Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musici...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musicians today. Many consider him
the greatest composer of all time
This miniscule piece, which can be played in less than
two minutes even at a cautious tempo, is ascribed to
"Bernhardt Bach." That could mean any of three of J.S.
Bach's relatives, including his third, short-lived son
Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach. This Fantasia could
count as a two-part invention, with the right-hand
theme tiptoeing over a restless bass part that ranges
fairly widely, the two lines soon trading
question-and-answer phrases and sometimes switching
hands before reverting to their original
subject-accompaniment roles at the very end.
Although originally written for Harpsichord. I created
this Arrangement of the Fantasia in C Minor (BWV 919)
Transcribed to G Minor for Violin & Viola.