The emphasis here is on great recordings from both the DG and Archiv labels – so that Claudio Abbado’s Brandenburgs, Thomas Quasthoff’s cantatas, Maurizio Pollini’s Well-tempered Clavier and Ivo Pogorelich’s English Suites all appear, as well as period-performances from John Eliot Gardiner, Paul McCreesh and Trevor Pinnock.

The contents are arranged by BWV (Bach catalogue) numbers, which places the cantatas and major choral works first, before moving onto keyboard (organ and harpsichord/piano) and chamber, then the orchestral (concerto) works before drawing to a close with “studies and canons” – in other words, those supreme masterworks The Musical Offering (Musica Antiqua Köln under Reinhard Goebel) and The Art of Fugue (Pierre-Laurent Aimard).

No area of Bach’s output is ignored. There are even Lute Suites and Sacred Songs from the Schemelli Songbook. Plus a Decca / L’Oiseau-lyre classic: The Peasant and Coffee Cantatas sung by Emma Kirkby and David Thomas under Christopher Hogwood.

Contents:
CD 1
- Cantata, BWV 21 "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis"
Edith Mathis, Ernst Haefliger, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

- Cantata No.24 "Ein ungefärbt Gemüte", BWV 24
Anna Reynolds, Peter Schreier, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

- Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen Cantata, BWV 65
Theo Adam, Ernst Haefliger
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 1:16:50

CD 2
- Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Olaf Bär, Nancy Argenta, Timothy Mason
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

- "Schwingt freudig euch empor" BWV 36
Nancy Argenta, Petra Lang, Anthony Robson, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Olaf Bär
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

- "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland", BWV 62
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Olaf Bär, Nancy Argenta, Petra Lang
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

Total Playing Time: 1:00:50

CD 3
- Cantata "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen", BWV 56
- Der Friede sei mit dir: Cantata, BWV 158
- Cantata "Ich habe genug" BWV 82
Thomas Quasthoff
Members of the RIAS-Kammerchor, Berliner Barock Solisten / Rainer Kussmaul

Total Playing Time: 49:43

CD 4
- Cantata, BWV 80 "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"
- Cantata No.26 "Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig", BWV 26
- Cantata, BWV 116 "Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ"
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Peter Schreier, Trudeliese Schmidt
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 1:01:20

CD 5
- Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Cantata, BWV 140
Anthony Robson, Richard Earle, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Ruth Holton, Stephen Varcoe, Alison Bury
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

- Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, Cantata BWV 147
Crispian Steele-Perkins, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Michael Chance, Anthony Robson, Stephen Varcoe, Ruth Holton, Alison Bury, Richard Earle
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

Total Playing Time: 52:42

CD 6
- Cantata, BWV 210 "O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit"
- Cantata No.202 "Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten" (Wedding Cantata), BWV 202
- Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen Cantata, BWV 51
Christine Schäfer
Musica Antiqua Köln / Reinhard Goebel

Total Playing Time: 1:02:06

CD 7
- Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht Cantata, BWV 211 "Coffee Cantata"
Emma Kirkby, Rogers Covey-Crump, David Thomas
Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

- Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet Cantata, BWV 212 "Peasant Cantata"
Emma Kirkby, David Thomas
Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

Total Playing Time: 51:54

CD 8 Arias for Soprano and Violin
Cantata, BWV 197 "Gott ist unsere Zuversicht"
1. Aria "Vergnügen und Lust" (soprano)

Cantata, BWV 58 "Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid"
2. Aria "Ich bin vergnügt in meinem Leiden" (sSoprano)

Cantata, BWV 204 "Ich bin vergnügt"
3. Aria "Die Schätzbarkeit der weiten Erde"

Cantata, BWV 97 "In allen meinen Taten"
4. Aria "Ich traue seiner Gnaden" (tenor)

Cantata, BWV 115 "Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit"
5. Aria "Bete, bete aber auch dabei" (soprano)

Cantata, BWV 171 "Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm"
6. Aria "Jesus soll mein erstes Wort" (soprano)

Mass in B minor, BWV 232
7. Benedictus
8. Laudamus te

Cantata No.202 "Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten" (Wedding Cantata), BWV 202
9. 5. Aria: Wenn die Frühlingslüfte streichen

"Schwingt freudig euch empor" BWV 36
10. 7. Aria "Auch mit gedämpften, schwachen Stimmen" (soprano)

Cantata, BWV 187 "Es wartet alles auf dich"
11. Aria "Gott versorget alles Leben" (soprano)

Ich bin vergnügt mit meinem Glücke Cantata, BWV 84
12. 3. Aria: Ich esse mit Freuden mein weniges Brot

Cantata, BWV 105 "Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht"
13. 5. Aria: "Kann ich nur Jesum mir zum Freunde machen"

Kathleen Battle, Itzhak Perlman
Orchestra Of St Luke's / John Nelson

Total Playing Time: 1:00:02

CD 9
- Mass in B minor, BWV 232
Maria Stader, Hertha Töpper, Ernst Haefliger, Kieth Engen, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 1:15:54

CD 10
- Mass in B minor, BWV 232 (conclusion)
Maria Stader, Hertha Töpper, Ernst Haefliger, Kieth Engen, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

- Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243
Hertha Töpper, Maria Stader, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Ernst Haefliger
Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester / Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 1:17:14

CD 11
- St John Passion, BWV 245
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Stephen Varcoe, Cornelius Hauptmann, Michael Chance, Anthony Robson, Valerie Darke, Ruth Holton, Richard Campbell, Nancy Argenta, Gill Ross, Andrew Murgatroyd, Simon Birchall, Nicolas Robertson, Neill Archer, Rufus Muller
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

Total Playing Time: 51:38

CD 12
- St John Passion, BWV 245 (conclusion)
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Stephen Varcoe, Cornelius Hauptmann, Michael Chance, Anthony Robson, Valerie Darke, Ruth Holton, Richard Campbell, Nancy Argenta, Gill Ross, Andrew Murgatroyd, Simon Birchall, Nicolas Robertson, Neill Archer, Rufus Muller
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

Total Playing Time: 54:15

CD 13
- St Matthew Passion, BWV 244
Deborah York, Ulla Munch, Julia Gooding, Magdalena Kozená, Susan Bickley, Mark Padmore, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey, Stephan Loges
Gabrieli Players / Paul McCreesh

Total Playing Time: 1:20:08

CD 14
- St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (conclusion)
Deborah York, Ulla Munch, Julia Gooding, Magdalena Kozená, Susan Bickley, Mark Padmore, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey, Stephan Loges
Gabrieli Players / Paul McCreesh

Total Playing Time: 1:21:14

CD 15
- Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Anne Sofie von Otter, Anthony Robson, Olaf Bär, Crispian Steele-Perkins, Ruth Holton, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Lisa Beznosiuk, Nancy Argenta, Valerie Darke, Katie Pringle
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

Total Playing Time: 1:12:41

CD 16
- Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 (conclusion)
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Anne Sofie von Otter, Anthony Robson, Olaf Bär, Crispian Steele-Perkins, Ruth Holton, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Lisa Beznosiuk, Nancy Argenta, Valerie Darke, Katie Pringle
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

Total Playing Time: 1:06:35

CD 17 Motets BWV 225-229
1. Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied Motet, BWV 225
2. Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf Motet, BWV 226
3. Jesu meine Freude Motet, BWV 227
4. Fürchte dich nicht Motet, BVW 228
5. Komm, Jesu, komm Motet, BWV 229
Die Regensburger Domspatzen, Capella Academica, Wien / Hanns-Martin Schneidt

Total Playing Time: 1:05:45

CD 18 20 Sacred Songs From Schemelli's Songbook
1. Die goldne Sonne, BWV 451
2. O Jesulein süß, o Jesulein mild BWV 493
3. Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier, BWV 469
4. Die bittre Leidenszeit beginnet BWV 450
5. Mein Jesu, was für Seelenweh BWV 487
6. Jesus, unser Trost und Leben BWV 475
7. Gott lebet noch BWV 461
8. Kommt wieder aus der finstren Gruft, BWV 480
9. Der Tag ist hin BWV 447
10. Der lieben Sonne Licht und Pracht BWV 446
11. Beschränkt, ihr Weisen dieser Welt BWV 443
12. Was bist du doch, o Seele BWV 506
13. Eins ist Not! Ach Herr, diese eine BWV 453
14. Brunnquell aller Güter BWV 445
15. Ich halte treulich still BWV 466
16. Dich bet ich an BWV 449
17. Gib dich zufrieden und sei stille BWV 460
18. Liebster Herr Jesu, wo bleibst du so lange? BWV 484
19. O wie selig seid ihr doch BWV 495
20. Komm, süßer Tod BWV 478
Peter Schreier, Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 46:37

CD 19 Trio Sonatas BWV 525-530
- Sonata No.1 in E flat, BWV 525
- Sonata No.2 in C minor, BWV 526
- Sonata No.3 in D minor, BWV 527
- Sonata No.4 in E minor, BWV 528
- Sonata No.5 in C, BWV 529
- Sonata No.6 in G, BWV 530
Simon Preston

Total Playing Time: 1:17:24

CD 20
- Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 538 "Dorian"
- Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig, BWV 768
- Passacaglia in C minor, BWV 582
Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 50:30

CD 21
- Prelude and Fuge in B minor, BWV 544
- Toccata (Prelude) and Fugue in F, BWV 540
- Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543
- Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654
Karl Richter

Total Playing Time: 45:43

CD 22 Preludes & Fugues
- Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 548
- Prelude and Fugue in C, BWV 547
- Prelude and Fugue in G, BWV 550
- Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 553
- Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554
- Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 555
- Prelude and Fugue in F major, BWV 556
- Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 557
- Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 558
- Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 559
- Prelude and Fugue in B flat major, BWV 560
- Canzona in D minor, BWV 588
- Fantasia con imitazione in B minor, BWV 563
- Fugue in G, BWV 577
- Toccata and Fugue in E, BWV 566
Simon Preston

Total Playing Time: 1:15:24

CD 23
- Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565
- Fantasia in G, BWV 572
- Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, BWV 769
- Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532
- Pastoral in F, BWV 590
- Prelude and Fugue in E flat, BWV 552
Simon Preston

Total Playing Time: 1:01:32

CD 24
- Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig, BWV 768
- Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, BWV 769
- Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 ('Sleepers, awake')
- Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 646
- Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, BWV 647
- Meine Seele erhebet den Herren, BWV 648
- Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 649
- Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter, BWV 650
- Prelude (Fantasy) and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 - "Great"
- Fantasia in C minor, BWV 562
- Prelude (Fantasy) and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537
Helmut Walcha

Total Playing Time: 1:16:29

CD 25
- The Well-Tempered Clavier I, BWV 846-857
Maurizio Pollini

Total Playing Time: 53:25

CD 26
- The Well-Tempered Clavier I, BWV 858-869
Maurizio Pollini

Total Playing Time: 57:00

CD 27
- Goldberg Variations BWV 988
- Italian Concerto BWV 971
Trevor Pinnock

Total Playing Time: 1:14:27

CD 28
- Partita No.4 in D , BWV 828
- Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829
- Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830
Trevor Pinnock

Total Playing Time: 1:13:02

CD 29
- Partita No.1 in B flat major, BWV 825
- English Suite No.3 in G minor, BWV 808
- French Suite No.2 in C minor, BWV 813
Maria João Pires

Total Playing Time: 57:22

CD 30
- English Suite No.2 in A minor, BWV 807
- English Suite No.3 in G minor, BWV 808
Ivo Pogorelich

Total Playing Time: 55:35

CD 31
- Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903
- Toccata in D major, BWV 912
- Toccata in D minor, BWV 913
- Toccata in E minor, BWV 914
- Toccata in G, BWV 916
- Fantasy in C Minor BWV 906
Kenneth Gilbert

Total Playing Time: 57:17

CD 32
- Toccata in C minor, BWV 911
- Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826
- English Suite No.2 in A minor, BWV 807
Martha Argerich

Total Playing Time: 50:01

CD 33
- 15 Two-part Inventions, BWV 772-786
- 15 Three-part Inventions, BWV 787-801
Kenneth Gilbert

Total Playing Time: 50:55

CD 34
- Suite for Lute in G minor, BWV 995
- Suite in E minor, BWV 996
- Partita for Lute in C minor, BWV 997
- Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E flat, BWV 998
Göran Söllscher

Total Playing Time: 1:14:55

CD 35
- Sonata for Violin Solo No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001
- Partita for Violin Solo No.1 in B minor, BWV 1002
- Sonata for Violin Solo No.2 in A minor, BWV 1003
Nathan Milstein

Total Playing Time: 56:02

CD 36
- Partita for Violin Solo No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004
- Sonata for Violin Solo No.3 in C, BWV 1005
- Partita For Violin Solo No.3 In E, BWV 1006
Nathan Milstein

Total Playing Time: 1:09:07

CD 37
- Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord No.1 in B minor, BWV 1014
- Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord No.2 in A, BWV 1015
- Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord No.3 in E, BWV 1016
- Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord No.4 in C Minor, BWV 1017
- Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord No.5 in F minor, BWV 1018
Reinhard Goebel, Robert Hill

Total Playing Time: 1:13:05

CD 38
- Suite for Cello Solo No.1 in G, BWV 1007
- Suite for Cello Solo No.2 in D minor, BWV 1008
- Suite for Cello Solo No.3 in C, BWV 1009
Pierre Fournier

Total Playing Time: 1:00:53

CD 39
- Suite for Cello Solo No.4 in E flat, BWV 1010
- Suite for Cello Solo No.5 in C minor, BWV 1011
- Suite for Cello Solo No.6 in D, BWV 1012
Pierre Fournier

Total Playing Time: 1:17:22

CD 40
- Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord No.1 in G, BWV 1027
- Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord No.2 in D, BWV 1028
- Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord No.3 in G minor, BWV 1029
Mischa Maisky, Martha Argerich

- Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord No.6 in G, BWV 1019
Reinhard Goebel, Robert Hill

Total Playing Time: 58:35

CD 41
- Sonata for Flute or Violin No.1 in B minor, BWV 1030
- Sonata No.2 in E flat major, BWV 1031
- Sonata for Flute No.3 in A, BWV 1032
Aurèle Nicolet, Karl Richter

- Sonata for Flute Solo in A minor, BWV 1013
Aurèle Nicolet

- Sonata for Flute or Violin No.5 in E minor, BWV 1034
- Sonata for Flute or Violin No.6 in E, BWV 1035
Aurèle Nicolet, Karl Richter, Johannes Fink

Total Playing Time: 1:20:19

CD 42
- Brandenburg Concerto No.1 in F, BWV 1046
Victor Aviat, Lucas Macias Navarro, Guido Gualandi, Giuliano Carmignola
Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado

- Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G, BWV 1048
Giuliano Carmignola, Raphael Christ, Lorenza Borrani, Danusha Waskiewicz, Simone Jandl, Behran Rassekhi, Mario Brunello, Enrico Bronzi, Benoît Grenet
Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado

- Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D, BWV 1050 (arr. Jacques Loussier)
Jacques Zoon, Giuliano Carmignola, Ottavio Dantone
Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado

Total Playing Time: 47:20

CD 43
- Brandenburg Concerto No.6 in B flat, BWV 1051
Danusha Waskiewicz, Simone Jandl, Rainer Zipperling, Sabina Colonna Preti, Enrico Bronzi, Alois Posch, Ottavio Dantone
Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado

- Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G, BWV 1049
Giuliano Carmignola, Michala Petri, Nikola Tarasov
Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado

- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 in F, BWV 1047
Reinhold Friedrich, Michala Petri, Lucas Macias Navarro, Giuliano Carmignola
Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado

Total Playing Time: 43:53

CD 44
- Orchestral Suite No.1 in C, BWV 1066
- Orchestral Suite No.2 in B minor, BWV 1067
- Orchestral Suite No.3 in D, BWV 1068
- Orchestral Suite No.4 in D, BWV 1069
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

Total Playing Time: 1:16:08

CD 45
- Violin Concerto No.2 in E, BWV 1042
Hilary Hahn
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Jeffrey Kahane

- Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings, and Continuo in D minor, BWV 1043
Hilary Hahn, Margaret Batjer
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Jeffrey Kahane

- Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor, BWV 1041
Hilary Hahn
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Jeffrey Kahane

- Concerto for 2 Harpsichords, Strings, and Continuo in C minor, BWV 1060 (arr. for violin, oboe, strings & continuo)
Hilary Hahn, Allan Vogel
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Jeffrey Kahane

Total Playing Time: 57:19

CD 46
- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.1 in D minor, BWV 1052
- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.2 in E, BWV 1053
- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.3 in D, BWV 1054
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.4 in A, BWV 1055 (reconstruction for oboe d'amore, strings and continuo)
David Reichenberg
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

Total Playing Time: 1:12:47

CD 47
- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.4 in A, BWV 1055
- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.5 in F minor, BWV 1056
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

- Concerto for Harpsichord, 2 Recorders, Strings and Continuo No.6 in F, BWV 1057
Philip Pickett, Rachel Beckett
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

- Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo No.7 in G minor, BWV 1058
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

Total Playing Time: 53:13

CD 48
- Concerto for 4 Harpsichords, Strings and Continuo in A minor, BWV 1065
Kenneth Gilbert, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Nicholas Kraemer
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

- Concerto for 3 Harpsichords, Strings and Continuo No.2 in C, BWV 1064
- Concerto for 3 Harpsichords, Strings and Continuo No.1 in D minor, BWV 1063
Kenneth Gilbert, Lars Ulrik Mortensen
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

- Concerto for 2 Harpsichords, Strings, and Continuo in C minor, BWV 1060 (arr. for violin, oboe, strings & continuo)
David Reichenberg, Simon Standage
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock

Total Playing Time: 53:42

CD 49
- Musical Offering, BWV 1079
Musica Antiqua Köln / Reinhard Goebel

Total Playing Time: 47:58

CD 50
- The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080
Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Total Playing Time: 1:18:33