Baroque · 1685–1750
Bach music for your video — 20 recordings, licensed once
Is Bach public domain? The compositions are — Bach died in 1750, more than 70 years ago. The recordings are not: every recording carries its own rights, held by its performers and producer. Using Bach in a video therefore needs a licence for the recording you use. Here are 20 Bach recordings that Artyfile licenses directly: €29.90 once per track, worldwide and for life, with a licence certificate as proof.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750, born in Eisenach) was Thomaskantor in Leipzig from 1723 until his death and is the central figure of the late Baroque. The Brandenburg Concertos, the Air from the Orchestral Suite No. 3, the Cello Suites and the organ Toccata and Fugue in D minor are among the classical pieces most used in film, advertising and online video.
Listen: Bach in Artyfile recordings
Every recording €29.90 once · worldwide, for life · instant WAV
All 20 Bach recordings
Original work = the composition as written. New arrangement = a newly composed arrangement, a protected work of its own; the Artyfile licence covers both.
| Recording | Performed by | Version | Suited for | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bach: Brandenburg 3 - 2nd | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Fashion & luxury, Trailer & promo, Party & celebration | €29.90 |
| Bach: Toccata and Fugue | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Film & TV, Trailer & promo, Video games | €29.90 |
| Bach: Prelude Patita in E | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Film & TV, Fashion & luxury | €29.90 |
| Bach: Brandenburg 5 | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Fashion & luxury, Trailer & promo, Corporate & presentations | €29.90 |
| Bach: Violin Concerto in E | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Fashion & luxury, Film & TV, Trailer & promo | €29.90 |
| Bach: BWV11 Choral | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Documentary, Fashion & luxury | €29.90 |
| Bach: BWV211 Aria 2 | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Documentary, Corporate & presentations, Fashion & luxury | €29.90 |
| Bach: Orchestral Suite, Air | Paul Lorenz | Original work | Meditation, yoga & spa, Wedding & love story, Travel & nature | €29.90 |
| Bach: Brandenburg 3 - 1st | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Fashion & luxury, Party & celebration | €29.90 |
| Bach: Brandenburg 3 - 3rd | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Fashion & luxury, Corporate & presentations | €29.90 |
| Bach: Cello Suite, Pianoversion | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Film & TV, Fashion & luxury, Trailer & promo | €29.90 |
| Bach: Partita 3 Gavotte | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Fashion & luxury, Advertising, Film & TV | €29.90 |
| Bach: Brandenburg 2 - 1st | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Documentary, Film & TV | €29.90 |
| Bach: BWV 541 Prelude | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Film & TV, Documentary | €29.90 |
| Bach: BWV1015 Violinsonate | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Wedding & love story, Fashion & luxury | €29.90 |
| Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria Recomposed | Paul Lorenz | New arrangement | Film & TV, Wedding & love story, Documentary | €29.90 |
| Bach: Cello Suite Recomposed | Paul Lorenz | New arrangement | Trailer & promo, Corporate & presentations, Travel & nature | €29.90 |
| Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria Recomposed (Violin Version) | Artyfile Orchestra | New arrangement | Wedding & love story, Film & TV, Meditation, yoga & spa | €29.90 |
| Bach Air Recomposed | Paul Lorenz | New arrangement | Trailer & promo, Fashion & luxury, Corporate & presentations | €29.90 |
| Bach: Cello Suite Recomposed (Lounge Version) | Paul Lorenz | New arrangement | Travel & nature, Corporate & presentations, Fashion & luxury | €29.90 |
Is Bach’s music public domain?
- The composition
- Public domain — Bach died in 1750. Protection ends 70 years after the composer’s death; the works are free in the EU, the UK and the US. Anyone may perform, arrange and re-record them.
- The recording
- Protected in its own right — by the related rights of its performers and producer. A recording from Spotify, a CD or YouTube can’t simply be cut into your video, even though the composition is free. The Artyfile recordings you license directly: €29.90 once, or own a numbered 1% share of the master from €69.90.
Good to know
Two details people ask about. The Toccata and Fugue in D minor is traditionally attributed to Bach, though scholars debate it — the composition is public domain either way. Bach/Gounod’s Ave Maria lays Charles Gounod’s melody (1853) over Bach’s Prelude in C major; Gounod died in 1893, so that composition is public domain too. The tracks marked “Recomposed” are new arrangements made for Artyfile — a new arrangement is a protected work of its own, and the Artyfile licence covers it together with the recording.
Work by work with death years: public-domain classical rights table · for one specific piece: music copyright checker
Bach in video: which piece for which scene
- Elegance and luxury: the Air (“Air on the G String”) and its recomposed versions — brand films, weddings, hotel and real-estate tours; it never fights the voice-over.
- Energy and precision: the fast movements of the Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 2, 3 and 5 and the Violin Concerto in E — corporate, product and time-lapse edits, bright and driving.
- Darkness and drama: the Toccata and Fugue in D minor — villains, haunted houses, Halloween.
- Calm and reflection: the Cello Suite, the violin sonata BWV 1015 and the chorale BWV 11 — documentaries, memorials, slow interviews; Bach/Gounod’s Ave Maria for weddings and funerals.
What the licence covers
- Basic, €29.90 once: worldwide, lifetime sync rights for videos, ads, social media, film and broadcast, client work included. Instant WAV, invoice and licence certificate as proof.
- Limited Edition, from €69.90: everything in Basic plus a numbered 1% share of the master in the Artyfile register — with a share of this recording’s revenue, which may be zero.
- YouTube: Artyfile uses YouTube Content ID with a monetization policy. A claim may appear; it is not a copyright strike. With Basic, ad revenue claimed for the music goes to Artyfile, not to your channel.
- Public playback: Sync and master rights cover embedding this recording in your audiovisual projects. Public playback may require separate permission or collection-society fees from the venue or operator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bach’s music public domain?
The compositions are: Bach died in 1750, more than 70 years ago, so the works are public domain in the EU, the UK and the US. Recordings are a different matter — every recording is protected in its own right by the related rights of its performers and producer. To use Bach in a video you need a licence for the recording, for example one of the 20 Artyfile recordings from €29.90.
Can I use Bach in a YouTube video?
Yes, with a licensed recording. Artyfile uses YouTube Content ID with a monetization policy. A claim may appear; it is not a copyright strike. With Basic, ad revenue claimed for the music goes to Artyfile, not to your channel. With Limited Edition you share in it according to your master share. A recording taken from Spotify, a CD or another YouTube video is not licensed for your video, even though Bach’s composition is public domain.
How much does it cost to license a Bach recording?
€29.90 once per recording (Basic): worldwide, lifetime sync rights for videos, ads, social media, film and broadcast, with an invoice and a licence certificate. With Limited Edition you own a numbered 1% share of the master from €69.90.
Which Bach works can I license from Artyfile?
Currently 20 recordings, including the Air, the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, the Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 2, 3 and 5, the Cello Suite, the Violin Concerto in E and Bach/Gounod’s Ave Maria. Each recording has its own page with a preview and the licence.
Can I play Bach in my shop, restaurant or at an event?
That is public performance, not sync. Sync and master rights cover embedding this recording in your audiovisual projects. Public playback may require separate permission or collection-society fees from the venue or operator. The Artyfile licence covers embedding the recording in your own videos.
Sources & note
- EU term of protection: life + 70 years (Directive 2006/116/EC)
- EU sound recordings and performers: 70 years from release (Directive 2011/77/EU)
- UK: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 12–13A
- US: Public Domain Day 2026 (Duke CSPD)
General information, not legal advice. As of October 2026.