SKU: A0.815216

Trumpet Voluntary (Prince of Denmark's March) by Jeremiah Clarke
Arranged for C Trumpet and String Quartet
Great for weddings, wedding music.

SKU: A0.1283479

Bach: Aria 'Mache dich, mein Herze, rein' for Bass Solo and Chamber Baroque Orchestra from the St Matthew Passion (BWV 244).

Discover timeless music with the Bach classic - 'Mache dich, mein Herze, Rein'! Enjoy the intricate and vibrant performance of the piece from the renowned Netherlands Bach Society. Perfect for both professional orchestras and soloists – as well for the joy of schools performing the revered composer's masterpiece. Get the perfect accompaniment for your performance with the authentic sheet music available now!

The aria 'Mache dich, mein Herze, rein' from the St Matthew Passion (BWV 244), performed here by the Netherlands Bach Society and conducted by Jos van Veldhoven for All of Bach. The St Matthew Passion tells the story of the last days of Jesus. He is betrayed, tried, crucified and buried. The lyrics were compiled by Picander (the pseudonym of Christian Friedrich Henrici), probably in close consultation with Bach himself. For their theme, they took the story as told by St Matthew the Evangelist. As different groups or people have their say, the singers get different roles – Christ, Judas, Peter, a slave girl, the pupils, the high priests, the people and the soldiers, etc. At key moments in the story, Bach and Picander added chorales and arias as a reflection of the biblical story. The action is suspended and the events are placed in the theological context of Bach’s day. The chorale lyrics and melodies come from the Lutheran hymn book, and were well known to the congregation in Leipzig. Even though Bach’s harmonies were new, everyone would have recognised the melody and the words. The lyrics for the opening and closing choruses and the arias were brand new, however. Both the arias and the chorales often link up seamlessly with the evangelical words. 

Advanced Intermediate
Format: Concert, 9 x 12 inches
51 pages

Program Notes

Mache dich, mein Herze, rein is a deeply poignant and emotional piece from the renowned work by Johann Sebastian Bach, St Matthew Passion (BWV 244). Written as a part of the 16th passion oratorio as a love song sung by Jesus to his disciples, this piece brilliantly conveys the struggle of redemption and longing for peace.


Accompanied by a chamber baroque orchestra, the stark vocal line is delivered with an intense intricacy by the bass solo. Each note is carefully laden with sincere emotion, imbuing within the words a sense of longing and deep sorrow. As the piece progresses, the reprise of the chorus adds a layer of reflection to the message, driving home the power of the connection between Christ and his disciples.


Mache dich, mein Herze, rein is a highly moving and truly remarkable piece of music that has rightly earned a place amongst Bach's most renowned works. Mache dich, mein Herze, rein is one of the most stunningly tender and moving chorales from Johann Sebastian Bach's monumental oratorio the St Matthew Passion (BWV 244). Originally written with a full choral accompaniment for the Easter Week Vespers of 1729, Bach's skilful reworking of the melody for bass and chamber baroque orchestra in the St Matthew Passion gives the solo voice a unique poignancy and fragility. The Lutheran chorale on which Bach based his composition speaks of hearts needing to be cleansed of sin and sorrow as they prepare to meet the Savior - an idea timeless in its poignancy and universality. Bach's arrangement is akin to a prayer of reflection and contemplation, the music's restrained dynamics and sighing counterpoint creating an atmosphere of resignation and acceptance. Mache dich, mein Herze, rein is a sublime masterpiece of sacred music, truly embodying the spirit of Easter.

SKU: A0.869356

Instrumentation: 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 English horn, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns, timpani and strings.

Program note:
In the year 2010, my wife Kristin Beckwith and I went to Paris twice, the first time in May and the second time in December right after Christmas. The weather was magnificent in May. Our friends Seph and Roger met us there. Being long-time veterans of Paris, they took us all over the city: Le Marais, the Left Bank, Montmartre, Sacré Coeur, Père LaChaise cemetery, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Jardin du Luxembourg, Jardin des Tuileries, Notre Dame cathedral, Eiffel Tower, the flea market at Porte de Clignancourt, the canal at Saint Martin, etc. Since the weather was so great we basically stayed outside the entire two weeks. My wife Kris said that we had to return next again to Paris to go inside the museums. So we did. The weather in Paris after Christmas was very damp and chilly. So we did indoor activities: Le Louvre, Musée D’Orsay, Palais Garnier, etc. We even attended a beautiful performance of Swan Lake by the Paris Opera Ballet at L’Opéra Bastille.

I should also mention that on both occasions I met up with a former student of mine from Berklee, Joe Makholm. He makes a living in Paris playing jazz piano. Joe got us a gig at the Swan Bar in Montparnasse. On the first occasion we did it as a trio with a French bass player. I played flute. On the second occasion, we did it as a duo. Playing jazz in Paris? You can’t beat that!!!

Early this year, Steven Lipsitt and I had a chat about my writing a new work for the Boston Classical Orchestra. My last work for the BCO was a piano concerto with Robert Levin as soloist. I told Steven that this time I wanted to write a symphony. He said, Sure. Go ahead. I told him it would be about Paris. He said he would put Mozart’s Paris Symphony on the same program. I said, Fabulous!

Symphony No. 8 … City of Light (2011) is in five movements.

1. La Seine Presto, Moderato
2. Basilique du Sacré-Coeur Largo
3. Palais Garnier Allegro, Trio
4. Avenue des Champs-Élysées Allegro
5. Musée du Louvre Largo, Moderato

This work is dedicated to my wife and muse, Kristin Beckwith.

Audio Link: https://thomasoboelee.bandcamp.com/album/symphony-no-8-city-of-light-2011

Video link: https://youtu.be/-Yn76vWg7jE