The Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the
German Organ Mass, is a collection of compositions for
organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, started in 1735–36
and published in 1739. It is considered Bach's most
significant and extensive work for organ, containing
some of his musically most complex and technically most
demanding compositions for that instrument.
In its use of modal forms, motet-style and canons, it
looks back to the religious music of masters of the
stile antico, such ...(+)
The Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the
German Organ Mass, is a collection of compositions for
organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, started in 1735–36
and published in 1739. It is considered Bach's most
significant and extensive work for organ, containing
some of his musically most complex and technically most
demanding compositions for that instrument.
In its use of modal forms, motet-style and canons, it
looks back to the religious music of masters of the
stile antico, such as Frescobaldi, Palestrina, Lotti
and Caldara. At the same time, Bach was
forward-looking, incorporating and distilling modern
baroque musical forms, such as the French-style
chorale.
The work has the form of an Organ Mass: between its
opening and closing movements—the prelude and "St
Anne" fugue in E-flat, BWV 552—are 21 chorale
preludes, BWV 669–689, setting parts of the Lutheran
mass and catechisms, followed by four duets, BWV
802–805. The chorale preludes range from compositions
for single keyboard to a six-part fugal prelude with
two parts in the pedal.
The purpose of the collection was fourfold: an
idealized organ programme, taking as its starting point
the organ recitals given by Bach himself in Leipzig; a
practical translation of Lutheran doctrine into musical
terms for devotional use in the church or the home; a
compendium of organ music in all possible styles and
idioms, both ancient and modern, and properly
internationalised; and as a didactic work presenting
examples of all possible forms of contrapuntal
composition, going far beyond previous treatises on
musical theory.
BWV 672 is a fughetta for four voices, 32 bars long.
Although the movement starts in G major, the
predominant tonal centre is A minor. The subject in
dotted minims (G-A-B) and the quaver countersubject are
derived from the first line of the cantus firmus, which
also provides material for several cadences and a later
descending quaver figure (bar 8 below). Some of the
sequential writing resembles that of the B-flat major
fugue BWV 890/2 in the second book of the Well-Tempered
Clavier. Smoothness and melifluousness result from what
Williams (2003) has called the "liquefying effect" of
the simple time signature of 3/4; from the use of
parallel thirds in the doubling of subject and
countersubject; from the clear tonalities of the
four-part writing, progressing from G major to A minor,
D minor, A minor and at the close E major; and from the
softening effect of the occasional chromaticism, no
longer dramatic as in the conclusion of the previous
chorale prelude BWV 671.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavier-%C3%9Cbung_III).
Although originally created for Organ, I created this
Interpretation of the Fughetta (BWV 672) "Kyrie, Gott
Vater" (Kyrie, O God, Eternal Father) for Oboe & String
Trio (Violin, Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC