J. S. Bach is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers who ever lived yet was only held in moderate esteem by much of the musical establishment in his lifetime. True, he was regarded as a prodigious organist and if your church had commissioned a new organ then Bach was the man to come and put it through its paces and probably make recommendations about how it could be improved. Like most composers of the time he was a skilled improviser but there is a difference between improvising an atmospheric fantasia and improvising a tightly constructed fugue. Most could do the former but Bach could do both. Most composers of the time recognised Bach for his technical skills as a writer of music but relatively few recognised his towering status as a composer. One of those who did not fully recognise the full extent of his genius was Bach himself. He would probably recognise himself as skilled at his craft as a composer and as someone who paid great attention to detail and structure, but to think that he would be recognised by many in coming generations as the greatest composer of all time probably never entered his head. He was too busy composing for this week's church service and for the glory of God.

Some forthcoming Australian concerts and performances featuring the music of Bach:

Selected Sheet Music by Bach

look inside

The Complete Cantatas (Samtliche Kantaten, Chorale und Motetten). Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). This edition: Paperback, Urtext edition. Paperback. Barenreiter Study scores. Study scores in a sturdy box for shipping. 19 volumes with more than 11,000 pages. Sacred. Study score, Anthology. 11204 pages. Published by Baerenreiter Verlag (BA.TP2004).