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.

Monte Competition Schedule Announced

May 31, 2023

The schedule for the inaugural Ruth Monte Memorial Bach Piano Competition has been released, and you can find it on our website. Read more…

Bach Notes no. 38 (Spring 2023) is now live

May 9, 2023

Bach Notes no. 38 (Spring 2023) is now live and copies have been mailed to members who have requested them. This issue features a review of Tanya Kevorkian’s Music and Urban Life in Baroque Germany by Derek Stauff; a review of the documentary film Bach and Expression by Nathaniel Brown; a report on the ABS Meeting at Temple University by Vivian Teresa Tompkins; Announcements; and Member News. Read more…

Applications open for the Ruth Monte Memorial Bach Competition

January 5, 2023

Pianists ages 12–18 living in North America (but of any nationality) are encouraged to participate in the first Ruth Monte Memorial Bach Competition; applications are now open! Initial application deadline is March 1, 2023. Read more…

Episode 18 of Tiny Bach Concerts now available

December 16, 2022

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features a performance by The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity (New York City) of the Sinfonia, Adagio, and “Kommt, eilet und laufet” from J. S. Bach’s Easter Oratorio, BWV 249, with introductory remarks by Daniel R. Melamed. Read more…

Just Released: Episode 17 of Tiny Bach Concerts

October 14, 2022

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features a performance by Filament Baroque of 5. “So glaubt man denn, dass die Musik verführe” and 6. “Schweigt, ihr Flöten, schweigt, ihr Töne” from O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit, BWV 210, with introductory remarks by Tanya Kevorkian. Read more…

Bach Notes vol. 37 (Fall 2022) now available

October 7, 2022

Bach Notes no. 37 (Fall 2022) is now live and copies have been mailed to members who have requested them. This issue features a review of Michael Maul’s BACH – Eine Bildbiografie by Barbara M. Reul; a report on Bachfest Leipzig 2022 by Yo Tomita; the ABS Conference: “Bach and Authority” Schedule and Abstracts; ABS Grant and Award Winners; BachCantataTexts.org; and Member News. Read more…

Announcing the 2022/23 Encounters season

September 27, 2022

The American Bach Society, American Handel Society, Haydn Society of North America, Mozart Society of America, and Society for Eighteenth-Century Music announce Series 2 of the Zoom presentations, Encounters with Eighteenth-Century Music: a Virtual Forum, beginning with two sessions this fall. Poundie Burstein, Elaine Sisman, and Dean Sutcliffe join James Webster for “Haydn’s ‘Farewell’ at 250, Webster’s Haydn’s 'Farewell' Symphony and the Idea of Classical Style at 30” on Tuesday, October 18, 5:00-6:30pm ET; and Christine Blanken, Christoph Wolff, and Peter Wollny of the Leipzig Bach Archive discuss principal features of the new Bach catalogue in “The New Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV3): Principal features, background, and outlook” on Thursday, November 3, 2:00-3:30pm ET. The winter and spring will feature presentations by Robert Levin on Mozart’s piano works; Julia Doe, Hedy Law, and Annalise Smith on Gluck’s operas; and Alison DeSimone on women entrepreneurs in 18th-century Britain. The Zoom-platform Encounters sessions are free but registration is required. Visit the Encounters website for more information and to register for each session.

Episode 16 of Tiny Bach Concerts now live!

July 22, 2022

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features introductory remarks by Rebekah Franklin and a performance by Brian Hodges (piccolo cello) and Kevin McTeague (Baroque cello) of J. C. F. Bach’s Cello Sonata in A Major, BR-JCFB B1. Read more…

Bach Notes vol. 36 (Spring 2022) now available

May 25, 2022

Bach Notes no. 36 (Spring 2022) is now live and copies have been mailed to members who have requested them. This issue features a review of Telemann's Church Cantata Cycles by Steven Zohn, an update on the ABS Conference “Bach and Authority”, a review of J. S. Bach's Material and Spiritual Treasures by Mary J. Greer, as well as recent publications, announcements and member news. Read more…

Announcing Episode 15 of Tiny Bach Concerts

May 17, 2022

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features introductory remarks by George Stauffer and a performance by Renée Anne Louprette of Bach's Prelude, Trio, and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541.2. Read more…

Episode 14 of Tiny Bach Concerts now live

March 16, 2022

We’re pleased to launch episode 14 of Tiny Bach Concerts, which features introductory remarks by Ruben Valenzuela and performances of Sinfonia, BWV 42/1 and “Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei,” BWV 179/1 by Bach Collegium San Diego. Read more…

Just Released: Episode 13 of Tiny Bach Concerts

January 16, 2022

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features a performance by Josh Cohen (baroque trumpet) and the 2019 Chestnut Hill Summer Festival ensemble of Bach’s second Brandenburg Concerto in F major, BWV 1047, with introductory remarks by Bettina Varwig (Cambridge University). Read more…

Bach Notes vol. 35 (Fall 2021) now available

December 3, 2021

Bach Notes no. 35 (Fall 2021) is now live and copies have been mailed to members who have requested them. This issue features a tribute to Don O. Franklin; Nina Raine’s Bach & Sons (Stephen Roe), Bach’s Musical Universe (Stephen A. Crist), Bach’s Legacy (Iain Quinn), and Late Style and the Idea of the Summative Work in Bach and Beethoven (Christina Fuhrmann); a report on the recent ABS award winners; ABS publications; the Call for Papers for the upcoming “Bach and Authority” biennial meeting; announcements; and member news. Read more…

Announcing episode twelve of Tiny Bach Concerts

November 15, 2021

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features a performance by Luosha Fang of the Ciaccona (from Partita in D minor, BWV 1004), with introductory remarks by Raymond Erickson. Read more…

Announcing the eleventh episode of Tiny Bach Concerts

October 15, 2021

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features a performance by Victoria Suchodolski of the Italian Concerto, BWV 971, with introductory remarks by Erinn Knyt. Read more…

Call for Papers: ABS Biennial Meeting in October 2022

October 7, 2021

We are pleased to announce the call for papers for our upcoming biennial meeting, “Bach and Authority,” to be held at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA on October 7–9, 2022. The deadline to submit is February 1, 2022. Read more…

Second session of Encounters with Eighteenth-Century Music on Oct 26

September 30, 2021

The second session of Encounters with Eighteenth-Century Music: A Virtual Forum features Sarah Eyerly presenting “Moravian Soundscapes: Hearing New Histories of Early America,” an exploration of the soundscapes and musical practices of eighteenth-century Moravian mission communities in eastern Pennsylvania. The Zoom meeting will be held Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 5:00-6:30pm EDT. The meeting will open 10-15 minutes early for greetings and informal discussion. For more details, including suggested readings, and to register for this event, click here.

Announcing the tenth episode of Tiny Bach Concerts

September 17, 2021

This month’s episode of Tiny Bach Concerts features a performance of C. P. E. Bach's Trio Sonata in A major, Wq 146 by Infusion Baroque, with introductory remarks by Reginald Sanders (ABS Secretary-Treasurer and Professor at Kenyon College). Read more…

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