Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist,
harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and
secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo
instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque
period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.
Although he did not introduce new forms, he enriched
the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal
technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and
motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms,
forms and textures from abroad, p...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist,
harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and
secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo
instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque
period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.
Although he did not introduce new forms, he enriched
the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal
technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and
motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms,
forms and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy
and France.
As this fugue is not part of Bach’s great keyboard
cycles, it disappeared from sight, along with many
other ‘separate fugues’. And yet this lively piece
with tastefully harmonic twists and turns would not
look out of place in the Wohltemperirte Clavier. While
Bach did include other ‘separate’ fugues in the
series later on, this one got away.
Since the late nineteenth century, BWV 952 has often
been included in editions of ‘little preludes and
fugues’. This led to the fugue becoming unjustly
sidelined. It went from being not-quite-WTC to
‘minor’ exercise material for beginners. Context is
everything.
Fortunately, Bach’s ‘separate’ harpsichord and
organ music also continued to be played. And in the
hands of a harpsichordist like Pierre Hantaï, the
quality of this fugue becomes suddenly clear again, and
we realise why the music has survived. It is easy to
imagine that Bach may indeed have considered including
this fugue in the Wohltemperirte Clavier. And it might
actually be a good test to listen to BWV 952 in the
place of one of the two C major fugues in the
Wohltemperirte Clavier.
PARTITION