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.
Some reference works list this fughetta as being of
doubtful authorship. If J.S. Bach did indeed compose
this short piece -- and he seems the likeliest
candidate -- he may well have intended it as a
pedagogical work, like his Little Preludes (12) and
Little Preludes (6), which date to or around the period
of 1717-1720. This Fughetta in C minor is a relatively
simple piece for the performer, but like most of the
composer's instructive works, also offers something for
the listener. It opens with a simple theme, which at
first almost sounds like a practice scale, but the
music quickly expands on this seemingly unpromising
beginning and takes on a lively, colorful manner, with
jaunty little trills and other ornamentation. The fugal
writing, while also rather simple, blends perfectly and
the left-hand part often emerges as the main line. As
the work progresses, it does develop a measure of
complexity and seems on the verge of further thematic
expansion when it abruptly ends. This fughetta has a
duration of a bit less than two minutes and, its
question of authorship notwithstanding, will prove
quite interesting to many listeners
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