First edition of the ''Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis'' (1950)
In 1950 the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis was published, allocating a unique number to every known composition by Bach. Wolfgang Schmieder, the editor of that catalogue, grouped the compositions by genre, largely following the 19th-century Bach-Gesellschaft edition for the collation :
Kantaten, BWV 1–224
Motetten, BWV 225–231
Messen, Messensätze, Magnificat, BWV 232–243
Passionen, Oratorien, BWV 244–249
Vierstimmige Choräle, BWV 250–438
Lieder, Arien, Quodlibet, BWV 439–524
Werke für Orgel, BWV 525–771
Werke für Klavier, BWV 772–994
Werke für Laute, BWV 995–1000
Kammermusik, BWV 1001–1040
Orchesterwerke, BWV 1041–1071, originally in two separate chapters: Concertos and Overtures
The Anhang of the BWV listed works that were not suitable for the main catalogue, in three sections:
[|I – lost works, or works of which only a tiny fraction had survived]
[|II – works of dubious authenticity]
[|III – works that were once attributed to Bach, but for which it had been established they were not composed by him]
Within each section of the Anhang the works are sorted by genre, following the same sequence of genres as the main catalogue.
Second edition of the ''Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis'' (1990 and 1998)
Schmieder published the BWV's second edition in 1990, with some modifications regarding authenticity discriminations, and more works added to the main catalogue and the Anhang. A strict numerical collation was abandoned to insert additions, or when for another reason compositions were regrouped. Authenticity discriminations, based on new research, could lead to such repositionings within the catalogue, e.g. "" became "" indicating it was now considered a spurious work. In 1998 Alfred Dürr and Yoshitake Kobayashi published a small edition of the catalogue, based on the 1990 second edition. This edition, known as BWV2a, contained a few further updates and collation rearrangements. New additions to BWV2/BWV2a included:
A few exceptions to the principle that compositions weren't renumbered were when a composition from the Anhang could be recovered and/or authenticated as Bach's, so that it deserved a place in the main catalogue, in which case it was given a number above 1080. So, for example, BWV Anh. 205 → BWV 1121. Other renumberings and additional numbers involved alternative or earlier versions of basically the same composition, which were indicated by adding a lower case letter to the BWV number. For example, was renumbered to BWV 149/1a Slashesindicate movements: e.g. BWV 149/1 indicates the first movement of the Cantata BWV 149. Another example: the Agnus Dei of the Mass in B minor can be indicated as BWV 232/22, or alternatively as BWV 232IV/4.
''Bachs Notenbibliothek'' (1992)
published Bachs Notenbibliothek in 1992. As a compendium of works in Bach's musical library, it listed as well Bach's own compositions, as works by other composers of which Bach owned a copy. Several compositions of this latter group are listed in the BWV Anh.. For example, the Kyrie–Gloria Mass for double choir, BWV Anh. 167, is listed as BNB I/An/3 in Beißwenger's catalogue.
As of mid-2018 the Bach Digital website started to implement the new numbers of the next edition of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis. The editors of this third edition of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis recognise that the BWV Anh. has become largely unworkable, calling for a new approach.
