Composer

Johann Sebastian Bach

1685–1750

14,715 works in the index

Born: 1685
Died: 1750
Birthplace: Eisenach
Citizenship / historical state: Saxe-Eisenach
Period (estimated from birth year): Baroque

Biography

Bach wrote more music that ordinary players actually use than any other composer, which is why this catalogue holds over 17,000 entries under his name. He spent his career as a working church and court musician, producing to deadline, and almost none of it was published in his lifetime.

For keyboard players the entry points are the Notebook for Anna Magdalena and the Little Preludes, both genuinely playable within a few years of starting. The Two-Part Inventions come next, then the Well-Tempered Clavier, which is a lifetime's work rather than a stage to pass through. String players meet him through the solo suites and partitas; singers and choirs through the cantatas, Passions and the B minor Mass.

Editions matter here more than for most composers. Bach notated sparingly — little dynamic marking, inconsistent articulation, ornaments left to convention — so every edition is an interpretation. A nineteenth-century performing edition, which is what most free scans are, will hand you a fully marked page reflecting a style of playing that has since been substantially revised. For anything you intend to perform, a modern urtext is worth the outlay.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments: Piano, Organ, Choir, harpsichord, Voice
Genres represented: Classical, Christmas, Rock, Jazz, Pop
Works with composition dates: 290 of 14,715

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Works page 2 of 307

Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.

Works and available sheet music details
Work	Year composed	Catalogue / opus	Key in title	Listed instruments	Genre	Editions
Goldberg-Variationen, BWV 988: Aria	—	BWV 988	—	Piano, Guitar, Flute, Voice, Vocal, Choir, Clarinet	Classical, Pop, Religious	33
March in D Major	—	—	D major	Piano, Guitar, Cello, Double Bass	Classical	64
Gigue	—	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Cello, Flute, violin, Horn, Clarinet, Mandolin, Saxophone	Classical	26
1. Sinfonia	—	—	—	Piano, Organ, Guitar, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Voice, Bassoon, Double Bass, Choir, Clarinet, Recorder, Saxopho	Classical	14
Sleepers, Wake! (Chorale Prelude From Cantata No. 140)	—	—	—	Piano, Guitar, bass, Tenor, Choir, Trombone, Trumpet, Alto, Recorder	Classical	28
Three-Part Inventions	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	13
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 659	1714 in WeimarIMSLP	BWV 659	—	Organ	Classical	37
My Heart Ever Faithful	—	—	—	Piano, Organ, Guitar, Cello, violin, Voice, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Viola	Classical	22
In Tears Of Grief (St. Matthew Passion)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	25
Prelude (Wtc 1 #13) Bach	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	18
Bach: Various Short Preludes and Fugues	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	30
Prelude in C Minor	—	—	C minor	Piano, Guitar	Classical	23
Passepied No.1 (Orchestral Suite In C)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	20
Bach: First Lessons in Bach (Ed. Carroll)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	28
Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244: Teil II, XLIV. Corale "Befiehl du deine Wege"	—	BWV 244	—	Piano, Organ, Choir, Recorder, A Cappella	Classical	22
Ouverture g-Moll, BWV 822: V. Menuet I	—	BWV 822	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Viola	Classical	22
Prelude No. 1 In C	—	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Voice, Vocal	Classical	21
Two-Part Invention In C Major	1720–23IMSLP	—	C major	Piano, Guitar, Harmonica	Classical, Pop	23
Prelude and Gloria (Adapted from Cantata No. 141	—	—	—	—	Classical	26
10. Rondo	—	—	—	Piano, harpsichord, Oboe, Viola	Classical	26
Bach Goldberg Variations Piano	—	—	—	—	—	8
Invention No.1	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	13
Largo (Pno.Con.In F Min)	—	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Flute	Classical	13
Minuet in G minor	—	—	G minor	Piano, Organ, Guitar, Flute, Double Bass	Classical	28
Two-Part Invention No 8	1720–23IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	15
Courante (Vln Sonata D Min) Bach	—	—	—	Clarinet	Classical	9
Fugue No 6	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	22
Gigue (1st Partita) Bach	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	17
Sighing, Weeping, Sorrow, Need (Cantata 21)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	19
Fugue In G Minor Bwv 578	—	Bwv 578	G minor	Piano, Organ, Keyboard	Classical	32
Bach: Twenty Three Easy Pieces (Ed. Mugellini)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	23
Sonata in A Major, BWV 1032: II. Largo	—	BWV 1032	A major	—	—	23
Two Minuets	—	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Flute, Clarinet, Trombone, Recorder	Classical, pop	22
Prelude in D minor	—	—	D minor	Piano, Guitar	Classical	24
Two-Part Inventions	—	—	—	Piano, Cello, Flute, violin, Bassoon, Clarinet, Viola	Classical	21
Sleepers, Wake, A Voice Is Calling	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	21
Inventio Nr. 13 a-Moll, BWV 784	—	BWV 784	—	Piano, Marimba	Classical	19
Inventio Nr. 15 h-Moll, BWV 786	—	BWV 786	—	Piano, Marimba	Classical	13
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 606	—	BWV 606	—	Piano, Organ, Choir	Classical, Religious, Christmas	21
Brandenburg Concerto No.3	1718Wikidata	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Basso continuo, Cello, Flute, violin, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet, Viola, Tenor Saxophone	Classical	19
Polonaise (Fr Suite #6) Bach	—	—	—	Clarinet	Classical	17
Bach: The Art of the Fugue (Ed. Carl Czerny)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	21
Bach: Twenty One Favorite Pieces	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	21
Bach: The First Bach Book (Fing. Alexander Lipsky)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	21
Bach: Album for the Piano (Ed. Heinze)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	21
Inventio 14	—	—	—	—	—	23
Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland	—	—	—	Piano, Organ, Choir, Recorder	Classical	19
Two-Part Invention In A Minor	—	—	A minor	Piano	Classical, pop	20

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 12304462. Portrait: Elias Gottlob Haussmann, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.