History of Johann Sebastian Bach in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: August 31, 2024

"Johann Sebastian Bach, a prominent German composer and musician of the late Baroque era, is celebrated for his extensive and diverse musical contributions. His repertoire spanned orchestral compositions like the Brandenburg Concertos, solo instrumental pieces for instruments such as the cello and violin, keyboard masterpieces like the Goldberg Variations and The Well-Tempered Clavier, organ works such as the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, and choral works including the St Matthew Passion. Bach's profound influence on Western music has solidified his place as one of history's most esteemed composers, particularly following the resurgence of interest in his work during the 19th-century Bach Revival."

1900: Completion of the Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe

The Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe, a comprehensive edition of Bach's works, was completed in 1900 after 50 years of work. This edition served as the foundation for the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's compositions that was published in 1950.

1950: Relocation of Bach's Remains to St. Thomas Church

After the destruction of St. John's Church during World War II, Bach's remains, which had been moved there in 1894 after being undiscovered for nearly 150 years, were relocated to their current location in St. Thomas Church in 1950. However, the authenticity of these remains has been called into question.

1950: Publication of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis

In 1950, Wolfgang Schmieder published the first edition of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's compositions. This catalogue was largely based on the Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe, a comprehensive edition of Bach's works that was produced between 1850 and 1900. The first edition of the catalogue included 1,080 surviving compositions that are undoubtedly Bach's.

1950: Design of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis and Handling of Uncertain Authorship

The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works, was designed in 1950 to include works indisputably composed by Bach in its main catalogue and list works with a strong association with him in its appendix (Anhang). For example, the Mass for double chorus, initially attributed to Bach but later considered spurious, became BWV Anh. 167. Despite this, the attribution of some works, like the Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 565), remained uncertain.

1950: Publication of the First Edition of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis

The first edition of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's compositions, was published in 1950.

2000: 250th Anniversary of Bach's Death and Release of Complete Recordings

The 250th anniversary of Bach's death was celebrated around the year 2000. As part of the commemorations, three record companies released box sets containing complete recordings of Bach's music.

2015: Bach's Handwritten Mass in B Minor Added to UNESCO Memory of the World Register

In 2015, Bach's handwritten personal copy of the Mass in B minor, which is housed in the Berlin State Library, was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. This program seeks to safeguard culturally significant manuscripts.