J S Bach S Chromatic Fantasy And Fugue

Johann Sebastian Bach most likely composed the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue during his stay in Kothen between 1717 and 1723. Originally written for the harpsichord, the work was duly recognized as a masterpiece within its own era. Néstor Ausqui has taken extraordinary measures in creating a guitar transcription of this monumental piece. The fundamental tonality of D minor was retained to preserve the work’s sonority, and the 6th string of the guitar had to be lowered to D to expand the guitar’s range and adhere to the original key. The articulation of the piece often requires the use of the slur technique to maintain and enhance the legato effect in the melodic line. As the guitar has a more percussive character than the harpsichord, various inconveniences occur in the management or execution of the legato, but the transcriber has done his best to preserve the character of the original piece. Ausqui admits that the most arduous task was the fingering of the piece. He had to familiarize himself with Bach’s intentions and avoid shortcuts and aberrations which would have depleted the original harmonies and melodies. In the process, he discovered that utilization of the open strings can subtly enhance the balance of right and left-hand duties to achieve the timbre the original score mandates. Written in standard notation only, with each line of music forming only one measure, this piece is meant for the classical guitarist willing to accept an interpretive challenge to reap enormous musical benefits.

Johann Sebastian Bach most likely composed the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue during his stay in Kothen between 1717 and 1723. Originally written for the harpsichord, the work was duly recognized as a masterpiece within its own era.Nstor Ausqui has taken extraordinary measures in creating a guitar transcription of this monumental piece. The fundamental tonality of D minor was retained to preserve the works sonority, and the 6th string of the guitar had to be lowered to D to expand the guitars range and adhere to the original key.The articulation of the piece often requires the use of the slur technique to maintain and enhance the legato effect in the melodic line. As the guitar has a more percussive character than the harpsichord, various inconveniences occur in the management or execution of the legato, but the transcriber has done his best to preserve the character of the original piece.Ausqui admits that the most arduous task was the fingering of the piece. He had to familiarize himself with Bachs intentions and avoid shortcuts and aberrations which would have depleted the original harmonies and melodies. In the process, he discovered that utilization of the open strings can subtly enhance the balance of right and left-hand duties to achieve the timbre the original score mandates.Written in standard notation only, with each line of music forming only one measure, this piece is meant for the classical guitarist willing to accept an interpretive challenge to reap enormous musical benefits.

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s new open access publishing program for monographs. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. Fugue for J. S. Bach was a natural language; he wrote fugues in organ toccatas and voluntaries, in masses and motets, in orchestral and chamber music, and even in his sonatas for violin solo. The more intimate fugues he wrote for keyboard are among the greatest, most influential, and best-loved works in all of Western music. They have long been the foundation of the keyboard repertory, played by beginning students and world-famous virtuosi alike. In a series of elegantly written essays, eminent musicologist Joseph Kerman discusses his favorite Bach keyboard fugues—some of them among the best-known fugues and others much less familiar. Kerman skillfully, at times playfully, reveals the inner workings of these pieces, linking the form of the fugues with their many different characters and expressive qualities, and illuminating what makes them particularly beautiful, powerful, and moving. These witty, insightful pieces, addressed to musical amateurs as well as to specialists and students, are beautifully augmented by performances made specially for this volume: Karen Rosenak, piano, playing two preludes and fugues fromTheWell-Tempered Clavier—C Major, book 1; and B Major, book 2--and Davitt Moroney playing the Fughetta in C Major, BWV 952, on clavichord; the Fugue on "Jesus Christus unser Heiland," BWV 689, on organ; and the Fantasy and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 904, on harpsichord.

Hans Bischoff (1852--1889) was a German concert pianist and well-regarded music editor, who continues to be respected for his thorough research, attention to detail, and careful consideration of source materials. This newly engraved edition of the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, BWV 903 is based on Bischoff's analysis of several documents, including a 1730 manuscript belonging to the Berlin Royal Library. Bischoff's footnotes and prefatory commentary have been preserved, as well as his interpretive suggestions for performance. Also includes explanations of the ornaments used throughout the work, helpful fingering, and suggested realizations for the execution of the arpeggiated chords found in the "Fantasy." Measure numbers and BWV numbers have been included for easy reference.

A generous selection of Bach's best-known, most-performed, and most-recorded works for the keyboard, reproduced from the authoritative Bach-Gesellschaft edition. The 16 works — chiefly preludes, fugues, and fantasias — are reproduced in a format ideal for study and practice, with large noteheads, wide margins, and clear, bold printing.