New Bach edition

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The New Bach Edition (= Johann Sebastian Bach: New Edition of All Works; abbreviated NBA) is a historical-critical complete edition of all works by the composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). It was published by the Johann Sebastian Bach Institute in Göttingen (closed at the end of 2006) and the Leipzig Bach Archive . In 1954 the first volume was published by Bärenreiter-Verlag in Kassel. In June 2007 the NBA was concluded with a ceremony during the Leipzig Bach Festival.

content

The edition comprises eight series of 96 volumes of music , the corresponding critical reports and 5 supplement volumes :

  • I. Cantatas (46 volumes)
  • II. Masses, Passions, Oratorio Works (9 volumes)
  • III. Motets, chorales, songs (4 volumes)
  • IV. Organ Works (11 volumes)
  • V. Piano and lute works (14 volumes)
  • VI. Chamber music (5 volumes)
  • VII. Orchestral works (7 volumes)
  • VIII. Canons, Musical Sacrifice, Art of Fugue (2 volumes)
  • Supplement, Bach documents (9 + 1 volumes)

In addition to a foreword, the volumes of music contain a selection of facsimiles from the relevant sources . A critical report appears separately for each volume of music, describing all the sources received for a work and their interdependency, and also providing all reliable data on the creation of the composition and discussing edition issues. In addition to the completely preserved works, the volumes of the individual series also contain traditional fragments.

meaning

As an Urtext edition, the New Bach Edition offers science and practice a reliable musical text. Her strict philological methods set standards for the modern critical-scientific edition system in the second half of the 20th century.

The work on the NBA has led to new discoveries of lost compositions and was able to clarify questions of authenticity on the known works inventory. In particular, however, the examination of the sources of Bach's works led to an extensive correction of the chronology and at the same time created the basis for the revision of the Bach picture in our time.

In its result, the NBA reflects a considerable part of the history of Bach research. German musicology in the second half of the 20th century owes a good part of its reputation to it. In addition, conductors, soloists and ensembles all over the world have recognized the standard set by the New Bach Edition and made it the basis for their performances.

History of origin

As early as 1950, the central events for the 200th anniversary of Bach's death in Göttingen and Leipzig had given the decisive impetus for a new critical complete edition. The fact that it was used in an economically uncertain time is thanks to scientists such as Friedrich Blume , Max Schneider , Friedrich Smend and Heinrich Besseler , the sponsors Bernhard Sprengel and Otto Benecke and the risk-taking initiative of the publisher Karl Vötterle .

The simultaneous recommendation of the Neue Bachgesellschaft to carry out this first major edition project after the Second World War as an all-German company and in this way to reinforce the indivisibility of German culture, met with approval all over the world. As editors, the Leipzig Bach Archive and the Johann Sebastian Bach Institute in Göttingen offered the best conditions for professional support, largely supported by the Bach researchers Werner Neumann and Alfred Dürr , who made the new edition their life's work. The German Publishing House for Music , which was newly founded in Leipzig in 1954, was included as a partner in the publishing support, which was transferred to Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel in 1951 by the federal government . The term initially announced as 15 to 20 years soon proved to be unrealistic. The growing demands that science and practice placed on a modern edition required much greater effort. In 2007 the NBA was completed. The Johann Sebastian Bach Institute in Göttingen was therefore dissolved at the end of 2006 .

Revision of the New Bach Edition

At the beginning of February 2010, the Leipzig Bach Archive and the Bärenreiter-Verlag announced a revised version of individual volumes. During the decade-long runtime of the New Bach Edition, further sources were discovered and new findings arose which, in individual cases, suggest a revision of the published volumes. Initially, 15 volumes are planned; In September 2010, the first volume of the "New Bach Edition. Revised Edition" was the B minor Mass . Announced are individual Weimar cantatas, the St. John Passion , the motets, violin sonatas , the suites for solo cello and others.

See also

literature

  • Johann Sebastian Bach Institute Göttingen, Bach Archive Leipzig (ed.): The new Bach edition 1954-2007. A documentation. Bärenreiter, Kassel, Basel, London, New York, Prague 2007 PDF

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