Dale Carr | Fantasia in g minor BWV542 for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach @dalecarr6361 | Uploaded January 2021 | Updated October 2024, 3 hours ago.
Fantasia in g minor BWV542 for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Dale Carr on the Schnitger organ {1710} in Weener, Ostfriesland, on 4 November, 1990
We will likely never know whether Bach intended this fantasia to be played with the fugue that usually follows it in modern performances: there is no autograph manuscript extant, and the earliest sources present the two sometimes together and sometimes alone. The only musical connection is that the two are in the same key.
Just as unknowable is the answer to the question whether Bach's listeners would have, or might have, expected a fugue (or another sequel) to follow the fantasia.
In my view the fantasia can well stand alone, and in fact the discussion distracts from the attention that is due the fantasia as a stupendous piece of music.
The work is characterized by great contrasts of texture:
1: recitative-like passages, as at the beginning, punctuated by often unexpected harmonies;
2: calmer 4-part passages of imitative polyphony using invertible counterpoint, possibly intended to be played on a 2nd manual;
3: passages of 5-part harmony above a chromatically ascending pedal part.
One of the most remarkable features of the harmonic writing is the use of enharmonic alterations, as when for example a note is approached as a d# (which would normally move up to an e) but then treated as an e-flat (which moves down to a d). I have tried to indicate some of these in the course of the performance. Bach sets the listener up to expect a certain melodic and harmonic progession, then confounds this expectation by redefining a note.
m.14-5 b-flat is redefined as a#
m.20-1 f# is redefined as g-flat
m.35 f-flat is redefined as e
m.38-9 g# is redefined as a-flat
m.38-9 e# is redefined as f
m.44 c# is redefined as d-flat
Fantasia in g minor BWV542 for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Dale Carr on the Schnitger organ {1710} in Weener, Ostfriesland, on 4 November, 1990
We will likely never know whether Bach intended this fantasia to be played with the fugue that usually follows it in modern performances: there is no autograph manuscript extant, and the earliest sources present the two sometimes together and sometimes alone. The only musical connection is that the two are in the same key.
Just as unknowable is the answer to the question whether Bach's listeners would have, or might have, expected a fugue (or another sequel) to follow the fantasia.
In my view the fantasia can well stand alone, and in fact the discussion distracts from the attention that is due the fantasia as a stupendous piece of music.
The work is characterized by great contrasts of texture:
1: recitative-like passages, as at the beginning, punctuated by often unexpected harmonies;
2: calmer 4-part passages of imitative polyphony using invertible counterpoint, possibly intended to be played on a 2nd manual;
3: passages of 5-part harmony above a chromatically ascending pedal part.
One of the most remarkable features of the harmonic writing is the use of enharmonic alterations, as when for example a note is approached as a d# (which would normally move up to an e) but then treated as an e-flat (which moves down to a d). I have tried to indicate some of these in the course of the performance. Bach sets the listener up to expect a certain melodic and harmonic progession, then confounds this expectation by redefining a note.
m.14-5 b-flat is redefined as a#
m.20-1 f# is redefined as g-flat
m.35 f-flat is redefined as e
m.38-9 g# is redefined as a-flat
m.38-9 e# is redefined as f
m.44 c# is redefined as d-flat
