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Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis

Catalogue of J.S. Bach's compositions

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The catalogue groups compositions by genre. Even within a genre, compositions are not necessarily collated chronologically. In part this reflects the fact that some compositions cannot be dated. However, an approximate or precise date can be assigned to others: for example, BWV 992 was composed many years before BWV 1.

Alternative classifications

The BWV classification is open to criticism, and the Bach scholar Christoph Wolff was involved in the design of an alternative, the Bach Compendium. Publication of the Bach Compendium began in 1985. The BWV, however, remains the standard reference, and Christoph Wolff has contributed to it as one of principal editors of the third edition.

BWV numbers were assigned to 1,126 compositions in the 20th century, and more have been added to the catalogue in the 21st century. The Annex of the BWV (BWV Anh.) lists over 200 lost, doubtful and spurious compositions. Occasionally works that have no BWV number can be identified by their BC number, e.g. BC C 8 for "Der Gerechte kömmt um", an arrangement attributed to Bach which was unmentioned in 20th-century editions of the BWV.

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