Review
Johann Sebastian Bach never completed The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080. It is a collection of contrapuntal movements with no definite order of presentation or instrumentation. Movements have been added and taken away from the final score over the years. Since the revival of popular interest in Bach's music in the 1850s, historians have narrowed the margin of error regarding the history and performance of The Art of Fugue with impressive efficiency. What is certain is that it is among the most gripping instrumental works that exists, demonstrating practically every composing technique available to Bach.
The work was among his estate; he probably did not discuss the work with anyone, or there would have been more pressure to have its mysteries settled before his passing. His son, Carl Philipp Emmanuel, found and published the work as he found it in 1751, still incomplete. It did not sell well. Originally it was thought that Bach had been working on it and died in a race to finish it. Research has proven that he began the piece in the early 1740s (he died in 1750) and returned to work on it further over the years. It has also intrigued alert listeners to hear the final, unfinished movement trail off with B flat, A, C, B natural, which in German musical terminology translates to the word "BACH." This poignant accident of history has done wonders for the general interest in the piece, though in its day the public considered this just shoddy, and C.P.E. Bach attempted to compensate purchasers with the inclusion of a well-known chorale prelude, which was not related to the rest of the work.
Listening to The Art of Fugue is hearing everything available to the composer of fugues, woven together better than any other composer has done, and rife with a sublime poetic energy. Throughout the twentieth century, a tenuously agreed upon arrangement of 22 movements makes up a most likely reliable incarnation of what the composer had in mind. It is slightly longer than 80 minutes in duration and alternates between keyboard and small ensemble as required. Most of it can be played on the keyboard, but exact instrumentation was not necessarily as specific in the early eighteenth century as it would be later on. The theme is not obscured at any point, though he sometimes reverses it, turns it upside down, or both, or combines these variations with the theme's original form, all performed concurrently. Simply writing a good canon takes skill, and what Bach manages with The Art of Fugue cannot be matched by anything in this regard, except perhaps a few of his other works, such as The Musical Offering. In spite of the technical/theoretical maelstrom The Art of Fugue leaves for scholars to wade into, there is nothing about its character to deter the casual listener. The opposite is true; it is almost impossible to find a more benevolent piece of music. One can listen to it for years with only a casual grasp of the greatness that lays amid the scintillating arabesques that pervade the material. Once entered into the world of this work, it will gradually reveal itself to maintain potency greater than most people expect music to be able to contain. ~ John Keillor, All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
Aldwell Plays Bach 1997
Andreï Vieru plays Bach, Beethoven, Liszt & Alexander Scriabine
Bach 2000 Light: The Complete Bach Edition (without Sacred Cantatas) (includes Commemorative Book) (Box Set) 1999
Bach Edition, Vol. 2 [Box Set]
Bach Edition: Complete Works [Box Set] 2006
Bach's Testament [Box Set]
Bach-Malloch: The Art Of Fuging
Bach: Art of Fugue 1988
Bach: Art of Fugue 1990
Bach: Art of Fugue 2000
Bach: Art of Fugue 1998
Bach: Art of Fugue
Bach: Art of Fugue 2000
Bach: Art of Fugue; Mozart-Bach: Fugues K405; Mozart: Fugue K401 1998
Bach: Art of the Fugue
Bach: Art of the Fugue 1994
Bach: Art of the Fugue 1993
Bach: Art of the Fugue 1999
Bach: Art of the Fugue 2001
Bach: Art of the Fugue No1-14
Bach: Art of the Fugue No1-14
Bach: Art of the Fugue No1-14
Bach: Art of the Fugue No1-14; Musical Offering BWV1079
Bach: Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080 1997
Bach: Chamber Works 1999
Bach: Complete Organ Music [SACD]
Bach: Complete Organ Works and Other Keyboard Works (Box Set)
Bach: Complete Organ and Other Keyboard Works, Vol. 21
Bach: Das wohltemperierte Clavier [Box Set] 1999
Bach: Der Kunst der Fuge 2000
Bach: Der Kunst der Fuge/Partita in C minor 2000
Bach: Die Kunst Der Fuge; Orgelkonzerte BWV 592, 593, 594, 596 1996
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 2000
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 2008
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1986
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1996
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 2000
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1993
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1986
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue) 1995
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge - Arrangement Jan van Vlijmen 2004
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge [Hybrid SACD] 1986
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge [Hybrid SACD] 2004
Bach: Die Kunst der Fugue 1992
Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV988; Art of the Fugue No1-14
Bach: Goldberg Variations; Art of the Fugue 1990
Bach: L'Art de la Fugue 2000
Bach: L'Art de la Fugue 1994
Bach: Oeuvres pour Orchestre [Box Set] 2000
Bach: Soli Deo Gloria - Meisterwerken in bedeutenden Aufnahmen (Box Set) 2000
Bach: The Art Of Fugue 2007
Bach: The Art Of Fugue
Bach: The Art Of Fugue; Musical Offering 2000
Bach: The Art of Fuge
Bach: The Art of Fuge, BWV 1080 1991
Bach: The Art of Fugue 2006
Bach: The Art of Fugue 1993
Bach: The Art of Fugue 1997
Bach: The Art of Fugue
Bach: The Art of Fugue 1998
Bach: The Art of Fugue 1999
Bach: The Art of Fugue
Bach: The Art of Fugue 2000
Bach: The Art of Fugue 1998
Bach: The Art of Fugue 2000
Bach: The Art of Fugue
Bach: The Art of Fugue 2003
Bach: The Art of Fugue & Other Late Works
Bach: The Art of Fugue (Arrangement for 4 Quartets) 2000
Bach: The Art of Fugue (The Earlier Version) 1988
Bach: The Art of Fugue (for Four Quartets) 2000
Bach: The Art of Fugue; Keyboard Concertos 2003
Bach: The Art of Fugue; Musical Offering 1994
Bach: The Art of Fugue; Organ Concertos 2007
Bach: The Art of Fugue; Organ Concertos 1996
Bach: The Art of Fugue; The Musical Offering
Bach: The Art of The Fugue 1988
Bach: The Art of the Fugue 2001
Bach: The Art of the Fugue 2001
Bach: The Art of the Fugue
Bach: The Art of the Fugue 2002
Bach: The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080 2001
Bach: The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080
Bach: The Art of the Fugue, BWV1080 1998
Bach: The Art of the Fugue; Clavier-Übung II 1990
Bach: The Complete Orchestral Works [Box Set] 1997
Bach: The Organ Works (Box Set) 2001
Bach: The Organ Works, Vols. 11 & 12
Bach: The Works for Organ, Vol. 17
Counterpoint 1996
Die Kunst der Fuge
Fugue in C of Dog 2005
Grigory Sokolov: Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms [Box Set] 2005
Harmonia Mundi 50: The Fiftieth Anniversary Boxed Set [Box Set] 2007
Hermann Scherchen conducts Bach and Schoenberg 1998
J. S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1997
J. S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1998
J.S. Bach: Art of Fugue 1993
J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 1992
J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge [Hybrid SACD] 2008
J.S. Bach: L'Art de la Fugue 2000
J.S. Bach: The Art Of Fugue 2009
J.S. Bach: The Art of Fugue 2006
J.S. Bach: The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080 2009
J.S. Bach: The Art of the Fugue 1989
J.S. Bach: The Art of the Fugue; Violin Transcriptions; Fantasias 2005
Jean Sébastien Bach: orgue - jeunesse et maturité: l'Art de la Fugue 2000
Johann Sebastian Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge BWV 1080 1996
Johann Sebastian Bach: Kunst der Fuge 2007
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of the Fugue [Hybrid SACD] 2004
Skryabin, Bach, Liszt and others
The Art of Fugue 2008
The Art of Fugue, Autograph Version
The Bach Collection [Box Set]
Works Of J.S. Bach 1994
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
... in Dialogue, Vol. 2 2003
20th Century Maestros: Hans Rosbaud & Hermann Scherchen 2000
A Baroque Celebration 1993
A Classical Portrait 1998
A Due Cembali Obligati
A Musical Voyage 1990
Abundance 1997
American Brass Quintessence 2000
American Brass Quintet 2002
Andreï Vieru plays Bach, Beethoven, Liszt & Alexander Scriabine
Armonia di Flauti 1998
At the Movies 1999
Bach 2000 Light: The Complete Bach Edition (without Sacred Cantatas) (includes Commemorative Book) (Box Set) 1999
Bach Coltrane 2007
Bach Edition, Vol. 2: Keyboard Works [Box Set]
Bach Edition: Art of Fugue (Part 1)
Bach Edition: Art of Fugue (Part 2)
Bach Edition: Complete Works [Box Set]
Bach for Barbecue: Grillin' and Chillin' with Johann Sebastian 2001
Bach in Naumburg
Bach on Sax
Bach's Greatest Hits 1996
Bach, Cahman, Tribukait 2002
Bach: Art of Fugue (Part 2)
Bach: Baroque Brass
Bach: Chamber Works 1999
Bach: Concertos & Duets 1996
Bach: Das wohltemperierte Clavier [Box Set] 1999
Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge 2001
Bach: Organ Works, Vol. 1 (Box Set) 1994
Bach: Sonatas BWV Nos. 525, 527 & 1030/Die Kunst Der Fuge BWV.1080 1993
Bach: Sonatas; The Art of Fugue 1993
Bach: Ten Years Channel Classics 2000
Bach: The Art of Fugue
Bach: The Art of Fugue, Vol. 1 1993
Bach: The Art of Fugue, Vol. 2 1993
Bach: The Art of the Fugue 2001
Bach: The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080 (Excerpts); Prelude and Fugue on Bach, BWV 898 2001
Bach: The Art of the Fugue, BWV1080 1998
Bach: The Essentials 2009
Bach: The Organ Works (Box Set) 2001
Bach: The Organ Works, Vol. 6
Bach: Works for Recorder [Hybrid SACD] 2005
Bach:Art of Fugue (Part 1)
Baroque Music for Brass and Organ 2003
Baroque Music for Brass and Organ [Hybrid SACD] 2003
Baroxx 2
Berio: Orchestral Transcriptions 2004
Best of the Canadian Brass 1989
Bolder Baroque 2000
Brass Sketches
Brass Super Hits 2004
Brass: Greatest Hits 1994
Brassissimo Bach
Celebration 2003
Classical Brass 1990
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [Box Set] 1999
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium: Bach 1999
Classical Masters (Box Set) 1999
Classical Masters: Bach 1999
Classics & Jazz
Complete Works of Johann Sebastian Bach (Sampler) 1999
Consequences 2002
Contrapunctango
Discover the Best, Vol.2
Elements: Waterfall Suite [CD/DVD] 2005
Emmanuel Le Divellec Plays Grigny, Bach, Boëly 2009
Eternal Harpsichord 2008
Everybody's Bach
Faces 1999
Fantasia Contrappuntistica 2003
First Tracks 2004
Fleur de Lys: Music for Connoisseurs - Sampler, 1996-1997 1997
For Book Lovers Only 2003
For When You're Alone 2002
For a Girls Night In 2003
Frank Peter Zimmermann and Heinrich Schiff Play Honegger, Martinu, Bach, Pintscher, Ravel 2006
Fugue: Bach and his Forerunners 2009
Glenn Gould Plays Bach 1999
Glenn Gould Plays Bach [Box Set]
Gramophone Collectors' Edition CD No. 4: The Real Paganini 2006
Gramophone Editor's Choice, December 2002 2002
Gramophone Editor's Choice, January 2000 2000
Greatest Hits: Baroque Piano 1995
HGTV: Outdoor Entertaining 2006
Historic Organs of Montréal 2002
In the Name of Bach 2001
Jazz Sebastian Bach 2003
Jazz Sebastian Bach [Compilation] 1963
Jazz Sebastian Bach, Vol. 1 1963
Johann Sebastian Bach Revisited
Johann Sebastian Bach: Das Orgelwerk [Box Set]
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of the Fugue [Hybrid SACD] 2004
John Bauer Brass 1997
Jordi Savall: Ars Musicae 1998
Juilliard String Quartet: 50 Years, Volume 2 1996
LBQ Festival
La Roque d'Anthéron, 2000
La Réjouissance
Listen (Sixth Edition) 2006
Listen (Sixth Edition) [Abridged Version] 2006
Los viajes de Gulliver 2003
Mighty Organs 2000
Music Masterpieces before 1750 Vol.3: 17th & 18th Centuries
Music Of Renaissance, Baroque 1994
Musik till tröst, 2005
New Approach to J. S. Bach 1998
Orgel-Impressionen: Jahreszeiten 1996
Outside the Box 1999
Parabolically Bach 2006
Paul Badura-Skoda: A Man and His Music 2004
Pavane French Classics From Machaut To Fauré, 500 Years Of French Music
Pavane: French classics from Machaut to Fauré
Play Bach 2002
Retrospective: The 40th Anniversary Show 2004
Romantic Days (Box Set) 2001
Romantic Moments, Vol. 8: Bach
Romantic Moments: Classical Music For Lovers (Box Set)
Romantic Moments: Classical Music for Lovers (Box Set) 2000
Steel String Bach 2000
Super Artists on Super Audio, Vol. 2 [Hybrid SACD] 2004
Super Hits: Canadian Brass 2000
The 20th Century Maestros (Box Set)
The Baroque Brass Collection 2004
The Canadian Brass Go for Baroque! 1995
The Collection 1995
The Flanders Recorder Duet Plays Johann Sebastian Bach
The Gould Variations: The Best of Glenn Gould's Bach 2000
The Harmonia Mundi Bach Edition
The Life and Works of Johann Sebastian Bach 2002
The Loeki Files [CD+DVD] 2008
The Nations
The Norton Scores & The Enjoyment of Music, Vol. 1: Gregorian Chant to Beethoven 2007
The Norton Scores & The Enjoyment of Music: Shorter Version 2007
The Polyphonic Recorder
The Real Great Composers: The Real Schubert 2008
The Recorded Viola, Vol. 3
The Secrets of Da Vinci [Barnes & Noble Exclusive] 2006
The Splendour of Baroque Brass 1982
The Ultimate Baroque Album 2004
The Universe of Bach 2000
The Universe of Bach (Box Set) 2000
Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould 1994
V.I.F. Baroxx 1996
Vanguard Classics Sampler 2006 2006
ViF Baroxx 1996
Vikram Seth: An Equal Music 2000
Vingt ans Hespèrion XX 1994
Visions of Bach 1994
Visions of the Renaissance 1994
XL: Choral Works for 40 Voices [Hybrid SACD]
