← All composers
Portrait of Johann Christian Bach

Johann Christian Bach

Classical · 1735–1782

Johann Christian Bach was the youngest son of Johann Sebastian, and the one who wandered farthest from home. After his father's death he went to Italy, converted to Catholicism, and worked as a cathedral organist in Milan before opera drew him to London in 1762. He stayed for the rest of his life, becoming music master to the Queen and a fixture of the city's concert scene, where he ran a long series of public concerts with a fellow German musician.

Londoners called him the English Bach. His style has little of his father's density; it is graceful, melodic, and light on its feet, the galant fashion of the day. When eight-year-old Mozart visited London, the two played together, and Mozart admired him for the rest of his life.

Start with the Symphony for Double Orchestra in E major, op. 18 no. 5, then one of the op. 7 keyboard concertos.

182 works in the catalog, across 5 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.

Chamber

  • Duet no. 1 for Flute and Viola da Gamba
  • Duet no. 2 for Flute and Viola da Gamba
  • Duet no. 3 for Flute and Viola da Gamba
  • Flute Sonata in A major, op. 2, no. 5, B. 47b
  • Quartet in B flat major, for flute, violin, viola, and cello, op. 8, no. 6, CW B56
  • Quartet in B flat major, for flute, violin, viola and cello, CW B60
  • Quartet in F major, for flute, violin, viola, and cello, CW XB11
  • Quartet in G major, for 2 flutes, viola and cello, op. 19, no. 3, CW B63
  • Quartet in G major, for keyboard, violin, and 2 cellos, CW B66
  • Quintet for flute, violin, viola and cello in F major, op. 11, no. 3, CWB72
  • Quintet in C major, for flute, oboe, violin, viola and continuo, op.11, no.1
  • Quintet in D major, for flute, oboe, violin, cello, and keyboard, op. 22, no. 1, CW B76
  • Quintet in D major, for flute, oboe, violin, viola and continuo, op.11, no.6
  • Quintet in E flat major, for flute
  • Quintet in F major, for oboe, violin, viola, cello, and keyboard, op. 22, no. 2, CW B77
  • Quintet in G major, for flute
  • Sextet for keyboard, oboe, violin, cello and 2 horns in C, CWB78, "André Op.3"
  • Sextet in C major, for oboe, 2 horns, violin, cello and keyboard
  • Sontata for Guitar and Violin
  • Trio in C major, for two flutes and bass
  • Triosonata in C major, for violin
  • Triosonata in G major, for harpsichord, violin
  • Viola de Gamba Sonata in B flat major, op. 10, no. 1, W.B2
  • Viola de Gamba Sonata in F major, op. 10, no. 5, W.B6
  • Viola de Gamba Sonata in G major, op. 10, no. 3, W.B4
  • Violin Sonata in A major, op. 16, no. 4, CW B13
  • Violin Sonata in A Op.10, no. 4, CW B5
  • Violin Sonata in C major, op. 2, no. 4, W. B46
  • Violin Sonata in C major, op. 16, no. 3, CW B12
  • Violin Sonata in C Op.10, no. 2, CW B3
  • Violin Sonata in D major, op. 16, no. 1, CW B10
  • Violin Sonata in D major, op. 16, no. 5, CW B14
  • Violin Sonata in D major, op. 20 no. 2
  • Violin Sonata in D Op.10, no. 6, CW B7
  • Violin Sonata in F major, op. 16, no. 6, CW B15
  • Violin Sonata in G major, op. 16, no. 2, CW B11

Keyboard

  • 6 Sonatas, op. 5
  • 6 Sonatas for Keyboard, op. 17, CW A7-12, "Welcker"
  • March for Harpsichord in F major, CW A22
  • Sonata
  • Sonata
  • Sonata
  • Sonata for keyboard in C minor, op. 17, no. 2, CW A8

Orchestral

  • Harpsichord Concerto in B flat major, op. 13, no. 4, CW C65
  • Harpsichord Concerto in C major, op. 7, no. 1, CW C55
  • Harpsichord Concerto in D major, op. 13, no. 2, CW C63
  • Harpsichord Concerto in G major, op. 7, no. 6
  • Symphony for Double Orchestra in E major, op. 18, no. 5, CW C28
  • Symphony in D major, op. 3, no. 1, CW C1a
  • Symphony in D major, op. 18, no. 4, CW C27
  • Bassoon Concerto in B flat major, CW 36/195
  • Bassoon Concerto in B flat major, CW C83
  • Bassoon Concerto in E flat major, CW 36/139
  • Concerto for Oboe
  • Flute Concerto in D major, CW C79
  • Flute Concerto in G major, CW C78
  • Harpsichord Concerto in A major, op. 1, no. 2, CW C50
  • Harpsichord Concerto in B flat major, CW C68
  • Harpsichord Concerto in B flat major, op. 1, no. 1, CW C49
  • Harpsichord Concerto in B flat major, op. 7, no. 4, CW C58
  • Harpsichord Concerto in B flat major, op. 13, no. 4, CW C65, "The yellow haired laddie"
  • Harpsichord Concerto in C major, op. 1, no. 5, CW C53
  • Harpsichord Concerto in C major, op. 13, no. 1
  • Harpsichord Concerto in C major, op. 13, no. 1, CW C62
  • Harpsichord Concerto in D major, op. 1, no. 6, CW C54
  • Harpsichord Concerto in D major, op. 7, no. 3, CW C57
  • Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, CW C70
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E flat major, CW C75
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E flat major, op. 7, no. 5
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E flat major, op. 7, no. 5, CW C59
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E flat major, op. 13, no. 6
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E flat major, op. 13, no. 6, CW C67
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E major, CW C71
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F major, op. 1, no. 3, CW C51
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F major, op. 7, no. 2, CW C56
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F major, op. 13, no. 3
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F major, op. 13, no. 3, CW C64
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, CW C69
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, CW C73
  • Harpsichord Concerto in G major, CW C72
  • Harpsichord Concerto in G major, op. 1, no. 4, CW C52
  • Harpsichord Concerto in G major, op. 13, no. 5
  • Harpsichord Concerto in G major, op. 13, no. 5, CW C66
  • March vom ersten Bataillon des Garde-Regiments in Hannover, for wind band in E flat major no. 1, CW B88
  • Oboe Concerto in F major, CW C80
  • Oboe Concerto in F major, CW C81
  • Organ Concerto in B flat major, op. 13, no. 4, W. C65
  • Organ Concerto in E flat major, op. 13, no. 6, W. C67
  • Organ Concerto in E flat major, op. 17, no. 3
  • Organ Concerto in F major, op. 13, no. 3, W. C64
  • Overture: Carattaco, opera overture, CW G7ov
  • Overture: Zanaida, "Hummel"
  • Piano Concerto in E flat major, op. 14, CW C61, "Bailleux"
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Clarinets and Bassoon in E flat major, W C41
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Flutes, 2 Violins and Cello in D major, W C39
  • Symphonie Concertante for 2 Oboes, 2 Horns, 2 Violins, 2 Violas, Cello and Orchestra in E flat major, CW C40
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins, 2 Violas, 2 Oboes, 2 Horns, and Cello in E flat major, W C40
  • Symphonie Concertante for 2 Violins, Cello, 2 Flutes and Orchestra in D major, CW C39
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins, Cello, and Orchestra in C major, CW C36b
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins, Cello, Flute, and Orchestra in E major, CW C44
  • Symphonie Concertante for 2 Violins, Cello and Orchestra in C major, CW C36a
  • Symphonie Concertante for 2 Violins, Cello and Orchestra in E flat major, CW C42
  • Symphonie Concertante for 2 Violins, Cello and Orchestra in G major, CW C32
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins, Oboe, and Orchestra in E flat major, CW C33ab
  • Symphonie Concertante for 2 Violins, Oboe and Orchestra in E flat major, CW C33ab
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins and Cello in C major, W C36a
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins and Cello in G major, W C32
  • Symphonie concertante for 2 Violins in D major, W C35
  • Symphonie Concertante for Flute, 2 Clarinets, Bassoon, 2 Horns and Orchestra in E flat major, CW C41
  • Symphonie concertante for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in C major, CW C43
  • Symphonie Concertante for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello and Orchestra in C major, CW C43
  • Symphonie concertante for Flute, Oboe, Violin and Cello in C
  • Symphonie concertante for Flute, Oboe and Bassoon in E flat major, W C37
  • Symphonie Concertante for Oboe, Cello
  • Symphonie Concertante for Oboe, Cello
  • Symphonie concertante for Oboe, Violin, Cello and Fortepiano in B flat major, W C48
  • Symphonie Concertante for Oboe, Violin, Viola, Cello and Orchestra in G major, CW C45
  • Symphonie concertante for Oboe and Bassoon in F major, W C38
  • Symphonie Concertante for Piano, Oboe, Violin, Cello and Orchestra in B flat major, CW C48
  • Symphonie concertante for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in A major, CW C34
  • Symphonie Concertante for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A major, CW C34
  • Symphonie Concertante for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in B flat major, CW C46
  • Symphony for Double Orchestra in E flat major, op. 18, no. 1, CW C26
  • Symphony for Wind Instruments no. 1 in E flat major, CW BInc7
  • Symphony for Wind Instruments no. 2 in B flat major, CW BInc8
  • Symphony for Wind Instruments no. 3 in E flat major, CW BInc9
  • Symphony for Wind Instruments no. 4 in B flat major, CW BInc10
  • Symphony for Wind Instruments no. 5 in E flat major, CW BInc11
  • Symphony for Wind Instruments no. 6 in B flat major, CW BInc12
  • Symphony in B flat major, op. 3, no. 4, CW C4a
  • Symphony in B flat major, op. 6, no. 4, CW C10
  • Symphony in B flat major, op. 9, no. 1, CW C17b, "Hummel"
  • Symphony in C major, op. 3, no. 2, CW C2a
  • Symphony in D, CW XC3, "Schmitt Op.18, no. 1"
  • Symphony in D major, op. 6, no. 2, CW C8
  • Symphony in E flat major, op. 3, no. 3, CW C3a
  • Symphony in E flat major, op. 6, no. 3, CW C9
  • Symphony in E flat major, op. 6, no. 5, CW C11
  • Symphony in E flat major, op. 9, no. 2, CW C18b
  • Symphony in F major, op. 3, no. 5, CW C5a
  • Symphony in G, op. 6, no. 1, CW C6b, "Huberty"
  • Symphony in G major, op. 3, no. 6, CW C6a
  • Symphony in G major, op. 6, no. 1, CW C7ab
  • Symphony in G minor, op. 6, no. 6, CW C12
  • Symphony no. 11 in E flat major, op. 6, no. 5, CW C11
  • Symphony no. 12 in G minor, op. 6, no. 6, CW C12
  • Symphony no. 13 in G, op. 8, no. 2, CW E13,, "Markordt"
  • Symphony no. 14 in D, op. 8, no. 3, CW E14,, "Markordt"
  • Symphony no. 15 in F, op. 8, no. 4, CW E15,, "Markordt"
  • Symphony no. 16a in C major, Venier no. 46, CW C16a
  • Symphony no. 17a in B flat major, CW C17a, "Sieber no. 2"
  • Symphony no. 18a in E flat major, CW C18a
  • Symphony no. 19a
  • Symphony no. 27 in D major, op. 18, no. 4, CW C27
  • The Periodical Overture no. 1 in D major, W. G23b: Gli uccellatori
  • Viola Concerto in E flat major

Stage

  • Adriano in Siria, CW.G6
  • Alessandro nell'Indie, W.G3
  • Amadis des Gaule, W.G29
  • Artaserse, CW.G1
  • Catone in Utica, W.G2
  • Il tutore e la pupilla, W.G24
  • La calamita de' cuori, W.G27
  • La cascina, W.G26
  • La clemenza di Scipione, CW.G10
  • La Giula, W.G22B
  • Lucio Silla, CW.G9ov
  • Zanaida, op. 9, no. 3, CW.G5ov/b

Vocal

  • Beatus vir, for voice, chorus and orchestra, W E17
  • Confitebor tibi Domine, for voice, chorus and orchestra, W E16
  • Der Weise auf dem Lande, song for voice and continuo, CW H2
  • Die Amerikanerin. for soprano and orchestra, HW18/3 Cantata
  • Dies irae for 4 Vocal Soloists and Double Chorus, W E12
  • Domine ad adiuvandum, for voice, chorus and orchestra, W E14
  • Gioas, re di Giuda
  • Introit and Kyrie, for Double Chorus and Orchestra, CW E11
  • Laudate pueri, for voice, chorus and orchestra, W E19
  • Magnificat, for 4 solo voices, chorus and orchestra in C major, CW E22
  • Magnificat, for voice, chorus and orchestra, W E22
  • Mezendore, song for voice and continuo, CW H1
  • Miserere
  • Tantum ergo, for 4 solo voices, chorus, and orchestra in G major, CW E26

Related composers

Keep a listening journal.

Opus is free on the App Store.

Download on the App Store