This piece is the second of four "duets" included in a
self-published collection ("Clavierübung" is German
for keyboard practice) of works for organ, although
this composition is usually played on the piano or
harpsichord. The title "duet" refers in this case to
the two voices of the part-writing, as in Bach's
well-known Two-Part Inventions, rather than to separate
instruments.
The lively primary subject begins with three ascending
punctuated notes of the tonic chord and then proceeds
...(+)
This piece is the second of four "duets" included in a
self-published collection ("Clavierübung" is German
for keyboard practice) of works for organ, although
this composition is usually played on the piano or
harpsichord. The title "duet" refers in this case to
the two voices of the part-writing, as in Bach's
well-known Two-Part Inventions, rather than to separate
instruments.
The lively primary subject begins with three ascending
punctuated notes of the tonic chord and then proceeds
to skip happily along to the upper tonic. The second
voice then enters in brief imitation ending with both
voices in fast parallel intervals. A short passage of
alternating descending and ascending patterns in both
hands follows before the theme re-enters and the large
phrase comes to a simple cadence.
The middle section begins afresh with another subject,
a quite strange chromatic melody that first glides
slowly, then rushes forward in bursts to cadence with a
mordent figuration. The second voice comes in with the
figure which quickly modulates through several remote
keys and never comes to a final halt but instead rushes
back into the first theme again by a swiftly descending
scale run. The theme is now presented with constantly
interweaving and on-rushing scales to soon arrive at a
bright and definitive conclusion.
PARTITION