Steps to Bach

An introduction to Bach.

A program consisting of a number of famous works,
and only one required work from Bach or Bach’s circle.

In this section, performing from memory is optional.
Contestants entering the Steps to Bach section, may play their works with the music.

  • The names of the First-Prizewinners with their recordings will be uploaded onto the Competition’s
    YouTube Channel
  • Teachers of 1st prizewinners will be announced including their city and country of origin
  • All other Prizewinners and their teachers will be listed on the Prizewinners’ page of our website PLAY BACH!
  • All Prizewinners and their teachers will receive a certificate from the competition
  • All participants will receive written feedback from the jury.
You can submit your application between 20 to 30 August 2023

Apply here 

The results will be announced on 30 September 2023

Entry fee: 50 Euro    /      1st Prize: Diploma

               Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

 

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 2 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 August 2023

Apply here 

The results will be announced on 30 September 2023

Entry fee: 50 Euro    /      1st Prize: Diploma

              Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

  • J. S. Bach: Musette in D major from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh. 126 – La Folia © Score
  • C. Petzold: Menuet G major from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh. 114 – La Folia © Score
  • G. P. Telemann: Vite in D major, TWV 33:16/3 – La Folia © Score
  • J. W. Hässler: 2 Preludes: No. 11 in F major and No. 5 in D minor, (360 Preludes Op. 47) – La Folia © Score

 Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 2 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 August 2023

Apply here 

The results will be announced on 30 September 2023

Entry fee: 50 Euro    /      1st Prize: Diploma

               Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

  • J. S. Bach: Aria from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh. 515 – La Folia © Score
  • C. P. E. Bach: March from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh.122 – La Folia © Score
  • J. C. F. Fischer: Prelude from the Suite No. 1 in C major – La Folia © Score
  • J. W. Hässler: 2 Preludes: No.6 in D Major and No.11 in B minor (360 Preludes Op.47) – La Folia © Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 3 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 September 2023

 The results will be announced on 30 October 2023
Entry fee: 70 Euro    /      1st Prize: Diploma

               Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

  • J. S. Bach: Little Prelude in C major BWV 933 – La Folia © Score
  • J. S. Bach: Minuet in G major from from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh. 116 – La Folia © Score
  • J. P. Telemann: Gigue al’ Anglaise from Der getreue Musik-Meister – La Folia © Score
  • J. W. Hässler: 2 Preludes: No. 5 in B-flat Major and No. 4 in G minor (360 Preludes Op. 47) – La Folia © Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 3 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 September 2023

 The results will be announced on 30 October 2023

Entry fee: 70 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

              Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below.

  • J. S. Bach: Little Prelude in F major BWV 928 – La Folia © Score
  • J. S. Bach: Little Prelude in C major BWV 933 – La Folia © Score
  • J. S. Bach – A. Siloti: Bourrée I and Bourrée II from the Cello Suite No. 3 – La Folia © Score
  • J. C. Bach: Toccata No. 68 (sometimes 69. It is called Toccata!) from the Methode ou Recueil – La Folia © Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 3 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 September 2023

 The results will be announced on 30 October 2023

Entry fee: 90 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

              Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below.

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 3 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 September 2023

 The results will be announced on 30 October 2023

Entry fee: 90 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

             Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below.

  • J. S. Bach: Prelude in C major from the Well-tempered Clavier I BWV 846
  • J. S. Bach: Menuet I from the Partita No. 1 in B-flat major BWV 825
  • J. S. Bach: Gigue from the Partita No. 1 in B-flat major BWV 825
  • D. Scarlatti: Sonata in D minor K. 90 – La Folia © Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 4 minutes

 You can submit your application between 20 to 30 October 2023

The results will be announced on 30 November 2023
Entry fee: 100 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

             Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below.

  • J. S. Bach: Invention No. 1 in C major BWV 772 – La Folia © Score
  • J. S. Bach: Gavotte 1 from the English Suite No. 3 in G minor BWV 808 –  Score
  • J. Pachelbel: Chaconne  D major (Theme and Variations) – La Folia © Score
  • D. Scarlatti: Sonata in C major K. 95 – La Folia © Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 4 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 October 2023

The results will be announced on 30 November 2023

Entry fee: 100 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

              Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

  • J. S. Bach: Any 1 Prelude & Fugue from the Well-tempered Clavier I or II – Score 1 or Score 2
  • J. S. Bach: Any two dances from one Suite
  • J. S. Bach: Italian Concerto 2nd movement BWV 971 – Score
  • J. S. Bach: Fantasia in A minor BWV 922 (without Fugue section. Bars 1 to 1st beat of bar 34 only) – La Folia © Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 5 minutes

You can submit your application between 20 to 30 October 2023

The results will be announced on 30 November 2023

Entry fee: 100 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

              Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

  • J. S. Bach: Any 1 Prelude & Fugue from the Well-tempered Clavier I or II – Score 1 or Score 2
  • J. S. Bach: Any two dances from one Suite
  • J. S. Bach: Prelude from the Partita No. 1 in B-flat major BWV 825 – Score
  • J. S. Bach: Prelude from the English Suite No. 3 in G minor BWV 808 – Score

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 6 minutes

 You can submit your application between 20 to 30 December 2023

The results will be announced on 30 January 2024
Entry fee: 100 Euro   /   1st Prize: Diploma

            Participants must record 2 works in total: one work from List A (required repertoire) and one from List B (free choice).

List A
Choose one work from the list below

  • J. S. Bach: Any 1 Prelude & Fugue from the Well-tempered Clavier I or II – Score 1 and Score 2
  • J. S. Bach: Any three dances from one Suite
  • J. S. Bach: 1st or 3rd movement from the Italian Concerto, BWV 971 – Score
  • J. S. Bach: Sinfonia from the Partita No. 2 in C minor BWV 826 – Score

 

Works can be played with, or without repeats.

List B

Own Choice: work of any period.
No Minimum length.
Maximum length 6 minutes

 You can submit your application between 20 to 30 January 2024

The results will be announced on 28 February 2024
Entry fee: 150 Euro   /   1st Prize: €350 + Diploma

Participants are being evaluated on a high standard of performance.
Thus, the jury is not obliged to award all the prizes.

Free Program consisting of the works of J. S. Bach and composers of his circle.

  • A Minimum of one original work of J. S. Bach must be included.
  • Transcriptions of works by Bach (e.g. by Brahms, Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Busoni or Rachmaninov, and others) are permitted.
  • Composers of his circle include: his immediate predecessors, contemporaries, sons and students.
    – His predecessors include: D. Buxtehude, J. Kuhnau, J. Pachelbel, and others;
    – His contemporaries include G. F. Handel, D. Scarlatti, C. Graupner, J. P. Rameau, F. Couperin, and others;
    – His sons and students include W. F. Bach, C. P. E. Bach, and J. C. Bach, J. P. Kirnberger, J. L. Krebs, and others.
  • Works can be played with, or without repeats.

Minimum length 20 minutes. Maximum length 25 minutes.