Welcome

Founded in 1972 as a chapter of the Neue Bachgesellschaft, the American Bach Society supports the study, performance, and appreciation of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach in the United States and Canada.

The ABS produces Bach Notes and Bach Perspectives, sponsors a biennial meeting and conference, and offers grants and prizes for research on Bach.

Information on membership is available here, along with a short history of the Society and information on its administration.

On this site you can also find links to other Bach organizations and to Bach festivals, as well as a small selection of interesting Bach illustrations.

Upcoming Conference:

“Bach and Mozart: Connections, Patterns, Pathways”
Stanford University
February 13–16, 2020

Call for Papers | Program | Abstracts | Program Book

For questions about the upcoming conference, please contact Andrew Talle: andrew.talle (at) northwestern.edu

ABS/MSA in Stanford, February 2020 — Call for Papers published

March 1, 2019

The Call for Papers for our next conference, held jointly with the Mozart Society of America at Stanford University, February 13–16, 2020, is now available. We look forward to seeing you there! Read more…

Bach Perspectives 12: Bach and the Counterpoint of Religion now available

November 15, 2018

Bach Perspectives 12: Bach and the Counterpoint of Religion, published by the University of Illinois Press, is now available. The volume, edited by Robin A. Leaver, features contributions from Rebecca Cypess, Joyce L. Irwin, Robin A. Leaver, Mark Noll, Markus Rathey, Derek Stauff, and Janice B. Stockigt. For more information, please see our page on the series.

Publication of Bach Notes no. 29 (Fall 2018)

October 24, 2018

We’re pleased to announce the publication of Bach Notes no. 29 (Fall 2018). In this issue, we're featuring a report on Bachfest Leipzig, a brief contribution on ABS and Social Media, a review of Leipzig After Bach, a conference report on ABS 2018, and a number of announcements and member news items. Read more…

Bach Notes no. 28 (Spring 2018) just published

May 16, 2018

We’re pleased to announce the publication of Bach Notes no. 28 (Spring 2018). This issue features the announcement of the Ruth and Noel S. Monte Fund, Nicholas Kitchen on arranging Bach for string quartet, a report on the “Bach on Screen” conference at the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, the abstracts for the 2018 biennial meeting of the Society, an announcement of a new edition of Bach’s sacred vocal music from Carus, and member news. Read more…

Bach Perspectives 11: J. S. Bach and His Sons now available

December 9, 2017

Bach Perspectives 11: J. S. Bach and His Sons, published by the University of Illinois Press, is now available. The volume, edited by Mary Oleskiewicz, features contributions by Robert L. Marshall, Oleskiewicz, David Schulenberg, Evan Cortens, and Christine Blanken. For more information, please see our page on the series.

Bach Notes no. 27 (Fall 2017) just published

November 8, 2017

We’re pleased to announce the publication of Bach Notes no. 27 (Fall 2017). This issue features an interview about the new leadership at the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, an announcement for our upcoming conference at Yale, an article about a new film about Zuzana Růžičková, a conference report on “Bach in the Age of Modernism, Postmodernism, and Globalization,” and member news. Read more…

CFP: Bach Reworked — Parody, Transcription, Adaptation (Bach Perspectives 13)

September 17, 2017

The American Bach Society invites submissions for consideration for Bach Perspectives 13, an essay collection on the theme of “Bach Reworked—Parody, Transcription, Adaptation.” Papers on all aspects of the subject are welcome, and will be selected after peer review for publication in 2020. Potential topics include Bach’s adaptations of music by other composers; his transcriptions and parodies of his own works; similar reworkings by other composers in the Bach circle; and the use of Bach’s music by composers of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Submissions should be approximately 6000 words and should be sent in electronic form to Laura Buch (lbuch [at] fas.harvard.edu) by 1 April 2018. Information on the series is available at americanbachsociety.org/perspectives.html.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AT RIGHT:

  1. Oil painting of J. S. Bach by Elias Gottlob Haussmann, 1748
  2. Engraving of St. Thomas Church, Leipzig
  3. Title page of Bach’s Calov Bible, 1681 (Concordia Seminary Library, St. Louis)
  4. First page of autograph score of Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, 1721