Bach Piano Sheet Music

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Best Sheet Music Editions Bach

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Bach Piano
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Bach was a German Composer of the Baroque Era. He was born in 1685 and died in 1750. He is a prominent figure for Baroque keyboard music. Any pianist is expected to learn his Prelude and Fugues, Partitas, Suites, and other works.

Bach Prelude and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier

The Bach Preludes and the Bach Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier feature prelude and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys. In all, there are two Well-Tempered Clavier books and there are 48 prelude and fugues in all. The most recommended editions are ranked from top (highest) to bottom (lowest).

Barenreiter Urtext

The most recommended edition for Bach’s Prelude and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier. This Barenreiter Urtext Edition is a reproduction of the New Bach Edition. The editor Alfred Duerr writes a preface which explains the sources for the edition,  and performance practices, such as how to play the ornaments. This edition contains two versions of the Prelude and Fugues, one edited and one unedited, so that the musician can have better insights on what the composer’s original intent was for the pieces. This edition contains no fingering suggestions. 

Click here to see an example of Barenreiter Urtext with Bach.

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ABSRM Edition

Edited by Richard Jones. This is the best selling edition of Bach’s Prelude and Fugues in the U.K. It features introductory notes and excellent performance practice suggestions. The overall layout is aesthetically pleasing and easy to read. Each edition contains over 150 pages.

Click here to see a sample of the ABRSM Bach Prelude and Fugues

 

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best sheet music editions
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Wiener/Vienna Urtext

This edition is edited by Walther Dehnhard. This edition features high quality precision, easy reading, and strong binding. Please read the home page for more information on Wiener/Vienna Urtext.

Click here to see a sample of this edition with Bach’s Prelude and Fugues.

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best sheet music editions
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Henle Verlag Urtext

The Henle Verlag Urtext is currently the most trustworthy edition of Bach. While it is a bit pricey, this will be one of the best edition of Bach you can find. All of the Bach preludes and the Bach Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier can be found in part 1 and part 2 of this edition.

This edition is edited by Ernst-Günter Heinemann
with fingering by András Schiff.

You can see an example of the Henle Bach Prelude and Fugues with the following picture:

best edition bach

Prelude and Fugues (Part 1)

Bach piano

THE Well-tempered Clavier – Revised Edition Part I, BWV 846-869 (Henle Music Folios)

Prelude and Fugues (Part 2)

Bach Piano
Bach Piano

Well-Tempered Clavier Bwv 870-893 Part Ii

Alfred Masterwork Edition

Editors Willard Palmer and Judith Schneider worked on this edition of the Bach Prelude and Fugues. These editions come with a 25 page introduction, explaining the history behind the Well-Tempered Clavier and the process of creating an accurate edition for these pieces. This edition comes with a plastic comb binding, fingering suggestions, dynamic suggestions, tempo suggestions, and footnotes. Because of the large print, these editions contain over 200 pages.

An example of Alfred Masterwork Bach Prelude and Fugues is given with the following picture:

best edition bach

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Bach — The Well-Tempered Clavier, Vol 1 (Comb Bound Book) (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

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Bach — The Well-Tempered Clavier, Vol 2: Comb Bound Book (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

 Dover Edition

The Dover Edition of Bach Prelude and Fugues is the most inexpensive edition. This edition is reproduction of the expired Bach-Gesellschaft edition, a very trustworthy edition for Bach’s music. The score does not feature editor markings.

You can see a sample of the Dover Bach Prelude and Fugues with this image:

best edition bach

Prelude and Fugues – Bach Prelude and Fugues

Bach Piano

The Well-Tempered Clavier: Books I and II, Complete (Dover Music for Piano)

Kalmus Edition

This edition is edited by Dr. Hans Bischoff. It also includes a preface and a table of embellishments written by the editor. This edition has good spacing in the sheet music, which makes it easy to read the music, and footnotes that explains the ornamentation. Some musicians complain about the ink quality of the sheet music however, saying that it is too light. This edition has small print, and the two books of the Well-Tempered Clavier fit in this one edition. It is also light and portable.

You can see an example of the Kalmus Bach Prelude and Fugues here:

best edition bach prelude and fugues

Best sheet music editions

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Volume II: 48 Preludes and Fugues for Piano (Kalmus Edition)

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Schirmer Edition

The Schirmer edition of Bach Prelude and Fugues contains markings such as dynamic changes and tempo changes by the editor Carl Czerny.

Caution: This edition is known for having typos and missing notes. If price is a factor in your decision to purchase quality sheet music, this site recommends buying the Dover edition instead.

Here is an example of the Schirmer Bach Prelude and Fugues:

best edition bach prelude and fugues

Prelude and Fugues

Bach Piano

Well Tempered Clavier – Book 1 (Schirmer’s Library of Musical Classics Vo. 13)

best sheet music editions

Well Tempered Clavier: 48 Preludes and Fugues for the Piano Book 2 Vol 14

Bach Partitas

The most recommended editions are ranked from top (highest) to bottom (lowest).

Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Richard Douglas Jones. Paperback cover. Printed in 2015.

Click here to see an example of the Barenreiter Bach Partitas.

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6 Partitas

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ABRSM Signature Series

Click here to see a sample of the ABRSM Bach Partitas.

 

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Partitas I-III: Bwv 825-827 (Signature Series (ABRSM))

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Partitas IV-VI: BWV 828-830: Bwv 828-830 No. 4-6 (Signature Series (ABRSM)) by J. S. Bach (Composer), Walter Emery (Editor) (29-Jun-1989) Sheet music

Wiener Urtext

Edited by Klaus Engler and fingering by Edith Picht-Axenfeld.

Click on the following link to see an example of the Wiener Urtext Bach Partitas.

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6 Partitas, BWV 825-830

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited by Rudolf Steglich and Fingering by Hans-Martin Theopold

The following picture shows an example of the Henle Bach Partitas:

best edition bach partita

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6 Partitas BWV 825-830 Softcover Piano Solo

Bach English Suites

The most recommended editions are ranked from top (highest) to bottom (lowest).

Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Alfred Dürr.

Click on the following link to see an example of the Barenreiter Bach English Suites. 

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The Six English Suites

ABRSM Signature Series

Edited by Richard Jones

This pictures exemplifies the ABRSM Bach English Suites:

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Click here to see more samples of the ABRSM Bach English Suites 

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The Six English Suites

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English Suites: Bwv 809, 810, 811 No. 3 4-6 (Signature Series (ABRSM))

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited by  Rudolf Steglich and Fingering by Hans-Martin Theopold.

The following picture illustrates what the Henle Bach English Suites looks like:

best edition bach english suites

Bach English Suites

Bach - English Suites
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English Suites Bwv 806-811

Alfred Masterwork Edition

Edited by Hans Bischoff

Click on the following link to see a sample of the Alfred Masterwork Bach English Suites.

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Dover Edition

This edition by Dover features the six english suites, the six french suites, the six partitas, the Goldberg variations, the fifteen two-part inventions, and the three part sinfonias. This edition is a reprint of the Bach-Gesellschaft edition. The print is small, but overall, it is a portable edition and is inexpensive.

Click here to see a sample of the Dover English Suites

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Bach French Suites

The most recommended editions are ranked from top (highest) to bottom (lowest).

Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Alfred Dürr.

Here is a sample of the Barenreiter Bach French Suites:

best edition bach

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BACH – Suites Francesas Completas para Piano (Urtext) (Durr)

ABRSM Signature Series

The ABRSM Bach French Suites is edited by Howard Jones

Click here to see a sample of the ABRSM Bach French Suites.

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French Suites: Bwv 812-817 (Signature Series (ABRSM))

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited by Rudolf Steglich and Fingering by Hans-Martin Theopold

Here is a sample of the Henle Bach French Suite:

best edition bach

Bach French Suites

Bach Piano Sheet Music

French Suites BWV 812-817

Bach Goldberg Variations

The most recommended editions are ranked from top (highest) to bottom (lowest).

Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Christoph Wolff

Here is a sample of the Barenreiter Bach Goldberg Variations:

best edition bach

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Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Henle Verlag Urtext

This shows the 1978 Henle Bach Goldberg Variations:

best edition bach

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Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Bach Italian Concerto

Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Walter Emery and Renate Kretschmar-Fischer

Click on the following link to see an example of the Barenreiter Bach Italian Concerto.

ABRSM Signature Series

The ABRSM Bach Italian Concerto is edited by Richard Jones.

Click here to see a sample of the ABRSM Bach Italian Concerto

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Clavierubung, Part II (Italian Concerto, French Overture) (Signature Series (ABRSM)) (Pt. 2)

Henle Verlag Urtext

Here is an example of the Henle Bach Italian Concerto:

best edition bach

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Italian Concerto BWV 971

Alfred Masterwork Edition

Edited by Willard A. Palmer.

Click on the following link to see a sample of the Alfred Masterwork Bach Italian Concerto. 

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Bach — Italian Concerto (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

Bach Inventions and Sinfonias

Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Georg von Dadelsen

Click on the following link to see a sample of the Barenreiter Bach Inventions and Sinfonias. 

ABRSM Signature Series

Click here to see a sample of the ABRSM Bach Inventions and Sinfonias

best sheet music editions

Inventions and Sinfonias: Bwv 772-801 (Signature Series (ABRSM))

 


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5 thoughts on “Bach Piano Sheet Music”

  1. Thanks for the advice. But, I am a bit confused. It says that the list goes from best to worst edition. Henle is not listed first, but in the description it says that Henle will be the best edition you can buy. Can someone explain this. I am looking to start learning Bach. So I am looking to purchase the Notebook of Anna Magdalena. Because I am new to Bach, I am looking for an edition that explains Bach’s ornamentation as well as what different marks meant to Bach. Any recommendations? Thank you.

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    1. Hi Robert, thank you for the message!

      I should have wrote that henle is “one of the best,” not the best. I just corrected that.

      The henle edition is good if you are looking for good fingering suggestions for the prelude and fugues. Andras Schiff does a great job of providing fingering suggestions, as can be seen in the sample picture provided.

      I personally enjoy Barenreiter the most because it is a very clean urtext edition that allows me to explore my own fingering for the prelude and fugues.

      For Bach ornaments, pennuto.com is a great resource for seeing how to execute them. Willard Palmer gives good commentary on this as well in the Alfred master work edition.

      Hope this helps!

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  2. Is Henle possibly higher up now that the library app allows you view the music without fingerings? Admitted though the print quality from the app is not very good (probably to avoid selling)

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