The Bach fugue and the Crucifixion - A musical catharsis

Nothing in music has intrigued me more than fugues of Bach. However, loveliness is not amongst the reasons for my fascination. I have come across a few lovely Bach fugues. But, for me, his fugues do not belong to the prettiest things in music. Frankly, most of them are devoid of elements of sensuousness lovely melodies, catchy rhythms, sweet harmonies, etc. In fact, what I find fascinating about a Bach fugue is its intricate contrapuntal texture, monumental architectonic structure, harmonic audacities, rigorous logic, rhetoric, and intense emotional content, to name a few.

- BY SATYAJITH ANDRADI

The pervasive fugue

The fugue as a musical form pervades the music of Bach. In some instances, they are duly called fugues. Amongst them, the forty-eight preludes and fugues of the Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (The Well-tempered Clavichord) and those of the Kunst der Fuge (Art of Fugue) are perhaps the best-known ones. The numerous compositions for organ known variously as prelude and fugue, toccata and fugue, passacaglia and fugue, and chromatic fantasia and fugue are also prominent. However, there are numerously fugues which are known by other titles scattered among Bach's compositions such as cantatas, masses, passions, motets, etc.

The Bach fugue and the Crucifixion