# Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous works

From the Toccata in D minor to the St Matthew Passion: the Bach works everyone knows, even without knowing their BWV number.

- 11 votes · 18 items
- Jun 23, 2024 · Johanna Winkler
- https://even.best/en/l/3216/johann-sebastian-bach-s-most-famous-works

## Top 18

1. **Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — One of the most famous organ works in music history.
2. **St Matthew Passion, BWV 244** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1727. The Passion according to Matthew; Mendelssohn revived it in 1829.
3. **Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046–1051** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1721. Six concertos for the Margrave of Brandenburg.
4. **Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — The calm melody known as "Air on the G String".
5. **The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Preludes and fugues in all 24 keys, twice over.
6. **Prelude in C major, BWV 846** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — The first piece of the Well-Tempered Clavier; Gounod set his Ave Maria over it.
7. **Goldberg Variations, BWV 988** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1741. An aria and thirty variations; made famous by Glenn Gould.
8. **Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — The chorale from Cantata BWV 147.
9. **Double Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Two violins in dialogue.
10. **Coffee Cantata, BWV 211** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — A comic cantata about the love of coffee.
11. **Italian Concerto, BWV 971** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — A concerto for a single harpsichord.
12. **Mass in B minor, BWV 232** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — His great legacy, completed shortly before his death.
13. **Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 1734. "Jauchzet, frohlocket!" for the Christmas season.
14. **St John Passion, BWV 245** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 1724. The first of his Leipzig Passions.
15. **Cello Suites, BWV 1007–1012** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Pablo Casals made them famous in the 20th century.
16. **Chaconne from Partita No. 2, BWV 1004** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — A summit of the violin repertoire.
17. **Sheep May Safely Graze** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The aria from the Hunting Cantata BWV 208.
18. **The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — His unfinished study of the fugue.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.