in his four-part chorales and his sacred songs. He wrote extensively for organ and for other keyboard instruments. He composed concertos, for instance for violin and for harpsichord, and suites, as chamber music as well as for orchestra. Many of his works employ the genres of canon and fugue.
Throughout the 18th century Bach was primarily valued as an organist, while his keyboard music, such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, was appreciated for its didactic qualities. The 19th century saw the publication of some major Bach biographies, and by the end of that century all of his known music had been printed. Dissemination of scholarship on the composer continued through periodicals and websites exclusively devoted to him, and other publications such as the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV, a numbered catalogue of his works) and new critical editions of his compositions. His music was further popularised through a multitude of arrangements, including for instance the Air on the G String, and of recordings, for instance three different box sets with complete performances of the composer's oeuvre marking the 250th anniversary of his death.
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01St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Kommt, ihr Tochter, helft mir klagen! (Chorus)10:53Jo Vincent
02St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Da Jesus diese Rede vollendet hatte (Evangelist, Jesus)1:04Jo Vincent
03St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Chorale: Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen1:29Jo Vincent
04St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Da versammelten sich die Hohenpriester (Evangelist)0:34Jo Vincent
06St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Da nun Jesus war zu Bethanien (Evangelist)0:38Jo Vincent
08St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Da das Jesus merkete, sprach er zu ihnen (Evangelist, Jesus)2:23Jo Vincent
11St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Da ging hin der Zwolfen einer (Evangelist, Judas)0:51Jo Vincent
13St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Aber am ersten Tage der Sussen Brot' (Evangelist)0:17Jo Vincent
15St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Er sprach: Gehet hin in die Stadt; Chorus: Herr, bin ich's? (Evangelist, Jesus)2:28Jo Vincent
17St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Er antwortete und sprach: Der mit der Hand (Evangelist, Jesus, Judas)4:36Jo Vincent
18St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Wiewohl mein Herz in Tranen schwimmt (Soprano)1:49Jo Vincent
19St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Aria: Ich will dir mein Herze schenken (Soprano)4:45Jo Vincent
20St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten (Evangelist, Jesus)1:45Jo Vincent
22St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Petrus aber antwortete (Evangelist, Petrus, Jesus)1:30Jo Vincent
23St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem Hofe (Evangelist, Jesus)2:43Jo Vincent
24St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative with Chorale: O Schmerz! hier zittert das gequalte Herz! (Tenor)2:59Jo Vincent
25St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Aria with Chorus: Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen (Tenor)6:02Jo Vincent
26St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Und ging hin ein wenig (Evangelist, Jesus)1:14Jo Vincent
27St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Der Heiland fallt vor seinem Vater nieder (Bass)1:29Jo Vincent
28St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Und er kam zu seinen Jungern (Evangelist, Jesus)2:06Jo Vincent
29St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Chorale: Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh' allzeit2:13Jo Vincent
30St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend (Evangelist, Jesus, Judas)3:41Jo Vincent
31St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Duet: So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen; Chorus: Lasst ihn, haltet, bindet nicht! (Soprano, Alto)5:19Jo Vincent
32St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part I: Recitative: Und siehe, einer aus denen, die mit Jesu waren (Evangelist, Jesus)3:34Jo Vincent
34St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Aria with Chorus: Ach, nun ist mein Jesus hin! (Alto)4:53Jo Vincent
35St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten (Evangelist)0:48Jo Vincent
36St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Und der Hohepriester stand auf (Evangelist, High Priest)0:55Jo Vincent
37St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Lugen stille (Tenor)1:41Jo Vincent
38St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Und der Hohepriester antwortete (Evangelist, High Priest, Jesus) - Chorus: Er ist des Todes schuldig!2:00Jo Vincent
39St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Da speieten sie aus in sein Angesicht (Evangelist) - Chorus: Weissage uns, Christe0:43Jo Vincent
41St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast (Evangelist, 2 Servants, Petrus)1:24Jo Vincent
42St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Da hub er an, sich zu verfluchen (Evangelist, Petrus)1:43Jo Vincent
44St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Des Morgens aber hielten alle Hohepreister (Evangelist)0:30Jo Vincent
45St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger - Chorus: Barrabam! - Recitative: — Chorus: —(Evangelist, Pilatus)1:49Jo Vincent
46St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Der Landpfleger sagte: Was hat er denn Ubels getan? (Evangelist, Pilatus)0:12Jo Vincent
47St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Recitative: Er hat uns allen wohlgetan (Soprano)1:28Jo Vincent
48St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II: Aria: Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben (Soprano)5:45Jo Vincent
49St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 59: Recitative (Evangelist) - Sie schrieen aber noch mehr; Chorus: Lass ihn kreuzigen! / Recitative...; Chorus; Recitative...2:08Jo Vincent
51St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 62 Recitative (Evangelist): Da nahmen die Kriegsknechte; Chorus: Gegrusset seist du, Judenkonig! / Recitative (Evangelist)...1:18Jo Vincent
53St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 64 Recitative (Evangelist): Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten0:41Jo Vincent
54St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 67 Recitative (Evangelist): Und da wurden zween Morder; Chorus: Der du den Tempel Gottest zerbrichts; Recitative... / Chorus...2:28Jo Vincent
55St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 68 Recitative (Evangelist): Desgleichen schmaheten ihn auch die Morder0:21Jo Vincent
57St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 71 Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus): Und von der sechsten Stunde an; Chorus: Der rufet den Elias;...3:21Jo Vincent
59St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 73 Recitative (Evangelist): Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel; Chorus: Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen2:49Jo Vincent
60St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 74 Recitative (Bass): Am Abend, da es kuhle war2:34Jo Vincent
61St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 76 Recitative (Evangelist): Und Joseph nahm den Leib0:52Jo Vincent
62St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 77 Recitative (Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano) with Chorus: Nun ist der Herr zur Rub' gebracht2:41Jo Vincent
63St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Part II No. 78 Chorus: Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder8:01Jo Vincent
64Overture (Suite) No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067: I. Ouverture: Grave; Allegro8:00Johann Sebastian Bach
71Overture (Suite) No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: Air3:35Johann Sebastian Bach
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BACH, J.S.: St. Matthew Passion (Mengelberg) (1939)
Jo Vincent Lyrics
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