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Johann Sebastian Bach composed cantatas, motets, masses, Magnificats, Passions, oratorios, four-part chorales, songs and arias. His instrumental music includes concertos, suites, sonatas, fugues, and other works for organ, harpsichord, lute, violin, cello, flute, chamber ensemble and orchestra.

There are over 1000 known compositions by Bach. Nearly all of them are listed in the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV), which is the best known and most widely used catalogue of Bach's compositions.

Listing Bach's compositions
The earliest lists of Bach's compositions are given by his biographers, starting from his obituary which gives a list of instrumental works printed during the composer's lifetime (from Clavier-Übung I to The Art of Fugue), followed by a list which groups other types of compositions he wrote. The first separately published biography of the composer, by Johann Nikolaus Forkel, follows the same setup: its ninth chapter first lists printed works (adding four-part chorales that were published in the second half of the 18th century), followed by a rough overview of the unpublished ones. In the first half of the 19th century more works were published, so the next biographies (Schauer and Hilgenfeldt in 1850) had more elaborate appendices listing printed works, referring to these works by publisher, and the number or page number given to the works in these publications. So, for example, the Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major can be indicated as "C. F. Peters Vol. III No. 1", or any of the variants ("Griepenkerl and Roitzsch Vol. 3 p. 2", "Peters Book 242 p. 2", "P. S. V., Cah. 3 (242), No. 1", etc.)

BG
In the second half of the 19th century the Bach-Gesellschaft (BG) published all of Bach's works in around 50 volumes, the so-called Bach Gesellschaft Ausgabe (BGA). This offered a unique identification of all of Bach's known works, a system that was quickly adopted, for instance by the biographers: Philipp Spitta used it complementarily to the Peters edition numbering for the BG volumes that had appeared when he was writing his Bach-biography in the second half of the 19th century (e.g. "B. G., III., p. 173" for the above-mentioned Prelude in E-flat major), and Terry used it in the third Appendix to his 20th-century translation of Forkel's biography.

But there was still a lot of confusion: some authors preferred to list Bach's works according to Novello's editions, or Augener's, or Schirmer's,... giving rise to various conversion tables at the end of books on Bach's compositions (e.g. Harvey Grace's in a 1922 book on Bach's organ compositions).

NBG
In 1900 the BG published its last volume, and dissolved itself, as its primary goal, publishing all of Bach's known works, was accomplished. The BG was succeeded by the Neue Bachgesellschaft (NBG), with a new set of goals (Bach yearbook, Bach festivals, and a Bach museum). Occasionally however the NBG published newly discovered works, or variants not published in the BGA. For instance the 1740s version of O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht was published in NBG XVII1 in 1916 (the 1730s version of the same piece, with a different orchestration, had been published in BG 24, pp. 185–192).

BWV
In 1950 the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis was published, allocating a unique number to every known composition by Bach. Wolfgang Schmieder, the editor of that catalogue, grouped the compositions by genre, largely following BG for the collation (e.g. BG cantata number = BWV number of the cantata):
 * 1) Kantaten (Cantatas), BWV 1–224
 * 2) Motetten (Motets), BWV 225–231
 * 3) Messen, Messensätze, Magnificat (Masses, Mass movements, Magnificat), BWV 232–243
 * 4) Passionen, Oratorien (Passions, Oratorios), BWV 244–249
 * 5) Vierstimmige Choräle (Four-part chorales), BWV 250–438
 * 6) Lieder, Arien, Quodlibet (Songs, Arias and Quodlibet), BWV 439–524
 * 7) Werke für Orgel (Works for organ), BWV 525–771
 * 8) Werke für Klavier (Keyboard compositions), BWV 772–994
 * 9) Werke für Laute (Lute compositions), BWV 995–1000
 * 10) Kammermusik (Chamber music), BWV 1001–1040
 * 11) Orchesterwerke (Works for orchestra), BWV 1041–1071, originally in two separate chapters: Concertos (BWV 1041–1065) and Overtures (BWV 1066–1071)
 * 12) Kanons (Canons), BWV 1072–1078
 * 13) Musikalisches Opfer, Kunst der Fuge (Musical Offering, Art of the Fugue), BWV 1079–1080

For instance, the Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major now became BWV 552, situated in the range of the works for organ. In contrast to other catalogues such as the Köchel catalogue for Mozart's compositions there is no attempt at chronological organization in the BWV numbering, for instance BWV 992 is an early composition by Bach. Exceptionally BWV numbers are also indicated as Schmieder (S) numbers (e.g. S. 225 = BWV 225).

Another consequence of the ordering principles of the BWV was that it tore known collections apart, for instance Clavier-Übung III was partly in the organ compositions range (BWV 552 and 669–689), with the four duets listed among the keyboard compositions (BWV 802–805).

BWV Anh.
The Anhang (Anh.), i.e. Appendix, of the BWV listed works that were not suitable for the main catalogue, in three sections: Within each section of the Anhang the works are sorted by genre, following the same sequence of genres as the main catalogue.
 * I – lost works, or works of which only a tiny fraction had survived (Anh. 1–23)
 * II – works of dubious authenticity (Anh. 24–155)
 * III – works that were once attributed to Bach, but for which it had been established they were not composed by him (Anh. 156–189)

BWV2a
Schmieder published the BWV's second edition in 1990, with some modifications regarding authenticity discriminations, and more works added to the main catalogue and the Anhang. A strict numerical collation was abandoned to insert additions, or when for another reason compositions were regrouped. For example, BWV 11, formerly listed as a Cantata, was moved to the fourth chapter of the main catalogue as an Oratorio. Rather than renumbering a composition, an arrow indicated where the composition was inserted: "" meaning "BWV 11, inserted after BWV 249b" (4th chapter). Similarly, meant BWV 1083, inserted after BWV 243a (3rd chapter). Also authenticity discriminations, based on new research, could lead to such repositionings within the catalogue, e.g. "" became " indicating it was now considered a spurious work.

In 1998 Alfred Dürr and Yoshitake Kobayashi published a small edition of the catalogue, based on the 1990 second edition. This edition, known as BWV2a, contained a few further updates and collation rearrangements.

New additions (Nachträge) to BWV2/BWV2a included:
 * BWV 1081–1126
 * BWV Anh. 190–213

A few exceptions to the principle that compositions weren't renumbered were when a composition from the Anhang could be recovered and/or authenticated as Bach's, so that it deserved a place in the main catalogue, in which case it was given a number above 1080. So, for example, BWV Anh. 205 (BWV2) → BWV 1121 (BWV2a, where it is in section 7 as a work for organ).

Other renumberings and additional numbers involved alternative or earlier versions of basically the same composition, which were indicated by adding a lower case letter to the BWV number. Examples:
 * BWV 243a: 1723 E♭ major version of the 1733 Magnificat in D major BWV 243
 * BWV 1071 renumbered to BWV 1046a (early version of the first Brandenburg Concerto)
 * BWV Anh. 198 renumbered to BWV 149/1a (earlier abandoned version of the opening movement of Cantata BWV 149)

Some versions were completely removed from the catalogue, e.g. BWV 655b and c

Slashes indicate movements: e.g. BWV 149/1 indicates the first movement of the Cantata BWV 149. Another example: the Agnus Dei of the Mass in B minor can be indicated as BWV 232/22 (22nd movement of the composition), or alternatively as BWV 232IV/4 (BWV 232, fourth movement of Part IV).

21st-century additions
Numbers above BWV 1126 were added in the 21st century.

Reconstructed versions
An upper case R added to a BWV number indicates a reconstructed version, that is a conjectured earlier version of a known composition. One of such reconstructions, the Concerto for oboe and violin, as published in NBA VII/7 (Supplement) p. 75, based on the double harpsichord concerto BWV 1060, is known as BWV 1060R.

BWV3
As of mid-2018 the Bach digital website started to implement the new numbers of the 3rd edition of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, which had been announced for publication in that year. For example, the Leipzig version of the Christ lag in Todes Banden cantata used to be BWV 4 in previous versions of the catalogue, and, in BWV3, has become BWV 4.2.

NBA
In the meantime, the New Bach Edition (Neue Bach-Ausgabe, abbreviated as NBA) was being published, offering a new system to refer to Bach's works, e.g., which is Series IV, Volume 4, p. 2 (Prelude) and p. 105 (Fugue), for BWV 552.

NBArev
Some years after the completion of the NBA in 2007 its publisher Bärenreiter joined with the Bach Archive again to publish revised editions of some of Bach's scores. These revised editions, aligning with the NBA editions (format, layout), but outside that group of publications, were published under the name Johann Sebastian Bach: New Edition of the Complete Works – Revised Edition (Johann Sebastian Bach: Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke – Revidierte Edition), in short: New Bach Edition – Revised (Neue Bach-Ausgabe – Revidierte Edition), abbreviated as NBArev. Where the original NBA editions were exclusively in German, the volumes of the Revised series have their introductions both in German and English. Its first volume, NBArev 1, was a new edition of the Mass in B minor, appearing in 2010.

BC
The Bach Compendium (BC), a catalogue covering Bach's vocal works, was published in 1985. Occasionally works that have no BWV number can be identified by their BC number, e.g. BC C 8 for "Der Gerechte kömmt um" an arrangement attributed to Bach on stylistic grounds, however unmentioned in the BWV.

BNB
Bachs Notenbibliothek (BNB) is a list of works Bach had at his disposition. Works of other composers which were arranged by Bach and/or which he (had) copied for performance usually have a BNB number.

SBB
The Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin = SBB) holds an important collection of composition manuscripts relating to Bach. Some versions of works are best known by their principal manuscript in the SBB, for instance =, or according to the abbreviations used at the Bach-digital website.

By opus number, and chronological lists
Apart from indicating his first published keyboard composition as Opus 1, Bach didn't use opus numbers, so Bach's works can't be listed by opus number. Lists following publication chronologies are for example implied in the first list in Bach's obituary, and BG numbers (within the BGA sequence of publication) – overall lists covering all of Bach's compositions in order of first publication are however not a way Bach's compositions are usually presented.

Listing Bach's works according to their time of composition can't be done comprehensively: for many works the period in which they were composed is a very wide range. For Bach's larger vocal works (cantatas, Passions,...) research has led to some more or less generally accepted chronologies, covering most of these works: a catalogue in this sense is Philippe (and Gérard) Zwang's list giving a chronological number to the cantatas BWV 1–215 and 248–249. This list was published in 1982 as Guide pratique des cantates de Bach in Paris, ISBN 2-221-00749-2. A revised edition was published in 2005 (ISBN 2747598888).

Other composers
Various catalogues with works by other composers have intersections with collections of works associated with Bach:
 * BR-WFB (or) BR : Bach-Repertorium numbers for works by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, e.g. BWV 970 = BR A49
 * Other BRs:
 * BR-CPEB: works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (for this composer Helm and/or Wotquenne numbers are however more often used)
 * BR-JCFB: works by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach


 * Fk (or) F : Falck catalogue numbers for works by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, e.g. BWV 970 = F 25/2
 * H : Helm numbers for works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, e.g. BWV 1036 = H 569
 * HWV : Works by George Frideric Handel, e.g. BWV Anh. 106 = HWV 605
 * TWV : Compositions by Georg Philipp Telemann, e.g. BWV 824 = TWV 32:14
 * Warb (or) W : Warburton numbers for works by Johann Christian Bach, e.g. = W A22 (or: )
 * Wq : Wotquenne numbers for works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, e.g. BWV 1036 = Wq 145

Works in Bach's catalogues and collections
There are over 1500 works that feature in a catalogue of works by Bach, like the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, and/or in a collection of works associated with Bach (e.g. in one of the Notebooks for Anna Magdalena Bach). Of these around a thousand are original compositions by Bach, that is: more than a mere copy or transcription of an earlier work by himself or another composer.
 * See also Legend to the table below

Cantatas (BWV 1–224)

 * See in the table above

In the 1950 first edition of the BWV the cantatas were largely listed according to their BGA number: Additionally Anh. I of the first edition of the BWV started with a list of some 20 lost cantatas, while Anh. III of that edition listed a few cantata (movements) by other composers (Anh. 156–158).
 * BWV 1–200: Church cantatas
 * BWV 201–216: Secular cantatas
 * BWV 217–224: Cantatas with various issues (lost, incomplete, spurious, doubtful)

BWV2a added many more lost cantatas (BWV Anh. 190–199 and 209–212) and alternative versions to known works indicating (partially) lost cantatas or cantata versions, e.g. BWV 244a, the music of which was partially preserved in the St Matthew Passion, BWV 244.

Motets (BWV 225–231)

 * See in the table above

There are over a dozen motets attributed to Bach, about half of which are authentic by all accounts:
 * BWV 225–230 are the six compositions that have always been considered motets composed by Bach
 * BWV 231 was later renumbered to BWV 28/2a, a variant of the second movement of cantata BWV 28
 * BWV 118, published as a cantata in the 19th century, was later recategorised as a motet, following Bach's designation on the score.
 * BWV Anh. 159–165 are motets with a doubtful or spurious assignation to Bach, the first of which is however most likely composed by Bach.

Liturgical works in Latin (BWV 232–243)

 * See in the table above

Bach's involvement with Latin church music, as composer, arranger or copyist, includes:
 * BWV 232–242: Masses and Mass movements (Mass in B minor; Kyrie–Gloria Masses; separate Mass movements)
 * BWV 243: Magnificat
 * BWV 1081–1083: later additions to the BWV catalogue
 * BWV Anh. 24–30, 166–168: doubtful and spurious works
 * BNB I/B/48, I/C/1, I/P/2: copies and arrangements

Passions and oratorios (BWV 244–249)

 * See in the table above

Passions and oratorios composed or contributed to by Bach include:
 * BWV 244–247: Passions (St Matthew Passion; St John Passion; St Mark Passion; St Luke Passion)
 * BWV 248–249: Oratorios (Christmas Oratorio; Easter Oratorio)
 * BWV 11: Ascension Oratorio
 * BWV 127/1, 500a, 1084, 1088, deest: St Mark Passion (attributed to Keiser), Weimarer Passion, Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt
 * BWV Anh. 169: passion text by Picander (not set by Bach, apart from using some parts of this text in his St Matthew Passion)

Four-part chorales (BWV 250–438)

 * See in the table above

Bach's chorale settings (usually for SATB choir) are included in:
 * BWV 250–438: separate chorale settings
 * Cantatas (most prominently in the chorale cantatas), motets, passions, oratorios, Second Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
 * BWV 1089, 1122–1126: later additions to the BWV catalogue
 * BWV Anh. 31, 201–204: doubtful and spurious

Songs and arias (BWV 439–524)

 * See in the table above

Songs and (separate) arias by Bach are included in several collections:
 * BWV 439–507: Schemellis Gesangbuch
 * BWV 508–518: Second Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
 * BWV 519–523: D-B Mus. ms. Bach P 802, a manuscript by Johann Ludwig Krebs
 * BWV Anh. 32–39: Deutsche Übersetzungen und Gedichte (doubtful)
 * BWV Anh. 40–41: Singende Muse an der Pleiße (doubtful)

Associated with the Songs and Arias group:
 * BWV 524: (Wedding) Quodlibet for four voices (incomplete)
 * BWV 1127 – Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn (strophic aria rediscovered in 2005)

Works for organ (BWV 525–771)

 * See in the table above

Bach's organ compositions include:
 * BWV 525–530: Sonatas
 * BWV 531–582: compositions of the type Prelude/Fantasia/Toccata/Adagio/Passacaglia and/or Fugue
 * BWV 583–591: various free organ compositions (Trios/Aria/Canzona/Allabreve/Pastorale/Kleines harmonisches Labyrinth	)
 * BWV 592–597: Concertos (transcriptions)
 * BWV 598: Pedal-Exercitium
 * BWV 599–764: Chorale preludes (Orgelbüchlein; Schübler Chorales; Leipzig Chorales = Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes; Chorale preludes from Clavier-Übung III; Kirnberger chorale preludes; other chorale preludes)
 * BWV 765–768: Chorale partitas
 * BWV 769–771: Chorale variations (includes Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her")
 * BWV 1085–1087, 1121, 1128: various later additions to the BWV catalogue
 * BWV 1090–1120: Neumeister Chorales
 * BWV Anh. 42–79, 171–178, 200, 206, 208, 213: lost, doubtful and spurious organ pieces

Works for keyboard (BWV 772–994)

 * See in the table above

Bach's works for harpsichord, clavichord and other keyboard instruments include:
 * BWV 772–801: Inventions and Sinfonias
 * BWV 802–805: Duets from Clavier-Übung III
 * BWV 806–845: Suites and suite movements (English Suites; French Suites; Partitas = Clavier-Übung I; Overture in the French style from Clavier-Übung II; etc.)
 * BWV 846–893: The Well-Tempered Clavier (book I, book II)
 * BWV 894–962: compositions of the type Prelude/Fantasia/Concerto/Toccata and/or Fugue/Fughetta (includes Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, Six Little Preludes, several parts of the Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, etc.)
 * BWV 963–970: Sonatas and sonata movements
 * BWV 971–987: Concertos (includes Italian Concerto from Clavier-Übung II and various concerto transcriptions)
 * BWV 988–991: Variations (includes Goldberg Variations = Clavier-Übung IV and Aria variata alla maniera italiana)
 * BWV 992–994: Capriccios and Applicatio (includes Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother)

Works for solo lute (BWV 995–1000)

 * See in the table above

Bach's compositions for lute and/or lute-harpsichord (Lautenwerck) include:
 * BWV 995–1000 suites and separate movements for lute and/or lute-harpsichord
 * BWV 1006a: transcription of BWV 1006

Chamber music (BWV 1001–1040)

 * See in the table above

Bach wrote chamber music for solo violin, cello or flute, sonatas for harpsichord and an instrumental soloist, and Trio sonatas:
 * BWV 1001–1006: Sonatas and partitas for solo violin
 * BWV 1007–1012: Cello Suites
 * BWV 1013: Partita for solo flute
 * BWV 1014–1026: works for accompanied violin (sonatas, suite, fugue for violin and harpsichord; sonatas for violin and basso continuo)
 * BWV 1027–1029: sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord
 * BWV 1030–1035: sonatas for accompanied flute (sonatas for flute and harpsichord; sonatas for flute and basso continuo)
 * BWV 1036–1040: trio sonatas

Orchestral works (BWV 1041–1071)

 * See in the table above

Bach wrote concertos and orchestral suites:
 * BWV 1041–1045: Violin concertos (in A minor, in E major, Double Concerto); Triple Concerto; Concerto movement/Sinfonia fragment
 * BWV 1046–1051: Brandenburg Concertos
 * BWV 1052–1065: Harpsichord concertos
 * BWV 1066–1071: Orchestral suites and Sinfonia (early version of BWV 1046)

Canons (BWV 1072–1078)

 * See in the table above

Separate canons by Bach are listed in the 12th chapter of the BWV:
 * BWV 1072–1078: canons
 * BWV 1086–1087: later additions

Late contrapuntal works (BWV 1079–1080)

 * See in the table above

The list of late contrapuntal works contains only two items:
 * BWV 1079: The Musical Offering
 * BWV 1080: The Art of Fugue

20th-century additions to the BWV catalogue and Anhang
Additions as published in BWV2a

Additions to the main catalogue (BWV 1081–1126)

 * BWV 1081 – Credo in unum Deum in F major (for choir), included in Chapter 3 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1082 – Suscepit Israel by Antonio Caldara (for choir), as copied by Bach; Included in Chapter 3 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1083 – Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden (motet, "parody", i.e., reworked version, of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater), included in Chapter 3 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1084 – O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn (chorale from Bach's Leipzig versions of the St Mark Passion attributed to Keiser), included in Chapter 5 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1085 – O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig (chorale prelude), included in Chapter 7 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1086 – Canon Concordia discors, included in Chapter 12 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1087 – 14 canons on the First Eight Notes of Goldberg Variations Ground (discovered 1974), included in Chapter 12 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1088 – "So heb ich denn mein Auge sehnlich auf" (arioso for bass), No. 20 in Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt (pasticcio Passion oratorio); Included in Chapter 4 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1089 – Da Jesus an dem Kreutze stund (four-part chorale), included in Chapter 5 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1090–1120 – 31 chorale preludes for organ from the Neumeister Collection, discovered in 1985 in the archives of the Yale University library; Included in Chapter 7 in BWV2a, except for BWV 1096, attributed to Johann Pachelbel, which was moved to Anh. III (spurious works).
 * BWV 1121, previously Anh. 205 – Fantasie in C minor (organ), included in Chapter 7 in BWV2a
 * BWV 1122–1126 – five four-part chorales, moved to Chapter 5 in BWV2a

Additions to the Anhang (BWV Anh. 190–213)
BWV Anh. 190–213 were added between the 1950 and 1990s editions of the catalogue
 * BWV Anh. 190–197 – Cantatas added to Anh. I (music lost); see also List of Bach cantatas
 * BWV Anh. 198 – Abandoned sketch of a cantata opening, renumbered to BWV 149/1a and added to Chapter 1 in BWV2a
 * BWV Anh. 199 – Cantata added to Anh. I (music lost); see also List of Bach cantatas
 * BWV Anh. 200 – Fragment of a chorale prelude O Traurigkeit, o herzeleid, added to Anh. I (unused sketch for the Orgelbüchlein)
 * BWV Anh. 201–204 – Four-part chorales added to Anh. II (doubtful)
 * BWV Anh. 205 – Fantasia in C minor, authenticated as BWV 1121 and added to Chapter 7 in BWV2a
 * BWV Anh. 206 – Doubtful chorale prelude, added to Anh. II
 * BWV Anh. 207 – Doubtful keyboard fugue, added to Anh. II
 * BWV Anh. 208 – Spurious organ fugue, added to Anh. III
 * BWV Anh. 209–212 – Lost cantatas added to Anh. I; see also List of Bach cantatas
 * BWV Anh. 213 – Lost arrangement for organ of an unidentified Telemann concerto, added to Anh. I

21st-century additions to the BWV catalogue (BWV 1127 and higher)

 * See also in the table above

BWV numbers assigned after the publication of BWV2a:
 * BWV 1127: Strophic aria "Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn" (discovered June 2005)
 * BWV Anh. 71 → BWV 1128: Organ chorale fantasia Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält ( was authenticated as a composition by Bach after Wilhelm Rust's 1877 copy was recovered in March 2008).

Derivative works
There is not much system in the way works derived from Bach's compositions are listed. The "R" addition to the BWV number is only well-established for the reconstructions included in NBA VII/7 (e.g. solo violin reconstructions of BWV 565 are not usually indicated as BWV 565R, neither is the system used for reconstructed vocal works). For some series of transcriptions and arrangements works catalogues of these transcribers/arrangers may hold sublists with works derived from compositions by Bach.

Reconstructed concertos

 * See also in the table above

Each reconstructed concerto is created after the harpsichord concerto for the presumed original instrument. Such reconstructions are commonly referred to as, for example, BWV 1052R (where the R stands for 'reconstructed'). Other reconstructions and completions of for instance BWV 1059 have been indicated as BWV 1059, or BWV 1059a.

Adaptations
Transcriptions and arrangements in the catalogues of works by other composers include:
 * Ferruccio Busoni: BV B 20 to 115, many of these published in the Bach-Busoni Editions.