Music and Time Annotation << Back About the Genre System of J.S. Bach’s Music A.I. Demchenko It is natural to begin the systematization of the creative heritage of J.S. Bach with the treasury of sacred music, since more than half of his legacy consists of compositions of spiritual themes and it is with this theme that the composer’s largest creations are connected. Together with the Magnifi cat, the composer’s three oratorios («Christmas», «Easter», «On the Ascension of Christ») make up a spiritual tetralogy dedicated to the main gospel events. But the most textbook and grandiose is, of course, the passion («Passion according to Matthew», «Passion according to John») and the Mass h-moll. Next to these canvases stands a huge array of spiritual cantatas (about two hundred have been preserved). The orchestral and concert genres are represented in Bach’s works mainly by three varieties: Brandenburg concertos, created according to the Concerti grossi type, suites for orchestra for different compositions, but always with a group of string instruments and a general bass, and instrumental concertos written on the Italian model, but at the same time Bach became the ancestor of the keyboard concerto. Organ music occupies a central place in his instrumental work (247 works), and the most voluminous section consists of chorale preludes based on the processing of church hymns. The next big and extremely important section of Bach’s legacy is music for solo clavier (271 compositions), in which the most significant fact was the creation of a «Well–tempered Clavier». Finally, a completely unique page of Bach’s legacy consists of his works for solo violin and cello (sonatas, partitas, suites). Keywords: the creative heritage of J.S. Bach, compositions of spiritual themes, orchestral and concert genres, chamber and instrumental music. Pp. 07-14.