Die Kunst Der Fuge

The Art of Fugue emerges as the central instrumental project of the last decade of Bach’s life, after a gradual development over several years: the exploration in depth and with an overflowing musical imagination of the contrapuntal possibilities inherent in a single musical subject. In this work, the theoretical component of Bach’s thinking is at its clearest: theory and practice merge, old and new stylistic elements and compositional techniques are integrated and demonstrate in an incomparable way his individual approach to composition. Since Bach gave no indication of the instrument, nor does his writing shed any further light on the subject, one might even wonder whether this work is a purely theoretical work, intended solely for musical analysis. However, since the composer’s rediscovery in the nineteenth century, musicians have appropriated the work, whatever their instrument. It is now generally accepted that the work was composed for the keyboard. A second harpsichord part is added for three fugues, played here by Masato Suzuki.

J.S. Bach wrote Die Kunst der Fuge in open score, so it is often played by pianists, harpsichordists, string quartets, and chamber groups of varied instrumentation, though an excellent choice for this monumental study of fugal techniques is the organ, the composer's principle instrument. The issues that arise when performed on a single keyboard are more easily managed on multiple manuals and pedals, and the counterpoint is given great clarity and character through the use of the organ's various stops. André Isoir's superb performance in Saint Cyprien in Périgord is especially enjoyable because of his judicious registration, which brings contrasts of dynamics and timbres to these monothematic fugues and canons, which can sound a bit dry when played on a less versatile or colorful instrument.

[Bach] speaks to us in his work in such clear terms that we may quite well call these fugues poems. (…) These have warmth, quiet joy, love. And running through all the poems, dressed in different guises, is the main theme, creating order, binding the work as a whole together: it is a safe bond in all it's diversity. Over all lies the proximity of death." (Enzio Forsblom) In this new recording, Bach's final magnum opus is played by Aapo Häkkinen on a harpsichord built in 1614 by Andreas Ruckers the Elder (1579-?1652) and which belonged to the composer John Blow (1649-1708), organist of Westminster Abbey and former teacher of Henry Purcell. A tradition exists that G.F. Handel had also played this harpsichord.

“[Bach] speaks to us in his work in such clear terms that we may quite well call these fugues poems. (…) These have warmth, quiet joy, love. And running through all the poems, dressed in different guises, is the main theme, creating order, binding the work as a whole together: it is a safe bond in all its diversity. Over all lies the proximity of death.” (Enzio Forsblom). In this new recording, Bach’s final magnum opus is played by Aapo Häkkinen on a harpsichord built in 1614 by Andreas Ruckers the Elder (1579–?1652) and which belonged to the composer John Blow (1649–1708), organist of Westminster Abbey and former teacher of Henry Purcell. A tradition exists that G.F. Handel had also played this harpsichord.