Bach - The Art of Fugue - Documentary Introduction

http://www.fuguestatefilms.co.uk/aof Opening clip from a documentary about Bach's Art of Fugue, filmed in Arizona, Tennessee and Leipzig, Germany. Features Christoph Wolff, George Ritchie, Bruce Fowkes and Ralph Richards. http://www.fuguestatefilms.co.uk/aof

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bach
• Art
• Fugue
• State
• Films
• George
• Ritchie
• Christoph
• Wolff
• pipe
• organ
• Die
• Kunst
• der
• Fuge
• BWV
• 1080
• Ralph
• Richards
• Bruce
• Fowkes
• documentary

[dap1979]

I attend church with Bruce Fowkes (who sits next to me in our choir) and his wife Karla Fowkes, our organist. We are graced with opus. 9 of Richards, Fowkes, and Company here at Christ Church in Chattanooga, TN. Our church is really a beautiful and reverent space with an abosolute phenomenal acoustic.

Our choir is 12 or so choiristers: 4 light and lovely sopranos, 3 gifted altos, one tenor (myself), and 2 wildly intelligent basses. We love our Tudor anthems :-). Visit us sometime!

[FugueStateFilms]

Hi, the organ at Christ Church in Chattanooga also features in the film! So I remember the church well from filming there and would love to return!

[PolyphonicSeduction]

When are where can we see the whole thing?

[FugueStateFilms]

Thank-you for your question. The film will be released in April 2009 as part of a 2 CD and 1DVD set. It will include a full recording of the Art of Fugue and bonus tracks: a completion of the final fugue, Vor Deinen Thron, the canonic variations on Von Himmel Hoch, the Schubler chorales, the 6 part ricercar from the Musical Offering. As well as the full 90 minute documentary film there is a two hour lecture by George Ritchie at the keyboard going through the work contrapunctus by contrapunctus.

[JanPB]

I think when one reads C. P. E. Bach's description of the piece it is rather clear what "the Art of the Fugue" is: it was meant as a didactic piece written in open score. It was meant to provide an example of good writing for those who studied composition theory but had in thos edays no access to _good examples_ which were frequently kept as secrets (printing was not as easy in those days). As any good theoretical example, the piece is also perfectly playable on any reasonable instrument(s).

[ixion58]

The Master

[HerlockSholmes123]

@JanPB WROOOOOONG!!!

Are you trying to say that AoF is not listenable? Because if that's the case, then I hope you give it some more time to listen to. Because not only is it a complicated work, but it's also extremely beautiful. It's not just merely "playable" as you assert, it is the most profound and touching music ever written.

[camposi]

This work is Hammer. I love it and I want to thank King Georgeand J.S,Bach.

[wcbroccoli]

@JanPB Let's not retreat into the dark ages of 19th c. thinking that AoF was music for the mind but never intended to be played. Bach himself was preparing to print the work. Why would he go to the trouble & expense of printing music he never intended to be played?

AofF is indisputably composed in keyboard style, and it was not unheard for composers to write contrapuntal keyboard music in open score to emphasize the independence of the parts. Bach had such examples in his library.

[skeltube]

This is in my opinion the greatest work of music ever made. It's like a gigantic tower and if u remove only one brick the whole thing would just collapse

[palve25]

very interesting video. can we get this DVD via online?

[smalin]

Ooh, this is exciting; I can hardly wait!

[thegoddescomposer]

the soul of bach the power of bach, bach for ever , so strong music