Cantatas · Masses · Oratorios Passions · Motets

Arrangements by Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach appreciated good compositions
by other masters, as is clear from contempo rary
reports and from a glance at what remains of the
contents of his music library. It is a fact, how ever, that
in copies of other composers’ works which he made
for his own use he seldom failed to make corrections
here and there. For performances in Leip zig pieces
sometimes had to be altered to comply with local
liturgical regulations. Sometimes the text or the scoring
did not comply with Bach’s expectations. The best
example of this is provided by the famous Stabat Mater
by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, which Bach adapted
for a performance as a Protestant penitential
composition with German words and an enlarged orchestra.
Bach’s choice of composi tions and his revi -
sions of them make the contents of his music library
an equally valuable and reveal ing repertoire for performance.
Anonymus
St. Luke Passion (G) (BWV 246, Anh. II 30)
Soli SATB, Coro SATB, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, Tl, Fg,
2 Vl, Va, Bc
Carus 10.295
From Bach’s music library; formerly attributed to him.
The present edition is based on the score made partly
by Bach himself.
Der Gerechte kommt um (G/E)
Coro SSATB, 2 Ob, 2 Vl, Va, Bc /�
ed. D. Hellmann
Carus 35.001
This attractive movement is the motet Tristis est
anima mea, attributed to Johann Kuhnau, and was
probably arranged by J. S. Bach.
Missa in C major (BWV Anh. 25)
Based on a transcription by Johann Sebastian Bach
Soli SAT, Coro SATB, 2 Tr, 2 Vl, Bc /�
ed. F. Rempp
Carus 35.007 (in prep.)
Vocal score and performance material of all works
are available for sale.
Bach vocal
Francesco Bartholomeo Conti
(1681–1732)
Languet anima mea (L)
Solo S, [2 Ob], 2 Vl, Va, Bc / 12 min
ed. Y. Kobayashi
Carus 35.401 (in prep.)
Francesco Durante (1684–1775)
Missa in C minor (BWV Anh. 26)
arranged by Johann Sebastian Bach
Soli SAT, Coro SATB, [3 Trb], 2 Vl, Bc /�
ed. F. Rempp
Carus 35.008 (in prep.)
Arrangements 27
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759)
Brockes-Passion “Der für die Sünde der Welt
gemarterte und sterbende Jesus” HWV 48
based on a transcription by J. S. Bach
Soli STB, Soliloquenten, Coro SATB, 2 Ob, Tl,
2 Vl, Va, Bc / 150 min / ed. A. Traub / �
Carus 55.048
Several times between 1712 and 1747 Bach performed
a St. Mark Passion which probably was by a
north German contemporary. For quite a long time
the Passion was attributed to Reinhard Keiser and it
was published under his name. The attribution refers
to a title page from within Bach’s circle which men -
tions “R. Kaiser” as the composer, whereby the “R”
apparently already resulted as a [later] correction of
the name. However, the composition differs so
fundamentally from all other known works of Keiser,
that without question it is not a work by Reinhard
Keiser. Perhaps it was by another composer named
“Kaiser” and rather early on it was already attributed
to its well-known namesake.
Reinhard Keiser (1674–1739) ascribed
St. Mark Passion (G/E)
arranged by Johann Sebastian Bach
Solo SATB, Coro SATB, Ob, 2 Vl, 2 Va, Vc/Cb, Org
75 min /�, ed. H. Bergmann
Carus 35.304
The version of a performance at the Weimar court
from around 1713 by J. S. Bach; from his music
library.