The Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the
German Organ Mass, is a collection of compositions for
organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, started in 1735–36
and published in 1739. It is considered Bach's most
significant and extensive work for organ, containing
some of his musically most complex and technically most
demanding compositions for that instrument.
In its use of modal forms, motet-style and canons, it
looks back to the religious music of masters of the
stile antico, such ...(+)
The Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the
German Organ Mass, is a collection of compositions for
organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, started in 1735–36
and published in 1739. It is considered Bach's most
significant and extensive work for organ, containing
some of his musically most complex and technically most
demanding compositions for that instrument.
In its use of modal forms, motet-style and canons, it
looks back to the religious music of masters of the
stile antico, such as Frescobaldi, Palestrina, Lotti
and Caldara. At the same time, Bach was
forward-looking, incorporating and distilling modern
baroque musical forms, such as the French-style
chorale.
The work has the form of an Organ Mass: between its
opening and closing movements—the prelude and "St
Anne" fugue in E-flat, BWV 552—are 21 chorale
preludes, BWV 669–689, setting parts of the Lutheran
mass and catechisms, followed by four duets, BWV
802–805. The chorale preludes range from compositions
for single keyboard to a six-part fugal prelude with
two parts in the pedal.
The purpose of the collection was fourfold: an
idealized organ programme, taking as its starting point
the organ recitals given by Bach himself in Leipzig; a
practical translation of Lutheran doctrine into musical
terms for devotional use in the church or the home; a
compendium of organ music in all possible styles and
idioms, both ancient and modern, and properly
internationalised; and as a didactic work presenting
examples of all possible forms of contrapuntal
composition, going far beyond previous treatises on
musical theory.
This smaller manualiter setting of Aus tiefer Noth
schrei' ich zu dir is a four-part chorale motet in the
key of F sharp minor, with the augmented cantus firmus
in the phrygian mode of E in the uppermost soprano
part. The strict contrapuntal writing is denser than
that of BWV 686, although it adheres less to the stile
antico and has a more uniform texture. Commentators
have suggested that the continual responses to the
fugue subjects by their inversion signify confession
followed by forgiveness. Williams (2003) has pointed
out the following musical features in the seven
sections of BWV 687: (1) in each section, the fugue
subject in quavers is derived from elements of the
corresponding cantus firmus; it is answered by
inversions of the subject in stretto. (2) In each
section, there are five bars with alto, tenor and bass
in counterpoint, followed by eight bars of the soprano
cantus firmus in minims and ending with a one bar
cadence. (3) As each cantus firmus episode progresses,
the accompanying lower parts move in a more animated
way.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavier-%C3%9Cbung_III).
Although originally created for Organ, I created this
Interpretation of the Chorale Prelude (BWV 687) "Aus
tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir" (Out of the depths I cry
to Thee) for Oboe & String Trio (Violin, Viola &
Cello).
SHEET MUSIC