Baritone Horn TC/Euphonium,Instrumental Solo,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.552852 Composed by Bach-Gounod. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas,Contemporary,Easter,Wedding. Score and individual part. 11 pages. Jmsgu3 #3491315. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.552852). Schwencke There are two popular versions of the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria to consider. Firstly, we have the version that exactly follows the harmonic scheme set forth by J. S. Bach in his Prelude #1 in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1. Secondly, we have the arrangement introduced by the Choirmaster Christian Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke in 1783 that introduces a controversial added measure designed to intensify the harmony in measure 27. Both versions employ the melody that Charles Gounod provided as an overlay to the Bach harmony. In either case, the convenient 1st & 2nd endings provide options for extended performance. The duration with the repeat runs about 4:50. This arrangement follows the original Bach prelude and so excludes the extra measure that Schwencke introduced in 1783. If you prefer the extra measure, please see Bach-Gounod: Ave Maria, Schwencke version for Baritone Horn & Piano, S0.661783.  Ave Maria Ave Maria is a Catholic prayer that consequently asks for the mother of Jesus (Mary) to intercede. Charles Gounod composed a famous version of the Ave Maria. He was a French Romantic composer who overlaid a new melody on an existing Bach chord progression. The progression is from Bach’s Prelude No. 1 from Well-Tempered Clavier I. This version, as well as Schubert’s version, have become essential items at weddings, masses, and funerals. Bach Overview First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.  History Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.  Style It seems like Bach created an engaging new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top. Revival               Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.  

Violin Solo - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.644758 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by SilverTonalities. Baroque,Classical. 3 pages. SilverTonalities #3690489. Published by SilverTonalities (A0.644758). Opening Aria from the Goldberg Variations BWV 988 for Easy Violin

Easy Piano - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1285461 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by SilverTonalities. Baroque,Classical,Instructional. Score. 6 pages. SilverTonalities #876564. Published by SilverTonalities (A0.1285461). From Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) for Easy PianoA SilverTonalities Arrangement!With Colored Notation to enable Beginner Pianists to read Music quickly and accurately!

Easy Piano - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.644776 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by SilverTonalities. Baroque,Classical. Score. 4 pages. SilverTonalities #3874681. Published by SilverTonalities (A0.644776). From the Goldberg Variations BWV 988 for Beginner Piano

Piano and voice; violin, mandolin - Digital Download SKU: LV.7172 Composed by Louis Friedsel. Swans, Birds, Trees, Pinecones, Immigrants, Dialects. Lester S. Levy Collection. 4 pages. Published by Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries (LV.7172). Goldene - Medine. by Louis Friedsel. Published 1902 by S. Schenker, 66 Canal Street in New York. Composition of sectional with piano and voice; violin, mandolin instrumentation. Subject headings for this piece include Swans, Birds, Trees, Pinecones, Immigrants, Dialects. First line reads Amerika is a golden land lang im breit.. About The Lester S. Levy CollectionThe Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music consists of over 29,000 pieces of American popular music. Donated to Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries, the collection's strength is its thorough documentation of nineteenth-century American through popular music. This sheet music has been provided by Project Gado, a San Francisco Bay Area startup whose mission is to digitize and share the world's visual history.WARNING: These titles are provided as historical documents. Language and concepts within reflect the opinions and values of the time and may be offensive to some.

Piano Solo - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.597593 By Johann Sebastian Bach and Víkingur Ólafsson. By Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Flavio Regis Cunha. Baroque,Christmas,Classical,Easter,Wedding. Score. 4 pages. Flavio Regis Cunha #6671021. Published by Flavio Regis Cunha (A0.597593). Bach: Aria from Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 as played by Víkingur Ólafsson (for Piano).AdvancedFormat: Concert, 9 x 12 inches4 pages.PLUS: Engraved and Published with Urtext Kapellmeister Music Fonts.Acclaimed for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, a leading pianist and contemporary musical genius, now takes on the monumental task of presenting Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The upcoming season is dedicated entirely to a global tour across six continents, with the eagerly awaited album slated for release in October 2023 on Deutsche Grammophon. Ólafsson shares, I have harbored the dream of recording this piece for 25 years.This album follows the resounding success of Ólafsson’s 2018 DG recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's works, which not only clinched BBC Music magazine’s Album of the Year but also secured Opus Klassik’s Solo Recital award and several other recording of the year accolades. Such achievements led to his well-deserved recognition as Gramophone magazine’s Artist of the Year. Now, Ólafsson directs his distinctive musical vision and meticulous recording finesse toward Bach’s masterpiece, embarking on his first complete work recording, starting with one of the most demanding pieces in the piano repertoire.In the 2023-24 season, Ólafsson sets forth on a Goldberg Variations world tour, gracing renowned concert halls worldwide, including London’s Southbank Centre, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, Philharmonie de Paris, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Harpa Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, LA’s Walt Disney Hall, Sala São Paulo, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, KKL Luzern, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Mupa Budapest, and Teatro Colón, to name a few.Reflecting on the profound impact of the Goldberg Variations, Ólafsson comments, “The Goldberg Variations contain some of the most virtuosic keyboard music ever written, brilliantly employ counterpoint, and evoke exalted poetry, abstract contemplation, and deep pathos – all within meticulously crafted structures of formal perfection. In 30 variations, based on the humble harmonic framework of a simple, graceful aria, Bach transforms limited material into boundless variety like no one before or since. He stands as the greatest keyboard virtuoso of his time.�This score has been painstakingly reedited. We offer here a clear edition, with indications of ornaments based on the edition by Bärenheiter, 1977.Listen to Víkingur Ólafsson’s album ‘Goldberg Variations’ here: https://dg.lnk.to/vikingur-goldberg Discover full concert performances and operas on STAGE+, the new streaming service from Deutsche Grammophon: https://www.stage-plus.com/.

Chamber Orchestra - Digital Download SKU: A0.1035224 Composed by Frederik François Chopin (1810-1949). Arranged by James Strauss. Romantic Period. Score and parts. 33 pages. James Strauss #5806027. Published by James Strauss (A0.1035224). Unless your name is Mozart, Mendelssohn or Korngold, the first compositional steps are always the hardest. Chopin was probably no older than 14 when he set to work on a set of variations for piano and flute. Already in love with opera, he decided on the happy- ending aria, Non più mesta (No longer sad) from Rossini’s opera Cinderella. As the curtain comes down, Cinderella gleefully warbles, No longer sad beside the fire shall I sit alone, singing; my long years of heartache were but a streak of lightning, a dream, a game. We are unsure what actually prompted Chopin to select this for his unique combination of flute and piano, but it was most likely written for the composer’s father who was a capable amateur flute player. In the end, the piece was probably dedicated to Józef Cichowski, a close friend of his fathers and an amateur flautist as well. We are indeed fortunate that this early piece of Chopin juvenilia has actually survived, as Jozef Nowakowski, one of the composer’s friends, kept the single manuscript copy as a memento. For one reason or another, the work did not appear in print until 1953. This charming and fluent set of variations presents the theme and four decorated versions of the original tune. Added triplet figuration enlivens the first variation, while the second relies on a florid bel canto style to embellish the theme. Rapid downward arpeggios propel variation three, and the concluding variant displays rapid staccato figuration. Stylistically, there is nothing in this composition to suggest Chopin’s hand. You certainly won’t hear Chopin’s fingerprint in the piano part, as all the interesting bits are given to the flute. In addition, it’s the only Chopin piano part that can comfortably be played by most amateurs. Clearly, the future poet of the piano had a long way to go! Here in a Flute and orchestra version.

Clarinet,Harp,Instrumental Duet - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1474884 Composed by Claudin de Sermisy. Arranged by David Warin Solomons. Contemporary,Renaissance. 12 pages. David Warin Solomons #1052506. Published by David Warin Solomons (A0.1474884). Instrumental arrangement of a song by Claudin de Sermisy, with variations.Lyrics of the original song with tentative English translation below:Les dames se sont tailladées  Chacune d'un Toulouzan Par compra, ha, ha L'eyse Sabaton de Cordouen Lo scafignolet, hari bouriquet... L'on sonne une cloche dix ou douze coups; Le peuple s'approche, se met a genoux, Le prestre se vest hari, hari l'asne, hari bouriquet [chorus] Du pain sur la nappe, un calice d'or Il met prend sa chappe, dit Confiteor Le peuple se taist Si tost qu'il acheve, le peuple ecoustant Sa Parole s'eleve et respond autant en plus haut caquet [chorus] Here is my tentative English translation: The ladies have adorned themselves with dresses à la Toulouse To appear at Sunday mass in Place Cordouen Nicely turned out indeed Hee-haw little donkey! The bell is rung ten or twelve times The congregation approaches and kneels, The priest dons his vestments Hee-haw little donkey! [chorus] Bread on the cloth, a golden chalice He places it and dons his cope and says Confiteor The congregation is silent [chorus] As soon as he's done, the congregation, listening to his word, rise up and respond Hee-haw at the tops of their voices... [chorus].

Baritone Saxophone,Piano - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549928 Composed by Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839 - 1881). Arranged by James M. Guthrie. Instructional,Romantic Period,Standards. Score and part. 92 pages. Jmsgu3 #4303361. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549928). A classic selection of epic proportions. Score: 75 pages, Solo part: 16 pages, 924 measures. Duration: 34:30 Pictures at an Exhibition (Картинки � вы�тавки) by Modest Petrovi� Musorgskij, 1874 (Моде�т Петрович Му�орг�кий) Promenade 1  Allegro giusto, nel modo russico; senza allegrezza, ma poco sostenuto    page 1 1. GNOMUS (The Gnome)  Sempre vivo page 4 Promenade 2  Moderato commodo assai e con delicatezza page 10  2. IL VECCHIO CASTELLO (The Old Castle) Andante molto cantabile e con dolore page 12  Promenade 3 Moderato non tanto, pesamente page 18  3. TUILLERIES Dispute d'enfants après jeux (Children's Quarrel after Games) Allegretto non troppo, capriccioso page 19                                                                              4. BYDLO (Cattle) Sempre moderato pesante  page 22 Promenade 4 Tranquillo page 26 5. Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks Балет невылупивших�� птенцов Scherzino  page 27 6. Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuÿle  Еврей в меховой шапке. Cандомир  Andante page 30 Promenade 5  Allegro giusto, nel modo russico, poco sostenuto page 36 7. LIMOGES. LE MARCHÉ. (La grande nouvelle) The Market (The Great News) Allegretto vivo, sempre scherzando   page 39 8. CATACOMBAE (Sepulchrum romanum) (Roman Tomb) Париж�кие катакомбы  Largo page 46    CON MORTUIS IN LINGUA MORTUA (With the Dead in a Dead Language) Andante non troppo, con lamento page 47 9. The Hut on Hen's Legs (Baba Yaga) Избушка Бабы-Яги на курьих ожках. Ча�ы в ру��ком �тиле Allegro con brio, feroce page 50 10. The Bogatyr Gates (In the Capital in Kiev) Проект город�ких ворот в Киеве. Главный фа�ад The Great Gates of Kiev Allegro alla breve Maestoso con grandezza page 63Mussorgsky is known for his ability to evoke vivid pictures through his music. He creates soundscapes that transport listeners to other places and times. Through the use of complex harmonies and shifting tonalities, Mussorgsky creates sonic paintings that are as diverse and varied as any works of art in a museum. He takes listeners on a journey through different landscapes and environments, ranging from pastoral settings to the depths of the underworld. In his famous suite, Pictures at an Exhibition, Mussorgsky gives each movement a title that references a painting, sculpture, or architectural feature from an art museum. The suite is composed in such a way that it captures the moods and emotions evoked by the artworks. From the bright and energetic Promenade to the somber and mysterious Catacombs, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition paints a vivid sonic landscape that brings the listener into the art museum.

Piano Solo - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1370017 By Johann Sebastian Bach and Víkingur Ólafsson. By Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Flavio Regis Cunha. Baroque,Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional,Wedding. Score. 4 pages. Flavio Regis Cunha #954392. Published by Flavio Regis Cunha (A0.1370017). Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 7 (as played by Víkingur Ólafsson) Intermediate. Format: Concert, 9 x 12 inches. 4 pages. PLUS: Engraved and Published with Urtext Kapellmeister Music Fonts.____________________________________________Renowned for his innovative interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, an eminent pianist and contemporary musical visionary, now undertakes the monumental task of presenting Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The upcoming season is exclusively dedicated to a global tour spanning six continents, with the eagerly anticipated album set for release in October 2023 on Deutsche Grammophon. Ólafsson expresses, I've nurtured the dream of recording this piece for 25 years.Following the triumphant 2018 DG recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's works, which earned him BBC Music magazine’s Album of the Year, Opus Klassik’s Solo Recital award, and numerous other recording of the year honors, Ólafsson solidified his status as Gramophone magazine’s Artist of the Year. Now, Ólafsson channels his unique musical insight and meticulous recording expertise into Bach’s masterpiece, marking his initial foray into recording a complete work, starting with one of the most demanding pieces in the piano repertoire.In the 2023-24 season, Ólafsson embarks on a Goldberg Variations world tour, gracing prestigious concert halls worldwide, including London’s Southbank Centre, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, Philharmonie de Paris, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Harpa Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, LA’s Walt Disney Hall, Sala São Paulo, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, KKL Luzern, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Mupa Budapest, and Teatro Colón, among others.Reflecting on the profound impact of the Goldberg Variations, Ólafsson remarks, “The Goldberg Variations encompass some of the most virtuosic keyboard music ever penned, employing brilliant counterpoint and evoking exalted poetry, abstract contemplation, and deep pathos – all within impeccably crafted structures of formal perfection. In 30 variations, based on the humble harmonic framework of a simple, graceful aria, Bach transforms limited material into boundless variety like no one before or since. He stands as the greatest keyboard virtuoso of his time.�.

Piano and voice - Digital Download SKU: LV.1482 Composed by Carl Maria von Weber. Courtship, Love, Soldiers, Gifts, War. Lester S. Levy Collection. 4 pages. Published by Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries (LV.1482). The Plain Gold Ring. The Words by W.T. Moncrieff, Esq. Adapted to an Air in Der Freyschutz. By C.M. Von Weber. Published [n.d.] by Dubois & Stodart, 126 Broad Way in New York. Composition of strophic with piano and voice instrumentation. Subject headings for this piece include Courtship, Love, Soldiers, Gifts, War. First line reads He was a chief of low degree, a lady high and fair was she.. About The Lester S. Levy CollectionThe Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music consists of over 29,000 pieces of American popular music. Donated to Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries, the collection's strength is its thorough documentation of nineteenth-century American through popular music. This sheet music has been provided by Project Gado, a San Francisco Bay Area startup whose mission is to digitize and share the world's visual history.WARNING: These titles are provided as historical documents. Language and concepts within reflect the opinions and values of the time and may be offensive to some.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1370060 By Johann Sebastian Bach and Víkingur Ólafsson. By Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Flavio Regis Cunha. Baroque,Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional. Score. 4 pages. Flavio Regis Cunha #954434. Published by Flavio Regis Cunha (A0.1370060). J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 30 (as played by Víkingur Ólafsson) for PianoAdvanced Intermediate. Format: Concert, 9 x 12 inches. 2 pages. PLUS: Engraved and Published with Urtext Kapellmeister Music Fonts.Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson devotes his entire next season to touring the work globally across six continents, while October 2023 marks the anticipated album release on Deutsche Grammophon. “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years,� says the Icelandic pianist. The album follows Ólafsson’s hugely successful DG recording of works by the composer, Johann Sebastian Bach (2018), which won BBC Music magazine’s Album of the Year, Opus Klassik’s Solo Recital award, numerous other recording of the year accolades and led to him being named Gramophone magazine’s Artist of the Year. Now Ólafsson brings his unique musical vision, and an affecting, meticulous recorded sound to Bach’s masterpiece. It marks the first time Ólafsson records a complete work and he begins with one of the most demanding in the piano repertoire. Ólafsson dedicates his 2023-24 season to a Goldberg Variations world tour, performing the work across six continents throughout the year. He brings Bach’s masterpiece to major concert halls including London’s Southbank Centre, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, Philharmonie de Paris, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Harpa Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, LA’s Walt Disney Hall, Sala São Paulo, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, KKL Luzern, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Mupa Budapest and Teatro Colón, to name a few. “The Goldberg Variations contain some of the most virtuosic keyboard music ever written, some of the most astonishingly brilliant uses of counterpoint in the repertoire and countless instances of exalted poetry, abstract contemplation and deep pathos – all within immaculately shaped structures of formal perfection. In 30 variations, built on the humble harmonic framework of a simple, graceful aria, Bach turns limited material into boundless variety like no one before or since. He is the greatest keyboard virtuoso of his time.� comments Víkingur Ólafsson.

Guitar Ensemble (Mixed Ability) - Intermediate - Digital Download By Sting. Arranged by Dan Jones www.danjonesguitarist.com. Score, Set of Parts. 16 pages. Published by danjonesguitarist.com

String Trio - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.552111 Composed by Bach-Gounod. Arranged by James M. Guthrie. Baroque,Instructional,Standards,Wedding. 10 pages. Jmsgu3 #6120335. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.552111). SchwenckeThere are two popular versions of the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria to consider. Firstly, we have the version that exactly follows the harmonic scheme set forth by J. S. Bach in his Prelude #1 in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1. Secondly, we have the arrangement introduced by the Choirmaster Christian Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke in 1783 that introduces a controversial added measure designed to intensify the harmony in measure 27. Both versions employ the melody that Charles Gounod provided as an overlay to the Bach harmony. In either case, the convenient 1st & 2nd endings provide options for extended performance. The duration with the repeat runs about 4:50.  This version features the Schwencke measure (ms 27). Ave MariaAve Maria is a Catholic prayer that consequently asks for the mother of Jesus (Mary) to intercede. Charles Gounod composed a famous version of the Ave Maria. He was a French Romantic composer who overlaid a new melody on an existing Bach chord progression. This version, as well as Schubert’s version, have become essential items at weddings, masses, and funerals.Bach OverviewJohann Sebastian Bach was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio. Bach HistoryBach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer. Bach StyleIt seems like Bach created an engaging new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top.Bach Revival              Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.

Alto Saxophone,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549364 Composed by Bach-Gounod. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas,Contemporary,Easter,Wedding. Score and part. 11 pages. Jmsgu3 #3490139. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549364). This arrangement follows the original Bach prelude and so excludes the extra measure that Schwencke introduced in 1783. If you prefer the extra measure, please see Bach-Gounod: Ave Maria, Schwencke version for Alto Sax & Piano, S0.661763. The convenient 1st & 2nd endings provide an option for extended performance with minimal page turns for the accompanist. The duration with repeat is about 4:50. Score: 6 pages. Solo part: 1 page, piano part: 4 pages. Based on Prelude #1 in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1. Well suited for church meditations or school programs or recital encores. Ave Maria Ave Maria is a Catholic prayer that consequently asks for the mother of Jesus (Mary) to intercede. Charles Gounod composed a famous version of the Ave Maria. He was a French Romantic composer who overlaid a new melody on an existing Bach chord progression. The progression is from Bach’s Prelude No. 1 from Well-Tempered Clavier I. This version, as well as Schubert’s version, have become essential items at weddings, masses, and funerals. Bach Overview First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.  History Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.  Style It seems like Bach created an engaging new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top. Revival               Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.