Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537
The Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 is a piece for the organ written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was composed during the composer's second period of residence in Weimar.[1][2]
Background of Composition
During his life, Bach had two tenures in Weimar, then a town with a population of only about 5000, but possessing a strong cultural tradition.[3] His second tenure began in 1708, when he left a post as a church organist in Mühlhausen to serve as an organist in the chapel of Weimar's ruling duke, Wilhelm Ernst.[4] He composed many of his organ works at Weimar, including the Orgelbüchlein, concerto transcriptions, and some fugues, although in the case of Bach's fugues it is often difficult to identify when they were composed.[2][5]
Analysis
The combined length of the fantasia and the fugue is about eight minutes;[6] the fantasia is written in 6/4 time, while the fugue is in 2/2. The fantasia of the piece is quite lush and very ornate, consisting of two unequal halves that both feature the same two basic musical ideas, an imitative dotted-rhythm tune, and a leaping eighth-note form, which is also in imitation, initiated by the pedals.[1] Unlike many of its contemporaries, it features no cadenza-like passage in which performers could show off their virtuosity. The fugue uses a steady theme four times in a row that can be easily recognised each time that it reappears. The total length of the fugue is 130 contrapuntal bars.[7]
Influence of the work
During his period in Weimar his fame as an organist grew, and he was visited by students of the organ to hear him play and to try to learn from his technique.[3]
The piece appeared in 1867 in the first complete edition of the composer's works, the Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe. The volume in question was devoted to organ music and edited by Wilhelm Rust.
Transcription
This piece was transcribed by Edward Elgar. He had a cordial friendship with Richard Strauss dating back to the German premiere of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius in Düsseldorf in 1901. They met in 1920, eager to heal the rift caused by the First World War. At the meeting, Elgar proposed that they orchestrate this work by Bach. Strauss would orchestrate the Fantasia and Elgar would work on the Fugue. Elgar completed his section in the spring of 1921, but Strauss never kept his part of the agreement. Elgar proceeded to orchestrate the Fantasia as well, and the final combined orchestration was first performed in the 1922 Three Choirs Festival, being held in Gloucester; the rendition was well received.[8]
References
- ^ a b Classical Archives
- ^ a b Caldwell, J. Keyboard music: the period of JS Bach. Grove Music Online. Retrieved 5 Feb. 2022 (subscription required)
- ^ a b Baroque music.org
- ^ "jsbach.org". Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
- ^ 8notes.com
- ^ Decca Publication No. 443 485-2
- ^ Allmusic.com
- ^ Elgar.org
External links
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Free download of BWV 537 recorded by James Kibbie on the 1721 Gottfried Silbermann organ in the Georgenkirche, Rötha, Germany
- v
- t
- e
- Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a (doubtful)
- Sonatas, BWV 525–530
- Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 531
- Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537
- Toccata and Fugue in D minor ("Dorian"), BWV 538
- Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540
- Fantasia and Fugue in G minor ("Great"), BWV 542
- Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543
- Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544
- Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546
- Prelude and Fugue in E minor ("Wedge"), BWV 548
- Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553–560 (doubtful)
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 562
- Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564
- Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (doubtful)
- Prelude (Toccata) and Fugue in E major, BWV 566
- Fantasia ("Pièce d'Orgue") in G major, BWV 572
- Fugue in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578
- Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
- Concertos, BWV 592–597
- Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599–644
- Schübler Chorales, BWV 645–650
- Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668
- Chorale partita Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig, BWV 768
- Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her", BWV 769
- Neumeister chorales, BWV 1090–1120
- Chorale fantasia Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 1128
- Inventions and Sinfonias, BWV 772–801
- English Suites, BWV 806–811
- French Suites, BWV 812–817
- Partitas, BWV 825–830
- Overture in the French style, BWV 831
- Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893
- Book 1
- No. 1 in C major
- No. 2 in C minor
- No. 3 in C♯ major
- No. 4 in C♯ minor
- No. 7 in E♭ major
- No. 10 in E minor
- No. 16 in G minor
- No. 21 in B♭ major
- No. 22 in B♭ minor
- Book 2
- No. 1 in C major
- No. 2 in C minor
- No. 3 in C♯ major
- No. 4 in C♯ minor
- No. 5 in D major
- No. 6 in D minor
- No. 12 in F minor
- No. 13 in F♯ major
- No. 18 in G♯ minor
- No. 22 in B♭ minor
- No. 24 in B minor
- Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906
- Toccatas, BWV 910–916
- Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938
- Italian Concerto
- Harpsichord solo concertos
- Goldberg Variations
- discography
- Gould recording
- Aria variata alla maniera italiana
- Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother
- Suite in G minor, BWV 995
- Suite in E minor, BWV 996
- Suite in C minor, BWV 997
- Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E♭ major, BWV 998
- Prelude in C minor, BWV 999
- Fugue in G minor, BWV 1000
collections
- Clavier-Übung III: Prelude and Fugue in E♭ major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552, Chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, Duets, BWV 802–805
- Concerto transcriptions, BWV 592–596 and 972–987
- Klavierbüchlein W. F. Bach
- Notebook A. M. Bach
- Twelve Little Preludes