Johann Sebastian Bach

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801

1722–1723

Total duration: 26'

1. C major, BWV 787
2. C minor, BWV 788
3. D major, BWV 789
4. D minor, BWV 790
5. E-flat major, BWV 791
5. E-flat major, BWV 791 (embellished version)
6. E major, BWV 792
7. E minor, BWV 793
8. F major, BWV 794
9. F minor, BWV 795
10. G major, BWV 796
11. G minor, BWV 797
12. A major, BWV 798
13. A minor, BWV 799
14. B-flat major, BWV 800
15. B minor, BWV 801

Earlier versions of the sinfonias (BWV³ 787.1–801.1) exist in the Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach; the differences compared to the later versions (BWV³ 787.2–801.2) are generally minor.

Recommended editions

Neue Bach-Ausgabe (Bärenreiter) · V, 3 · BA 5035-01 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Georg van Dadelsen [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790–791, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Neue Bach-Ausgabe (Bärenreiter) · V, 5 · BA 5021-01 · Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann · ed. Wolfgang Plath [version from the Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach]
Associated Board · Inventions & Sinfonias · ed. Richard Jones [with BWV 791 in the embellished form, including also further versions of BWV 795 and 797]
Bärenreiter · BA 5150 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Georg van Dadelsen [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790–791, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Bärenreiter · BA 5241 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Georg van Dadelsen [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790–791, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Bärenreiter · BA 5163 · Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach · ed. Wolfgang Plath [version from the Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach]
Henle · HN 589 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Ullrich Scheideler [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Henle · HN 590 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Ullrich Scheideler [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Henle · HN 1589 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Ullrich Scheideler [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Peters · EP 11422 · 15 zweistimmige Inventionen / 15 dreistimmige Sinfonien · ed. Ulrich Bartels [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Peters · EP 11420 · ed. Ulrich Bartels [including embellished version of BWV 791, and further versions of BWV 790, 793, 795, 797 and 799]
Peters · EP 11502 · Clavier-Büchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach · ed. Christoph Wolff [version from the Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach]
Wiener Urtext · UT 50253 · Inventionen und Sinfonien · ed. Ulrich Leisinger [with BWV 791 in the embellished form, including further versions of BWV 789–790, 793, 795, 797 and 799]

1. C major, BWV 787

Duration: 1'

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 1. C major, BWV 787

2. C minor, BWV 788

Duration: 2'

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 2. C minor, BWV 788

3. D major, BWV 789

Duration: 1'

Difficulty: 3

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 3. D major, BWV 789

4. D minor, BWV 790

The Neue Bach-Ausgabe also gives this sinfonia in an embellished version according to a copy by an unknown Bach pupil (P 219).

Duration: 1' 30"

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 4. D minor, BWV 790

5. E-flat major, BWV 791

The Neue Bach-Ausgabe gives this sinfonia in versions with and without Bach’s later embellishments (both versions given here), and also in two other embellished versions according to copies by Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber and an unknown Bach pupil (P 219).

Duration: 3'

Difficulty: 2

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 5. E-flat major, BWV 791

5. E-flat major, BWV 791 (embellished version)

In BWV^2,2a, this version is identified as BWV 791a.

Duration: 3'

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 5. E-flat major, BWV 791 (embellished version)

6. E major, BWV 792

Duration: 1'

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 6. E major, BWV 792

7. E minor, BWV 793

The Neue Bach-Ausgabe also gives this sinfonia in an embellished version according to a copy by an unknown Bach pupil (P 219).

Duration: 2'

Difficulty: 3

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 7. E minor, BWV 793

8. F major, BWV 794

Duration: 1'

Difficulty: 3

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 8. F major, BWV 794

9. F minor, BWV 795

The Neue Bach-Ausgabe also gives this sinfonia in an embellished version according to copies by Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber and an unknown Bach pupil (P 219).

Duration: 3' 30"

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 9. F minor, BWV 795

10. G major, BWV 796

Duration: 1'

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 10. G major, BWV 796

11. G minor, BWV 797

The Neue Bach-Ausgabe also gives this sinfonia in an embellished version according to copies by Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber and an unknown Bach pupil (P 219).

Duration: 2' 30"

Difficulty: 2

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 11. G minor, BWV 797

12. A major, BWV 798

Duration: 1' 30"

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 12. A major, BWV 798

13. A minor, BWV 799

The Neue Bach-Ausgabe also gives this sinfonia in an embellished version according to copies by Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber and an unknown Bach pupil (P 219).

Duration: 2'

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 13. A minor, BWV 799

14. B-flat major, BWV 800

Duration: 1' 30"

Difficulty: 3

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 14. B-flat major, BWV 800

15. B minor, BWV 801

Duration: 1' 30"

Difficulty: 2.5

Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 787–801; 15. B minor, BWV 801