SKU: BA.BVK02201

SKU: BA.BVK02494

ISBN 9783761824948. 37.5 x 24.5 cm inches. Text Language: English, German. Preface: Barbara Schneider-Kempf.

“I have never experienced such silence or seen an audience moved in this way.” Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

Up to the present day there has scarcely been a work in the history of music which has fascinated listeners and performers more than Bach’s “St Matthew Passion”. Originally composed for Vespers on Good Friday, and even longer in duration than the “St John Passion”, it reconstructs the story of Christ’s Passion with immense musical, emotional and spiritual intensity.

And so, this monumental and complex composition has come to rank amongst the high points of Western culture. For good reason the “rediscovery” of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music began in 1829 with the performance of this work by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and the Berlin Singakademie.

The autograph manuscript is regarded as one of Bach’s most beautiful – the fair copy demonstrates the importance he attached to the careful preservation of the work for posterity. A further spezial feature is the coloured ink with which he wrote the biblical text and the music of the chorale “O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig”.

This facsimile edition reproduces the autograph score of the “St Matthew Passion” for the first time in high-quality colour printing. The Bach specialist Christoph Wolff introduces the background to the work’s composition and the characteristics of the manuscript.

Barbara Schneider-Kempf and Martina Rebmann (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin) provide further details regarding the history of the autograph manuscript.

SKU: BR.EB-4063

ISBN 9790004162224. 7.5 x 10.5 inches.

The Publication in facsimile of the auto graphic copy of Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in A major BWV 234 at the occasion of the Bach Anniversary Year 1985 has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the publishing house which so carefully preserved this precious manuscript in its archives for almost 200 years. The manuscript was acquired long ago by Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf, the brilliant and dynamic forefather of the publishing house Breitkopf & Hartel, who conducted a prosperous business selling music transcriptions in Leipzig. It is still unclear as to how he obtained the manuscript. Perhaps it had belonged to the estate of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, from whom Breitkopf apparently acquired a part of his Bach collection. The earliest reference to the manuscript's change of ownership is found in Breitkopfs Verzeichniss Musicalischer Werke of 1761, which includes Bach's Missa, a 2 Flauti, 2 Violini, Viola 4 Voci, Organo under the listing of copies of unpublished compositions. The copy was available at the price of 2 thl. (thalers) 12gl. (groschen). A few years later, in 1769, the same offer appeared again together with other works by Bach or ascribed to him in the Verzeichniss lateinischer und italianischer Kirchen-Musiken of Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf & Sohn. In more recent times, the work has been mentioned in Wilhelm Hitzig's Katalog des Archivs von Breitkopf & Hartel, revised in 1925, together with the continuo part, which was included with the copy and which was also originally written in Bach's own hand. The economic reorganization of the publishing house Breitkopf & Hartel after the Second World War made it necessary to sell the manuscript together with other works from the publisher's archives. This manuscript was to have been put up at auction by the auction house J. A. Stargardt. The catalogue, containing an informative commentary by Wolfgang Schmieder, was already printed, but before the auction could take place, the land of Hesse decided to purchase all the manuscripts, thus preventing the dispersion of this valuable collection. The manuscript was officially handed over to the Hessische Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek in Darmstadt on 29 October 1953. The A major Mass is still preserved there today, together with its fellow piece, the Mass in G major BWV 236.

SKU: BR.BV-217

ISBN 9783765102172. 9 x 14.5 inches. English.

The Publication in facsimile of the auto graphic copy of Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in A major BWV 234 at the occasion of the Bach Anniversary Year 1985 has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the publishing house which so carefully preserved this precious manuscript in its archives for almost 200 years. The manuscript was acquired long ago by Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf, the brilliant and dynamic forefather of the publishing house Breitkopf & Hartel, who conducted a prosperous business selling music transcriptions in Leipzig. It is still unclear as to how he obtained the manuscript. Perhaps it had belonged to the estate of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, from whom Breitkopf apparently acquired a part of his Bach collection. The earliest reference to the manuscript's change of ownership is found in Breitkopfs Verzeichniss Musicalischer Werke of 1761, which includes Bach's Missa, a 2 Flauti, 2 Violini, Viola 4 Voci, Organo under the listing of copies of unpublished compositions. The copy was available at the price of 2 thl. (thalers) 12gl. (groschen). A few years later, in 1769, the same offer appeared again together with other works by Bach or ascribed to him in the Verzeichniss lateinischer und italianischer Kirchen-Musiken of Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf & Sohn. In more recent times, the work has been mentioned in Wilhelm Hitzig's Katalog des Archivs von Breitkopf & Hartel, revised in 1925, together with the continuo part, which was included with the copy and which was also originally written in Bach's own hand. The economic reorganization of the publishing house Breitkopf & Hartel after the Second World War made it necessary to sell the manuscript together with other works from the publisher's archives. This manuscript was to have been put up at auction by the auction house J. A. Stargardt. The catalogue, containing an informative commentary by Wolfgang Schmieder, was already printed, but before the auction could take place, the land of Hesse decided to purchase all the manuscripts, thus preventing the dispersion of this valuable collection. The manuscript was officially handed over to the Hessische Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek in Darmstadt on 29 October 1953. The A major Mass is still preserved there today, together with its fellow piece, the Mass in G major BWV 236.

SKU: CA.3105223

Language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

It only became apparent a few years ago that the text of the soprano cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht came from the collection Gott-geheiligten Sabbaths-Zehnden by the Leipzig theology student and Bach pupil Christoph Birkmann, printed in 1728 in Nuremberg. Birkmann was probably therefore the author of the text. The cantata was written for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which fell on 24 November 1726 in the year of its first performance. As in other cantatas in the first annual cycle, Bach chose an instrumental sinfonia as the opening movement - here the first movement of the 1st Brandenburg Concerto. The soprano soloist has two recitatives and two arias, in which the falsehood of the world is juxtaposed with trust in God. The cantata text is rounded off with the first verse of the chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet, scored for four-part chorus, as is usual with Bach. With the use of two horns and three oboes added to the string ensemble, the cantata has colorful and varied orchestration. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3105200.

SKU: CA.3105224

Language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

It only became apparent a few years ago that the text of the soprano cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht came from the collection Gott-geheiligten Sabbaths-Zehnden by the Leipzig theology student and Bach pupil Christoph Birkmann, printed in 1728 in Nuremberg. Birkmann was probably therefore the author of the text. The cantata was written for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which fell on 24 November 1726 in the year of its first performance. As in other cantatas in the first annual cycle, Bach chose an instrumental sinfonia as the opening movement - here the first movement of the 1st Brandenburg Concerto. The soprano soloist has two recitatives and two arias, in which the falsehood of the world is juxtaposed with trust in God. The cantata text is rounded off with the first verse of the chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet, scored for four-part chorus, as is usual with Bach. With the use of two horns and three oboes added to the string ensemble, the cantata has colorful and varied orchestration. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3105200.

SKU: CA.3116909

ISBN 9790007209315. Text language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

Bach's cantata My God alone this heart possesses BWV 169 is from his third annual cantata cycle in Leipzig; it was first performed on 20 October 1726 for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. As recent research has shown, the text was written by the Leipzig student, Christoph Birkmann. With the exception of the final chorale, this is a cantata for solo alto with, of course, a rich orchestral scoring consisting of three oboes, obbligato organ and strings. The first purely instrumental movement can be traced back to an instrumental concerto, which has been lost, after Bach had also composed the Keyboard Concerto in E major BWV 1053. The lyrical-vocal highpoint of the cantata is the fifth movement, which is also based on the concerto and it shows off Bach's arranging artistry to the highest degree. Among the movements are an aria-like recitative vocal movement, as well as another aria with an almost virtuoso organ accompaniment. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3116900.

SKU: CA.3105231

Language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

It only became apparent a few years ago that the text of the soprano cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht came from the collection Gott-geheiligten Sabbaths-Zehnden by the Leipzig theology student and Bach pupil Christoph Birkmann, printed in 1728 in Nuremberg. Birkmann was probably therefore the author of the text. The cantata was written for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which fell on 24 November 1726 in the year of its first performance. As in other cantatas in the first annual cycle, Bach chose an instrumental sinfonia as the opening movement - here the first movement of the 1st Brandenburg Concerto. The soprano soloist has two recitatives and two arias, in which the falsehood of the world is juxtaposed with trust in God. The cantata text is rounded off with the first verse of the chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet, scored for four-part chorus, as is usual with Bach. With the use of two horns and three oboes added to the string ensemble, the cantata has colorful and varied orchestration. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3105200.

SKU: CA.3105219

ISBN 9790007206352. Language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

It only became apparent a few years ago that the text of the soprano cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht came from the collection Gott-geheiligten Sabbaths-Zehnden by the Leipzig theology student and Bach pupil Christoph Birkmann, printed in 1728 in Nuremberg. Birkmann was probably therefore the author of the text. The cantata was written for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which fell on 24 November 1726 in the year of its first performance. As in other cantatas in the first annual cycle, Bach chose an instrumental sinfonia as the opening movement - here the first movement of the 1st Brandenburg Concerto. The soprano soloist has two recitatives and two arias, in which the falsehood of the world is juxtaposed with trust in God. The cantata text is rounded off with the first verse of the chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet, scored for four-part chorus, as is usual with Bach. With the use of two horns and three oboes added to the string ensemble, the cantata has colorful and varied orchestration. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3105200.

SKU: CA.3116911

ISBN 9790007209322. Text language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

Bach's cantata My God alone this heart possesses BWV 169 is from his third annual cantata cycle in Leipzig; it was first performed on 20 October 1726 for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. As recent research has shown, the text was written by the Leipzig student, Christoph Birkmann. With the exception of the final chorale, this is a cantata for solo alto with, of course, a rich orchestral scoring consisting of three oboes, obbligato organ and strings. The first purely instrumental movement can be traced back to an instrumental concerto, which has been lost, after Bach had also composed the Keyboard Concerto in E major BWV 1053. The lyrical-vocal highpoint of the cantata is the fifth movement, which is also based on the concerto and it shows off Bach's arranging artistry to the highest degree. Among the movements are an aria-like recitative vocal movement, as well as another aria with an almost virtuoso organ accompaniment. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3116900.

SKU: CA.3105205

ISBN 9790007187385. Language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

It only became apparent a few years ago that the text of the soprano cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht came from the collection Gott-geheiligten Sabbaths-Zehnden by the Leipzig theology student and Bach pupil Christoph Birkmann, printed in 1728 in Nuremberg. Birkmann was probably therefore the author of the text. The cantata was written for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which fell on 24 November 1726 in the year of its first performance. As in other cantatas in the first annual cycle, Bach chose an instrumental sinfonia as the opening movement - here the first movement of the 1st Brandenburg Concerto. The soprano soloist has two recitatives and two arias, in which the falsehood of the world is juxtaposed with trust in God. The cantata text is rounded off with the first verse of the chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet, scored for four-part chorus, as is usual with Bach. With the use of two horns and three oboes added to the string ensemble, the cantata has colorful and varied orchestration. Score available separately - see item CA.3105200.

SKU: CA.3116914

ISBN 9790007209353. Text language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.

Bach's cantata My God alone this heart possesses BWV 169 is from his third annual cantata cycle in Leipzig; it was first performed on 20 October 1726 for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. As recent research has shown, the text was written by the Leipzig student, Christoph Birkmann. With the exception of the final chorale, this is a cantata for solo alto with, of course, a rich orchestral scoring consisting of three oboes, obbligato organ and strings. The first purely instrumental movement can be traced back to an instrumental concerto, which has been lost, after Bach had also composed the Keyboard Concerto in E major BWV 1053. The lyrical-vocal highpoint of the cantata is the fifth movement, which is also based on the concerto and it shows off Bach's arranging artistry to the highest degree. Among the movements are an aria-like recitative vocal movement, as well as another aria with an almost virtuoso organ accompaniment. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3116900.