J.S. Bach: The Art of the Fugue

Track Listings

1. Contrapunctus 1

2. Contrapunctus 2

3. Contrapunctus 3

4. Contrapunctus 4

5. Contrapunctus 5

6. Contrapunctus 6

7. Contrapunctus 7

8. Contrapunctus 8

9. Contrapunctus 9

10. Contrapunctus 10

11. Contrapunctus 11

12. Contrapunctus 12 (Canon)

13. Contrapunctus 13 (Canon)

14. Contrapunctus 14 (Canon)

15. Contrapunctus 15 (Canon)

16. Contrapunctus 16 (double fugue)

17. Contrapunctus 17 (dbl.Fugue, two-pianos)

18. Contrapunctus 18 (dbl.Fugue, two-pianos)

19. Contrapunctus 19 (unfinished)

Editorial Reviews
From the Artist
After twenty years of concerts and recordings I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and arthritis in my right hand. With the help of the Yamaha Corporation, I developed a recording technique which replaces my fingers with a computer mouse and allows me to record with my left hand alone on an acoustic concert grand piano. The technique, called "Musical Sculpting", has the extra benefit for the listener of creating unparalleled clarity and the ability to hear complex music in a completely fresh way. The Art of the Fugue consists of 22 fugues (Contrapucti) built on a single theme. A fugue is a musical form in which several voices move independently of each other while maintaining a harmonious co-existence.

About the Artist
Peter Elyakim Taussig recorded over 200 broadcasts for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation spanning the complete chamber music of Beethoven, Schubert, Mendellsohn, Schumann, and Brahms. On the concert stage he collaborated with such musicians as John Eliot Gardner, Sir Andrew Davis, The Cleveland Quartet, Erich Kunzel, Elly Ameling, and Arthur Fiedler. Taussig has taught music at the University of Western Ontario and electronic media at the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. He was music... read more

Album Description
A unique solo piano recording of this monumental work, recorded by one of Canada's best known pianists who is disabled in his right hand. A computer-assisted technique allows the artist to use only his left hand and offers the listener an entirely new listening experience in which every voice can be followed as if played by a separate hand.

J.S. Bach: The Art of the Fugue

Tracks:

Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus I
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 2
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 3
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 4
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 5
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 6. a 4, im Stile francese
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 7, a 4, per Augmentationem et Diminutionem
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 8, a 3
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 9, a 4, alla Duodecima
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 10, a 4, alla Decima
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 11, a 4

Tracks:

Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Canon alla Ottava
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Canon alla Decima in Contrapuncto alla Terza
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Canon--Duodecima in Contrapuncto alla Quinta
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Canon per Augmentationem in contrario motu
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 13, a 3
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Inversus a 3
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 12, a 4
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Inversus a 4
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 14
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Choral: 'Vor deinen Thron tret' ich hiermit'

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performance.......2006-02-22

This is an excellent performance. My daughter thought it was neat. My son said it was OK. My wife liked it. Guests liked it too. Put that upside down or right side up, either way you go, we all agree it is an excellent performance. We will listen to it again and again. It is excellent in the mountains. It is neat in the marsh. It is OK by the lake....

Intelligent relaxation.......2005-11-03

There are so many performances of Art of the Fugue, highlighting different aspects of this profound music. My music dealer once told me that the Juillard Quartet was "playing with muscles" - he had probably not heard the performance. The reviewer below hits the mark by the characterization "spare and dry". It could seem boring, but the fact is that I prefer this version when I want some intelligent relaxation. This doesn't exclude it from being a lively performance, for some of the movements; it is more the uniform quartet sound for this kind of music that makes the overall mood of it so peaceful. Other times I prefer the elegant performance by Ristenpart or the engaging, emotional account by Munchinger (both orchestral). The colourful one by Savall is also very good, appealing very much to fantasy. This one with Juillard was my first Art of the Fuge and is still unmissable.

Wow.......2005-01-19

Bach's music presents the epitome of the craft of fugue-writing. Fugal forms permeate every part of Bach's writing -- from the most lyrical of the French Suites to the Brandenburg Concertos, to the Musical Offering and the Goldberg Variations, not to mention the Well-Tempered Clavier and the organ fugues. In many ways, all of Bach's work is an "art of fugue." But here we have Bach's genius distilled to its essence. No flowery melodies, no lyricism -- just the pure interaction of interlocking melodies; often dissonant, often disquieting, always incredible. While the Art of Fugue can be played on any arrangement of instruments (several very nice harpsichord and piano versions exist), the quartet arrangement of these pieces allows one to most clearly discern the various voices in these extraordinary fugues (and canons). The Juilliard Quartet provides remarkable performance of this landmark piece. Their style is spare and dry (though not as spare and dry as Emerson SQ's more recent recording). But real beauty bubbles up throughout these learned performances. The final fugue, which although unfinished is among Bach's longest, and which features the theme of Bach's name (Bb, A, C, and B), is played brilliantly and will be savored over again and again. If you have one recording of the Art of Fugue, this should be it.

Juilliard Illuminates Bach's Art of Fugue.......2000-12-13

In this amazing recording of Bach's Art of Fugue, the Juilliard String Quartet truly defines itself as one of the 20th Century's leading string quartets. While the Fugues were not originally composed for string quartet, the Juilliardians make it sound as though it couldn't be performed any other way! From start to finish, this is a must for every Bach-lover's AND string-quartet-lover's library!

Boring!.......2000-07-27

Bach's Art of Fugue is one of my favorite pieces, but I'm not fond of this particular performance of it. Each player seems to be trying to play a solo above the others rather than function as an ensemble, obscuring the counterpoint. There's nothing technically wrong with the performance, but there are far more interesting interpretations of the music on period instruments.

Average customer rating:

The Art of Peter Hurford

The Art of Peter Hurford

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Bach: Great Organ Works

ASIN: B0009OORA6
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

Passacaglia
Fugue
Fugue In G Major, BWV 577
Liebster Jesu, Wir Sind Hier, BWV 731
Prelude
Fugue
in Dulci Jubilo, BWV 608
Trio In D Minor, BWV 583
Fantasia In C Major
Fugue In D Major
Sonata No.12 In G Major, K274/271d
Fantasia In F Minor
Vater Unser Im Himmelreich
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Andante
II. Minue
I. Adagio
II. Allegro
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro

Tracks:

Prelude And Fugue On B.A.C.H.
Chorale Prelude Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen, Op.122 No.8
Church Sonata No.14 In C Major, K336/336d
I. Chorale - Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Molto
II. Fugue
III. Finale
Solemn Melody
Choral No.2 In B Minor
I. Lebhaft
II. Ruhig Bewegt
III. Fuge: Massig Bewegt, Heiter
Etude Symphonique
Scherzo
Final (Symphony No.1 In D Minor, Op.14)

Customer Reviews:

The Art of Peter Hurford.......2007-04-18

Easy going organ repertoire with some variation including different instruments or quire with organ in background. The interpretation is more an ambiance one then a concert performance with highlights and more deep moments. May be something to give you the taste of going further in the genre. A great moment : Fantasia in A minor with hoboe.

Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Earl Wild ~ The Art of the Transcription

Average customer rating:

Entertaining
Riveting
A true romantic.
Redemption of the Transcription

Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Earl Wild ~ The Art of the Transcription
Christoph Willibald Gluck , Jean-Philippe Rameau , Johann Sebastian Bach , Richard Wagner , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Fritz Kreisler , Felix Mendelssohn , Gioachino Rossini , Fryderyk Chopin , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Adolf Schulz-Evler , Mily Balakirev , Henri Herz , Sigismond Thalberg , Leopold Godowsky , and Earl Wild
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Andre Previn: Great Pianists Of The 20th Century (Music Of Mozart, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Gershwin)
Mitsuko Uchida
Daniel Barenboim
Jorge Bolet 1

ASIN: B00000IIYU
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Melodie d'Orphee
Rigaudon
Elegie
Tambourin
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
Isoldens Tod
The Flight Of The Bumble-Bee
Liebesleid
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo
Grande Fantaisie On 'Semiramide'
Chants polonais: My Joys
Chants polonais: Spring
Chants polonais: The Maiden's Wish
Swan Lake: Pas de quatre

Tracks:

Arabesques On 'An der sch, blauen Donau'
Fantasy On 'A Life For The Tsar'
La Cenerentola: Variations On 'Non pita'
Fantasy On 'Don Pasquale', Op.67
Symphonic Metamorphosis On 'Krleben'
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 7 The Man I Love
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 1 I Got Rhythm
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 4 Embraceable You
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 6 Fascinatin' Rhythm
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 5 Somebody Loves Me
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 3 Liza
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 2 Oh, Lady Be Good

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining.......2007-01-23

A very interesting pianist, this. He's an entertainer as well as a serious musician and he plays entertaining pieces. He is also a first class composer of transcriptions. Some of his charming Gershwin transcriptions (for which he is rightly famous) are included on this CD.

Earl Wild has an interesting pedigree in pianistic terms, having studied (if only briefly) with one of Liszt's many pupils. Technically he is often excellent, but some pieces seem to fall more easily under his fingers than others. For example, on another CD he makes rather a meal of Liszt's Grande Galope Chromatique but on this CD he plays superbly the fiendishly difficult Rachmaninoff arrangement of Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo - a piece which never lets up in its demand for a deft touch, accuracy and speed. Whatismore, the Scherzo is recorded live, so no editing and barely a single wrong note or misplaced phrase. Bear in mind that Rachmaninoff himself is reputed to have had three takes at it before ending up with a recording he was satisfied with! Overall I don't think Wild has the same order of technical ability as Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Rubinstein, Barere or Cziffra but he does demonstrate the vital ability to make certain pieces sound "right" in his hands. This certainly doesn't manifest itself in everything he plays, but more in the pieces where he seems to feel at home.

He has obviously put a lot of thought and work into some of these recordings and I would single out the Schubert-Tausig March, Rigaudon, the Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo, his Gershwin and Tschaikovsky transcriptions and the Blue Danube arabesques as particularly charming and well-performed. I doubt anyone could play his beautiful Embraceable You transcription as well as him. The 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody is also good - solidly played and with plenty of gypsy spirit, and he doesn't pull the piece about all over the place like most pianists do. And the Bumblebee isn't bad either. Also excellent is Gluck's Melodie d'Orphee. He plays this beautifully with exquisitely judged balance and tone. It's a shame some of the other pieces aren't quite as good - Isolde's Liebestod is off target, unfortunately.

I think Earl Wild was one of the great transcribers and it's a shame he didn't write a lot more transcriptions because each one is a beautiful addition to the piano literature. His short and sweet transcription of the Pas de Quatre from Swan Lake (which he plays on this CD) is a total masterpiece. He also dared to play entertaining pieces and to indulge in showmanship, and why not? Why should a concert be a dry lecture? Yes, he is one of the great pianists but not because he had a unique sound or technique - more because he was a great and daring performer and because he made a contribution to piano literature for which the world ought to be grateful.

Riveting.......2000-07-03

This is an incredible CD, marred only by audience coughing and the unnecessary, deafening applause at the end of most cuts, reminiscent of a sitcom laugh track (hence the 4 star rating instead of 5); otherwise, it would have been perfect. The excellent selection of music and Wild's virtuoso playing are both marvelous. I was particularly taken with the Bach fuge and the splendid Gershwin transcriptions. Don't miss this one!

A true romantic........2000-06-21

If you've never heard Earl Wild before, this is a good starting point for you. His technique is impeccable and his mastery of tone allows him to play the most intricate music in the clearest manner. I must admit this disc didn't grab my attention from the very beginning. I found many of these recordings to be an inconsequential jingle-jangle of notes with no true meaning. I still feel that way about the two Thalberg pieces. He may have been Liszt's worthy pianistic rival, but as a composer he comes nowhere close to the great Abbée. Here these pieces get as good a performance as they are likely to get. Also I think Moszkowski's arrangement of the D minor Prelude and Fugue is greatly inferior to Busoni's. I don't care for the way it's played here either. It's too rushed for my taste and it sounds too homophonic, I don't hear the counterpoint of the fugue. This, I believe, is the fault of the arranger and performer alike. The rest of the recordings are excellent. Schulz-Evler's Arabesques are brilliantly played although my favourite recording will always be Jorge Bolet's. Godowsky's transcriptions are so complex and crowded with melodic lines and sonorities that it will leave you gasping for breath. Their performance demands technical powers of the highest caliber. Without that the music will drown in notes. Earl Wild posesses precicely this technique, and in his hands these pieces sound spectacular. Henri Herz's variations may lack profundity but are charming nonetheless. The gems on this disc are Wild's "Virtuoso Etudes" after Gershwin. "Concert Etudes" would have been an even more appropriate title, for despite all the virtuosity, harmonic and melodic invention is the true protagonist. The mood ranges from witty to atmospheric and together with Wild's technique and beautiful tone these pieces create a wonderful unioun. Last but definently not least, I would like to mention the Glinka-Balakirev Fantasy. Here the art of transcription is at its peak and as before, Wild is in full command. Here especially is where his musical gifts shines the brightest. He has it all, perfect legato playing, beautiful singing tone and crystal clear pedaling. A flawless performance. Earl Wild is without doubt a member of the pianistic elite, an old school romantic. I for one think he would have deserved a second unit in the "Great Pianists" series.

Redemption of the Transcription.......2000-02-24

Be prepared: the first piece on this album weaves such a magical spell that you may be startled out of your chair by the applause at the end. The bulk of this collection is from a concert performance, and it was a humdinger. Wild not only displays his astonishing virtuosity, but demonstrates that many of these arrangements and transcriptions are valuable pieces of music in their own right. The Rameau becomes 20th-century neoclassicism through Godowsky and Wild. The Arabesques on the Blue Danube Waltzes becomes a more serious piece than the original ever was. And so on: the bottom line is it's an experience that you don't want to miss. The real gems of this collection, however, are not from the live recital: what I find myself going back to again and again are the Gershwin transcriptions by Wild himself. Breath-taking virtuosity, fascinating arrangements, a beautiful recorded sound, and some great tunes!

Average customer rating:

The Art of Virgil Fox Vol. 2
!

Art of Virgil Fox, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Art Of Virgil Fox
Virgil Fox Encores
The Wanamaker Legacy
Bach: Great Organ Works
Works for Organ - Essential Classics

ASIN: B000002S76
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

We All Believe in One God
Fantasia on The Old Hundredth
Perpetuum Mobile
Giga
Love's Old Sweet Song
Kamenoi Ostrow (Reve Angelique)
Poem
A Dream (Ein Traum)
Dreams
At Dawning
Minuet in G
Calm As The Night
A Perfect Day

Customer Reviews:

The Art of Virgil Fox Vol. 2.......2007-04-01

I find the recording quality of this CD to be very good. As a child I had the opportunity to meet the organist Virgil Fox through my mother, who was a friend and colleague of his (she was the soprano soloist at the Riverside Church where he was organist - the Riverside Church is also the place where the recordings were made). I also heard Mr. Fox live and found him to be a first-class artist. I can recommend the CD without reservation. Alexander Stevenson

!.......2003-11-19

This CD is just a small sample of the greatness of Virgil Fox. However, it is a must-have. It demonstrates the breadth of works which Fox mastered and in the more sentimental songs, those which he beautifully interpreted during his illustrious career; and these recordings at Riverside Church are an indispensable part of his legacy. The program starts with the majestic "We All Believe in one God", where we hear the control of dynamics and unique way Fox played Bach. Vaughn-Williams' work is an interesting fantasia on the familiar religious tune. The highlight of the CD is the Perpetuum Mobile. A favorite concert piece of Fox, it is an amazing flurry of notes, showing his amazing mastery of the pedalboard, and building to a tremendous crescendo and brilliant arpeggio. Giga is a rapid, merry piece which romps along in the manuals. Tracks 1-4 are the virtuoso organ pieces. Starting with Love's Old Sweet Song, # 5-13, the great interpretations of transcriptions, songs, and sentimental American pieces begin. The piano work Kamenoi Ostrow is a great transcription. A Dream and Calm as the Night are beautiful songs which are beautifully styled on the organ. In short, buy this CD - it is a musical and masterful recording.

Average customer rating:

Interesting program

The Art Of Piano Transcription

Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003LKT
Release Date: 1995-08-22

Tracks:

Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir: Sinfonia in D
Chorale And Chorale Prelude, 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme'
Fugue In G Major, 'The Gigue'
Chorale And Chorale Prelude, 'Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ'
Prelude And Fugue In A Minor
'By The Beautiful Blue Danube,' Concert Arabesques
'Fruhlingsglaube - Die linden Lufte sind erwacht'
'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam': Fantasy
'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam': Fugue

Customer Reviews:

Interesting program.......2000-10-23

The late Kevin Oldham's art is well captured in this interesting disk. The first half is made up of Bach transcriptions. They are lively performances well worth a listen. One curious point of differentiation in Oldham's disk is that he prefaces the Chorale Preludes he plays (Wachet auf, Ich ruf zu dir) with the Chorale itself. I doubt this really adds or detracts from the disk very much, but it's novel and different. One attractive feature is the addition of transcriptions by Ernest Nicholls and Oldham -- specifically of the sinfonia to the 29th Cantata (reminiscent very much of the Preludio for violin) and of the G major Gigue. They are all played with crisp detail and attention to voicing. The Bach performance I find least attractive is the Bach/Liszt A minor P&F. Oldham eschews the pedal, which adds to textural clarity, but tends to enervate what can be a thrilling performance. I would recommend Pizarro for this work.

Following on from the Bach, we get a Schubert lied, Faith in Spring, which is nicely phrased and alert, although not really very special. Following that, we get a most enjoyable Strauss/ Schulz-Evler Blue Danube, which is not the finest available -- Lhevinne stands alone -- but captures both the spangle and waltz lilt very well. The final item on the disk is probably the single strongest reason to buy it -- a performance of Busoni's transcription of Liszt's Fantasy & Fugue on Meyerbeer's Ad nos, ad salutarem undam. Contemporary with the b minor sonata and the B-A-C-H F&F, the work can be a little episodic, but it represents a vital opportunity to extend the large scale Liszt repertoire and contains, especially in the Fugue, some wonderful and exciting music, brought to as fine a conclusion as one could hope for. Oldham captures the work very well, although he is not completely secure in the final pages. The recording is good, without being exceptional, and Oldham's clear playing is well caught. If the program appeals, I recommend it.

Bach J.S.: The Art of Fugue (Ger)
Average customer rating:

Superb

My favorite version.

Bach J.S.: The Art of Fugue (Ger)
Goebel , and Musica Antiqua Koln
Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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J.S. Bach: A Musical Offering; Flute Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3 [Canada]

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto 4, 5, 6 - Overture - Orchestral Suite BWV 1069

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1, 2, 3 - Overture - Orchestral Suite BWV 1066

Bach: The Art of Fugue; Musical Offering

Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge

ASIN: B000025U5X
Release Date: 1995-08-01

Tracks:

Bwv1080-Contrapunctus 1
Bwv1080-Contrapunctus 2
Bwv1080-Contrapunctus 3
Bwv1080-Contrapunctus 4
Bwv1080-Cannon Alla Ottava
Contrapunctus 5
Contrapunctus 6, A 4, In Stylo Francese
Contrapunctus 2, A 4, Per Augmentationem Et Diminutionem
Cannon Alla Decima, In Contrapunto Alla Terza
Contrapunctus 9, A 4, All Duodecima
Contrapunctus 10, A 4, Alla Decima
Contrapunctus 8, A 3
Contrapunctus 11, A 4
Canon Alla Duodecima In Contrapunto Alla Quinta
Contrapunctus 12, A 4. Rectus
Contrapunctus 12, A 4. Inversus
Contrapunctus 13, A 3. Rectus
Contrapunctus 13, A 3. Inversus
Fuga A 2 Clav.
Alio Modo. Fuga A 2 Clav.
Canon Per Augmentactionem In Contrario Motu
Fuga A 3 Soggetti (Contrapunctus 14)

Album Details

The Art of Fugue was J.s. Bach's Final Composition which Many Justifiably Regard as the Apotheosis of his Legacy. This Arrangement by the Musica Antiqua Koln is One of the Most Austere Chamber Versions on CD with Nearly Half of the Movements Interspersed Evenly Throughout the Performance Played by Only One Or Two Instrumentalists. In Essence, One Gets the Advantage of Listening to Both Solo Instrumental and Ensemble Approaches Here! Incidentally, When this Performance was Recorded in 1984 Many in the Group were Up and Coming Musicians Rising Through the Ranks Though Today Count Among the Most Highly Regarded Period Instrument Elite.

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2004-01-14

Baroque string quartet and harpsichord share the contrapuncti. The quartet playing is definitive, with natural and loving playing of the individual lines and at the same time great precision of ensemble and unity of mind. A very considered performance, which seems to have left no note or texture to chance. Playing is focused throughout - on the notes, but at the same time on the great longing of the music; the searching harmonies not finding resolution until the final D major chord, added here to complete a work left incomplete by Bach's death - the players taking the duty of closing Bach's eyelids. Without laying out the object of this longing, this performance goes as far as can be gone.

My favorite version........2003-07-19

I don't know what it is about Musica Antiqua Koln, but everytime I hear something by them it seems everyone else plays it wrong.
I would say this is a very authentic style recording. I loved their choice of tempi and instruments. They play things a little faster than other groups, this isn't that drastic. It's crisp, clear, and expressive.

Average customer rating:

A Superb Harpsichord Version of 'Art of Fugue'
Bach's Art of Fugue on Naxos

J.S. Bach: The Art of Fugue

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Bach: The Art of Fugue; Musical Offering
The Art of Fugue: Bach Fugues for Keyboard, 1715-1750

ASIN: B000F6YWTO
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Tracks:

Fugue 1
Fugue 2
Fugue 3
Fugue 4
Fugue 5
Fugue 6
Fugue 7
Fugue 8
Canon In Hypodiapason
Fugue 10
Fugue 11
Canon In Hypodiatessaron, Al Roverscio E Per Augmentationem
Fugue 13 (A) Forma Recta
Fugue 13 (B) Forma Inversa
Fugue 14 (Forma Inversa)
Canon Al Roverscio Et Per Augmentationem
Fugue 19 (Fragment Of A Fugue With Several Subjects)

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Harpsichord Version of 'Art of Fugue'.......2006-06-01

Surprisingly there aren't that many recordings of Bach's summa, 'Art of Fugue,' played on the harpsichord. Granted, he laid it out in open score, leaving instrumentation an enigma. But it has long been played and recorded on various keyboard instruments including piano, organ, even claviorgan -- not to mention saxophones, string quartet, string orchestra, guitar duet, recorder quartet etc. There was a pioneering 1950 harpsichord recording by Gustav Leonhart, and subsequent excellent versions by Kenneth Gilbert and Davitt Moroney. This mid-price Naxos recording by Sébastien Guillot is every bit as distinguished as its forebears.

The sound of Guillot's harpsichord is a delight. It is gentle rather than brusque. One does not hear the annoying chuff so often heard in harpsichord recordings where the microphones have been placed too close to the instrument. Indeed, the sound of the insrument is so clear and lifelike that one can follow the separate contrapuntal strands with ease and no aural fatigue. Guillot does not indulge in any distracting mannerisms. He varies tempi just enough to give interest in what can be, let's face it, a bit monotonous when listened to straight through. He plays the work in the order found in Bach's autograph, not in its first published version. This means he leaves out some accretions of later years. He does not supply a completion for the unfinished Fugue XIX but simply leaves off when Bach's score does. I find this moving and, in some strange way, satisfying. It reminds us Bach was a mortal being, not just a Great Composer.

I have tended to prefer 'Art of Fugue' on piano, or in the spectacular version made a few years ago by the Emerson Quartet, but for now this version featuring the clean and limpid sound of Guillot's harpsichord is the one I listen to again and again.

Scott Morrison

Bach's Art of Fugue on Naxos.......2006-05-26

In his biography, "Johann Sebastian Bach: the Learned Musician" (2000), Christoph Wolff wrote (p. 437): "the 'Art of Fugue' stands before us as the most comprehensive summary of the aged Bach's instrumental language. At the same time it is a highly personal statement ... Bach created an autonomous work of art that embodies the character and universality of his art." Wolff further observed on the nature of the "Art of Fugue" (p. 432):

"The entire multisectional work is derived from the same thematic material, a musical plan that presupposes a far-reaching thought process, regarding the harmonic-contrapuntal implications of the chosen theme. The result is more than a study of fugue: it is a compendium of the range offered by the utmost concentration and the highest technical demands of instrumental counterpoint."

Bach had composed substantial portions of the Art of Fugue by 1742. Bach continued to add to and revise his work and was preparing it for publication at the time of his death in 1751. The work is not scored for a specific instrument. I have heard it performed live on the organ. On this new Naxos CD Sebastien Guillot performs this sublime music on the harpsichord, an excellent choice for capturing the linear character of the music. Indeed, the Art of Fugue can be viewed as a successor to Bach's two other great compilations of fugue: the "Well-Tempered Clavier" and the "Goldberg Variations". Guillot's instrument has a subdued tone, with little of the silvery, bell-like sound characteristic of some harpsichords.

This recording is unusual in that it adopts the ordering of the pieces that Bach utilized in his manuscript. When he prepared the work for publication, he changed the title of each work from "fugue" or "canon" to "Contrapunctus". In addition, Bach ordered the work differently, arranging it into five sections each of which illustrated a different form of contrapuntal technique. Although it does not reflect Bach's final decision about the organization of his masterpiece, Bach's initial version performed here captures the monumental, building style of the work, as each fugue or canon gradually increases in length and complexity.

The "Art of Fugue" constitutes Bach's final testament to the fugual style and its potentialities. The entire cycle is based upon a single simple theme stated at the outset in the first work, "Fugue 1" in this version. The work opens with a series of eight increasingly complex fugues. The initial group is followed by a series of difficult fugues and canons and concludes with an unfinished four-theme fugue. One of the themes of the final fugue is based on the musical notes B-A-C-H (B-flat). This final section remained unfinished. The first few fugues are short, and they expand as the work progresses.

Each part of the set opens with simple material, a variant of the opening theme, and Bach gradually unfolds the scope and implications of his original idea in complex architecture, using the full range of fugal technique. The music is highly organized, difficult, and abstract. It is Bach writing both with total freedom and with the tightest discipline, creating an inexhaustible work of mind and the imagination.

This music requires patience, but the listener will be amply repaid. The "Art of Fugue" is a transcendental score, at the summit of Bach's achievement.

Robin Friedman

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J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000AOVOG
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Classical Brass - Eastern Brass Quintet - works by Malcolm Arnold, Gabrieli, J.S. Bach, Hindemith, Charles Ives, etc.

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Classical Brass - Eastern Brass Quintet - works by Malcolm Arnold, Gabrieli, J.S. Bach, Hindemith, Charles Ives, etc.
Malcolm Arnold , Johann Sebastian Bach , Morley Calvert , John Cheetham , Francois Couperin , Giovanni Gabrieli , Paul Hindemith , Antony Holborne , Charles Ives , Claudio Monteverdi , Johann Hermann Schein , and Eastern Brass Quintet
Manufacturer: Klavier
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000009K6H
Release Date: 1990-11-01

Tracks:

Arnold: Quintet
Schein: Israelis Brunnlein: Die mit Tranen saen
Calvert: Suite from the Monteregian Hills
Hindemith: Morgenmusik
Monteverdi: Concertato "Qui rise Tirsi"
Monteverdi (arr. Baxter): Scherzi Musicali: O Rosetta
Bach (arr.): Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Bach (arr.): Sarabande
Bach (arr.): Minuet
Bach (arr.): Fantasie
F. Couperin (arr.): La Tromba; Air Tendre
Gabrieli: Canzona per Sonare No. 2
Bach (arr.): Art of the Fugue: Contrapunctus I
Bach (arr.): Art of the Fugue: Contrapunctus IX
Cheetham: Scherzo
Holborne (arr.): Muy Linda; Pavan; Galliard
Ives (arr.): On the Counter
Ives (arr.): Side Show
Ives (arr.): Slow March
Ives (arr.): Tarrant Moss

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A great purchase.......2006-10-09

Very clean playing, a high quality recording with wonderful balance.

Fantastic playing! Great repertoire.

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New Approach to J. S. Bach

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DG04
Release Date: 1998-10-27

Tracks:

Ov/Kircher's Infulence On Bach's Music: Exc: (1/2) Con (III. Allegro)/(1.2) Cant BWV201... - A New Approach To Johann Sebastian Bach
Hexachordum Apollinis/Fifth Aria, Theme And Vars 1-3 - John Butt
Chor & 3 Partitas BWV767: O Gott, Du Frommer Gott - Lionel Rogg
Chor: Christ Lag In Todesbanden - Francis Chapelet/Matheu Bosch
Armonico Tributo: Con Grosso No.3: (5.1) Son. Grave (5.2) Allegro - Ens 415/Chiara Banchini/Jesper Christensen
Toccata And Fugue in F, BuxWV157 - Rene Saorgin
'Yale Manuscript' Chor Prlds: Chor Prld 88: Erhalt Uns, Herr, Bei Deinem Wort - Joseph Payne/Bozeman-Gibson
'Yale Manuscript' Chor Prlds: Chor Prld 60: Aus Tiefer Not Schrei Ich Zu Dir - Joseph Payne/Bozeman-Gibson
'Yale Manuscript' Chor Prlds: Chor Prld 93: Jesu, Meine Freude - Joseph Payne/Bozeman-Gibson
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Coro Lass, Furstin, Lass Noch Einen Strahl - La Chapelle Royale/Philippe Herreweghe
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Recitativo: Dein Sachsen - Ingrid Schmithusen
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Aria: Vestummt! - Ingrid Schmithusen
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Recitativo: Der Glocken Bebendes Geton - Charles Brett
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Aria: Wie Starb Die Heldin So Vergnugt - Charles Brett
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Recitativo: Ihr Leben Liess Die Kunst Zu Sterben - Howard Cook
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part One: Coro: An Dir, Du Furbild Grosser Frauen - La Chapelle Royale/Philippe Herreweghe
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part Two: Aria: Der Ewikeit Saphirnes Haus - Howard Cook
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part Two: Recitativo: Was Wunder Ist? - Peter Kooy
Trauerode/Cant BWV198: Part Two: Chor Ultimus: Doch, Konigin! - La Chapelle Royale/Philippe Herreweghe

Tracks:

Fant in G, BWV572 - Lionel Rogg
Pastorella in F, BWV590 (First Section) - Lionel Rogg
Con BWV1060: III. Allegro - Academy Of Ancient Music/Andrew Manze/Rachel Podger
Advent Cant BWV61/Opening Chor: Now Come, The Saviour Of The Heathen - Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herrweghe
Cant BWV21: Ich Hatte Viel Bekummernis: Sinf (Adagio Assai) - Marcel Ponseele
Orch Ste (Ov) No.1 in C, BWV1066: IV. Forlane (Italian Dance) - Akademie Fur Musik Berlin
Orch Ste (Ov) No.1 in C, BWV1066: V. Menuets I & II (French Dance) - Akademie Fur Musik Berlin
Mass in b, BWV232: Et Incarnatus Est - La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
Mass in b, BWV232: Crucifixus - La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
Mass in b, BWV232: Et Resurrexit - La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
St Matthew Passion: No.38a (Evang. Petrus Aber)/No.38b (Chor: Wahrlich, Du Bist) & 38c - Rene Jacobs/Howard Crook/La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
St Matthew Passion: No.39 (Aria: Eurbane Dich) - Rene Jacobs/Howard Crook/La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
St Matthew Passion: No.40 (Chor: Bin Ich Gleich) - Rene Jacobs/Howard Crook/La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
St Matthew Passion: No.41 (Evang. Des Morgens Aber)/No.41b (Chor: Was Gehet Uns Das An?) No.41c... - Rene Jacobs/Howard Crook/La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neues Lied: Motet BWV225 (Part I) - RAIS-Kammerchor/Akademie Fur Alte Musik Berlin/Rene Jacobs
Magnificat BWV243: Sicut Locutus Est - La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
Parody: Ascension Oratorio BWV 11: Aria: Ach Bleibe Doch - Catherine Patriasz/Andreas Scholl/La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
Parody: Mass in b, BWV 232: Agnus Dei (Aria) - Catherine Patriasz/Andreas Scholl/La Chapelle Royale-Collegium Vocale/Philippe Herreweghe
Aus Tiefer Not Schrei Ich Zu Dir: 6-Part Fugue BWV686 - Lionel Rogg
Goldberg Vars BWV988: Theme (Aria) - Kenneth Gilbert
Goldberg Vars BWV988: Var No.25 - Kenneth Gilbert
The Art Of Fugue: Contrapunctus 1 - A New Approach To Johann Sebastian Bach
The Art Of Fugue: Contrapunctus 3 - A New Approach To Johann Sebastian Bach
The Art Of Fugue: Contrapunctus 6 - A New Approach To Johann Sebastian Bach
The Art Of Fugue: Contrapunctus - A New Approach To Johann Sebastian Bach
The Musical Offering BWV1079: Ricercar A 3 Beginning - Davitt Moroney/Janet See/John Holloway/Jaap Ter Linden
The Musical Offering BWV1079: Ricercar A 6 Beginning - Davitt Moroney/Janet See/John Holloway/Jaap Ter Linden
The Musical Offering BWV1079: Largo Of 'Son Sopr'il Soggetto Reale' - Davitt Moroney/Janet See/John Holloway/Jaap Ter Linden

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International Daylight

Magnificat: A Musical Celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000

Percy Grainger plays Vol.II

Get Down Tonight: The Disco Explosion [Box set] [Live]

Like a Prayer [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Pachelbel with Oceans

Moods for Tokyo Ska: We Don't Know What Ska Is [Import]

Mojo Box

Nimby [Import]

Music for Babies - Peaceful Baby

New York Ny [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Mano a Mano

Las Preferidas de Mi Padre [Enhanced]

Peter Mennin: Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 6

Karma

1. Contrapunctus 1
2. Contrapunctus 2
3. Contrapunctus 3
4. Contrapunctus 4
5. Contrapunctus 5
6. Contrapunctus 6
7. Contrapunctus 7
8. Contrapunctus 8
9. Contrapunctus 9
10. Contrapunctus 10
11. Contrapunctus 11
12. Contrapunctus 12 (Canon)
13. Contrapunctus 13 (Canon)
14. Contrapunctus 14 (Canon)
15. Contrapunctus 15 (Canon)
16. Contrapunctus 16 (double fugue)
17. Contrapunctus 17 (dbl.Fugue, two-pianos)
18. Contrapunctus 18 (dbl.Fugue, two-pianos)
19. Contrapunctus 19 (unfinished)