Topic: New Video Bach Fugue n 18 in G-sharp min. BWV 863
Dear Friends,
Today we end our adventure in the key of G minor of WTC1 with the Fugue.
The fugue (à 4) is one of the most expressive of the whole work, so impregnated is it with subjective feeling, and developed in so pleasing and natural a manner that nowhere is there a trace of fugue fetters (in this respect I might compare it to the F-minor fugue of the second book).
Marx is right in insisting that the character of a fugue is essentially established from the commencement by the voice position with which it opens. In the present case the theme is first given out by the tenor, /. e. the fugue begins in a low middle position. The character of the melody of the theme is an unusual one; it advances in slightly curved line from the fundamental note to the third, and rises further (by means of a tritonel) to the
fifth, but from thence (in the key of the dominant) descends, by wide steps and with repetition of notes, to the lower octave of the dominant.
It should be carefully noticed here that by its appended motives, the first half of the theme receives a certain philosophical repose and precision, the simple reason of which is, that both the upward steps occur in these appended motives. In order rightly to grasp the theme, one ought to think over, and thoroughly realise the effect of the two following false readings. the first of which is rendered impossible by the continuation (which cannot be properly rounded off), but the second, by Bach's harmonisation of the theme (cf. the soprano entry). What a striking equilibrium, on the one hand, between the pressing onward of the harmony and the counterbalancing holding-back on the opening accented
beat, and on the other hand, between the upward striving
melody and the backward-turned movement of the harmony!
I hope you liked it !
My actual setting is:
Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage Video Recording Samsung Galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.4.0
https://youtu.be/Fm7M3GA8QZA
