Amazing Counterpoint: Analysis of C Sharp Minor Fugue from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I 

One of the best pieces of music, not only Bach, not only piano, but in music history.

The stretto section is so ridiculously difficult, I almost had a breakdown practicing it lol

4:48 I like how Schiff borrows a note from the blue subject to emphasize an unintentional(?) red subject

what really blows my mind about this piece is that all three subject are tetrachords: four notes in a row in a scale, in some order. just like Mozart's Jupiter symphony motive... I suppose the reason is that when you split the octave in half, a 4th is the largest interval (anything larger inverts to something smaller) so in that sense, everything can be expressed within a single fourth interval. but to see how the seven tetrachords in a diatonic scale overlap as Bach does, that is just beyond genius.

Hi,I’m watching this from China(with some efforts getting around the fire wall which bans general access.)Really enlightening !These video deserves more views I shared this to my friends.Iplease keep doing this series.

A notable feature of this fugue is the contrasting characters of the three themes -- the first one deep and solemn, the second sprightly and dancing, the third an inspiriting fanfare. This distinctiveness of profile and contrast allows the five voices to be clearly heard and distinguished throughout.

People who want to relax, with Netflix: Just one more episode Bookworms with books: Just one more page People with a sweet tooth, with chocolate: Just one more piece *Rick Atkinson with a dictionary:* _JuST oNe mORe ADjEcTiVe_

I love how the first subject imitates the “B-A-C-H” motif but in the C#m key

Ooh that chord at measure 112 sure is spicy

Do an analysis of the Beethoven op131 string quartet, first movement (which is a fugue) please!

Bass entry in bar 73 is one of my favourite moments in all music... Tho not so much the heavy-handed version here.

The descending chromatic motif that cycles through the top voices at 4:13 (m. 67-73) returns at 5:20 (m. 102-105).

clear explanation. from a musical standpoint, I prefer the slower Richter interpretation in which one can fully appreciate the harmony. I think he found the right tempo, this is a little fast

Thank you so much for this! Not only is your video analysis extremely instructive, but it is to my point of view complementing the music in a way that makes me even more appreciative of it. I just know that when I hear this fugue again, the voice interplay you highlighted in here will make me listen better.

before this I was JUST listening to Bach and nothing more, I had already an idea how great he is / was ... but now it becomes even more crazy ... it makes me dizzy haha ... if I try to listen and understand all voices ... unbelievable ..

Wow, just wow. What an astounding piece of music. Thank you for highlighting it! I also loved this crazy chord, 1st measure of the 4th bar from the end... Things like this make Bach's music so unpredictive and interesting. A real journey.

Thank you for creating this wonderful, clear and incredibly helpful analysis of one of the most stunning keyboard compositions ever written. I will be passing this and other of your videos to my piano students.

Absolutely sublime analysis of a sublime work. Excellent work Richard.

One of Bach’s best subjects for a fugue (the first one). So simple but so exciting

The first subject is a transposition of the BACH-Motive.

I’ve always loved this piece but I really wasn’t musically enlightened enough to know how this piece came about. My jaws literally dropped after I watched this video. Thank you so much!

Fine presentation and you seem to have found the definitive YT rendition of this extra-special piece.

Notice the rising motif at 2:35 (m. 17-18), 2:48 (m. 24), 3:03 (m. 31-32), etc. (including inversions), later forms the first beat of each bar of the green subject, at 2x diminution; it also appears an impressive 5 times at 4:21 (m. 72-74).

Thank you very much! I wish I could claim to understand the music; but at least I have a slightly better insight into it as a result of Mr. Atkinson's clear exposition!

Boy is this a piece made possible by tempering or what. Just listen to all those ambiguous pesky notes outside the key having their influence felt. Bach letting the cat outa the bag again.

I've been waiting for you to do this.

An addition: the first subject draws a latin cross. Bach often used this symbol in his thematic material. (Christe in b- mass, b-a-c-h fugue and many others)

one of my favs out of the 48. just touches me so. Such a beautiful ending. (even though - lol - they're All my favs).

Oh how I wish videos like this had been around during my years of undergrad analysis...

This is my favourite Fugue of all time.

Excellent video. The chord at the start of measure 112 is so dissonant, it seems to be a major triad with a minor sixth? Unless there's some better inversion or way to spell it?

What is this chord 5:40 🤯🤯🤯🤯bach never fails to amaze me

Great analysis! I think at 4:49 you forgot to mark the first subject which plays just before the third subject's stretto enters

Amazing!

The way Bach uses the idea of the fugue in this triple fugue is not unlike the way Tchaikovsky used a theme to his works 120+ years later. Bach was a mastermind of eras beyond his own style and yet used frivolous calculations to perfect it.

Richter is playing but not in the actual tempo he interpreted the piece. It resembles Schiff on an old piano.

This is faster than many play this fugue, but I actually think this is a better tempo... the fugue is complex and solemn, but it is not a dirge.

Great!

I imagine people with pompuous wigs hearing this for the first time gasping

5-part fugue. Favourite exam work for grade 8 pianoforte from the Assoicated Board of the Royal School of Music.

It's also a 4-note 1st subject because some critics say it is meant to represent the cross. By starting in the bass, it signifies the heavy weight of the cross. The unending nature of 2nd subject is meant to depict the crown of thorns. The 3rd subject I forgot what it was. So all in all, this fugue is said to describe Jesus' crucifixion.

This analysis makes me think of Bach as a transcended human.

Why does the last chord sound like it wants to resolve to F# Major in my ears?

after listening to it a few times it just repeats itself automatically, like my brain just starts blending the different subjects, especially the blue one. It just fits anywhere all of a sudden. my brain listening to bach its like ive taken acid it all just goes round and round infinitely.

The deepest piece of music ever written. THX 4 your attention.

Amazing and to think on what instrument is was played on....

Always been one of my favorite fugues. Another favorite is the E Major from book 2. If you haven’t heard Grigory Sokolov’s rendition of this one then you have a great pleasure awaiting you.

Guys! I am still sorry for my inadequate English. Some people are impressed because of the five parts in this fugue. The fugue BWV 849 as a composition is great! But as a fugue in five parts it doesn't impress me. And the reason for my arrogance? The entire fugue consist of 115 bars, but how many bars in five parts - 26 3/4, less than 27 bars! The fugue in B flat minor, BWV 867, consist of 75 bars, and 23 3/4 bars in five parts. It's obvious to me that Bach had something else in mind then composing an ordinary fugue in five parts. And it is interesting to notise where he use five parts. The major parts of five voices arrives after the three subject no longer is combined. Alain Bruguieres, quote: "It does have three themes. The three elements are of equal importance, none of them is subordinate to the others...." So the fact that Bach contiue with only two subject long after the second theme is quite don't support the statement of a triple fugue in this case. The fugue 849 is a fugue outside the frames. There are almost none episodes. The three subjects combines for the first time in bar 49, and the last time in bar 94. Between bar 49 and 94 there is not a single episode at all! Very strange! So how to explain this "out of frame" fugue? Signature "mmm", quote: "Yes, I've also heard some critics say this fugue is mean to describe Jesus' crucifixion. The four note 1 st subject in the beginning of the fugue represents the CROSS which Jesus was carrying and nailed to. Notice it enters in the bass, signifying how heavy it was. The 2nd subject of running quavers represents the CROWN OF THORNS....." Yes! That make sense! The symbolism! Or maybe not? cziffra1980, quote: "+mmm the second subject is beatifully lyrical and fluid. The idea that it represents a crown of thorns is one of the stupidest ideas I've encountered." Hmmm...beatifully...The key signature C sharp Minor was uncommon in Bach's lifetime. I believe that it didn't sounded beatifully as we hear it today. So my guess: C sharp Minor sounded more harsh back then. Take a look at the 1 st subject. Draw a line between the first and the fourth note. And then a new line between the second and the third note. What do we see? A cross laying down. It is not my own idea, I read about it in a book. And the symbolism can also explain the section between bar 49 and 94, without a single episode: Nailed on the cross, Jesus didn't got any rests from the pain, the pain was constantly.

Bach is such a phenomenal genius but the strings of eighth notes (quaver) is too much of a hack

2:35 Isnt the bass playing the green subject in augmentation?

Don't you think the third subject is nicked from the 1st violin sonata's fugue (or is it the other way around)?

Amazing. One of my favourite pieces by Bach. Great analysis, thank you.

By far the best out of the Well-Tempered Clavier.

Hello richard. 4 years late I know... I still wantet to point out a "theoretical" entry of the subject that is shared by two voices, akin to the one you pointed out in your c# major book 2 video. Ut occurs in bar 17 between tha alto and soprano voices, right after the exposition is over.

Is it me or the harmonics at the 3rd bar before last are funky ? Any explanation for this ?

Bach was a legendary composer. I really admire his fugues due to how genius they are.

5:39 god i love this moment

Say, haven't I heard that second theme in (a) another fugue in the WTC and (b) in Shostakovich's fifth symphony?

One of my favorite. Well done!

Wow, I've been playing piano for a long time and that is hard, but I'm going to work on it.

Just a piece of intuition to add some speculation about triple fugues or fugue with two countersubjects... Bach juggled different subjects in the art of fugue and especially in CPT 8 and 10 which are usually called triple fugues even if they do not present regular second or third full expositions: exactly like this fugue. Bach knew very well how not to be boring! Only at the end, in CPT 14 he wrote a fugue with three regular expositions (like BWV 552), and like this fugue the second subject has quick crotchets... it seems as Bach during his life had in mind a monumental project that he fulfilled at the end of his Art of Fugue: CPT 14 is in fact a quadruple fugue but you can bet that there would not have been any fourth regular exposition. Just some thoughts swirling in my head...

can you do more wtC!?!

this is so genius. I dont know why it felt like ending on V chord to me :D

What I would like to see is a score that color coded the voices instead of the themes

This video deserves a remake--your most recent videos are so detailed and there is so much more in the amazing fugue. Thanks for considering!

Thank you for this. I return to this piece often to see how much I've learned since the last time I played it. And it keeps growing with me. I appreciate your clear analysis and look forward to torturing my students with this video.

Very good!

God.

Bartok, Schmartok -- Bach did it all and he did it first. Everyone else after that just copied.

Awesome fuge. Good choice you use someone of Schiff's calibre, someone who has grown with Bach over an entire career. It was so nice to hear all the voices so distinctly. It also sounded like he opted for using the sustain pedal. I guess that this about as complex as fugal writing gets? An intellectual tour de force.

The first subject is the Super Mario Bros Castle Theme

Bernstein talks about the power and pull of chromaticism made available by Tempered tuning in his long analysis of Schoenberg's impact and importance. In lecture 5 the "20th century crisis" from his Norton lectures the Unanswered Question. He lists this piece along with many others as near tone row embedded deeply mysterious examples. Bach truly let the cat outa the bag.

Looking at it it is obvious that Bach had to construct the subjects by using some sort of Taneyev styled planning. The use of invertible counterpoint is astounding. If both theories could be combined(Taneyev strict style, and figured bass), most of Bach's repertoire could be explained and deconstructed.

Measure 25, wouldn't the A G# C# B line at the tenor be the 1st theme ? When I play this, I always emphasize this part (because it's beautiful but I always thought this was the theme). Is it correct ?

Third beat of bar 15 (ಥ﹏ಥ), so unusual for that period yet so beautiful...

Oh god, I just noticed another red theme in measures 85-87. There's always something new to listen to when you're dealing with Bach 😮

73rd measure gives me the chills

The first subject is known as the cross. The second subject is arguably represents the crown of thorns, and the third subject represents the pounding nails.

It is my favourite fugue and in my opinion the highest point of counterpoint, but I have to deeply disagree on the statement that it is a 3 subject fugue when it is actually a 2 subjects fugue. The second subject that you mentioned is clearly not a pure subject but filler made of the pattern of the first one. A thing that is really interesting for me is the calling to the first subject after it's first note in the second part, that makes you understand what is going on, no matter the chaos. Appreciate that someone is making analysis of these masterpieces, well done

I learned quite a lot from your videos. They enlightened my understanding of music which I deem very important for my own compositions containing some bits of counterpoint. I would like you to make some more videos on Mozart's counterpoint. The Kyrie from his Requiem has popped in my head right now. It would be a delight if you did a video on that. Thanks for your analysis! :D

I was looking for the counter-subject Everywhere and i couldn't find it for like 2 hours. What gives?

Ingenious Triple Fugue!! Some people say those 2 are counter-subjects, but if they are, they would appear with 1st subject in the 1st exposition. Another reason is Bach will never use counter-subjects in stretto. So it is clear those 2 are subjects and this is a Triple fugue with 3 subjects. Bach sometimes don't use unaccompanied expositions for 2nd and 3rd subjects, but doesn't mean those are counter-subjects.

I was expecting chord analysis or something. But anyway, thank you for the video

so did you get copyright claimant on your video?

Pretty sure I can hear the theme inverted at times. Anyone else?

Analysis of Ricercar a 6 BWV 1079 when?

2:03

great video! i would have preferred hearing it on harpsichord, though.

My favorite fugue of all time.

Richard Atkinson - this is not any triple fugue. The fugue BWV 849 is a fugue with two countersubjects. It would be impossible even for a genius like Bach to compose a triple fugue with only one fugal exposition.

incredible Bach

Best channel on RU-vid,

Yayayayay a new video by Richard!

Magnificent on every level

Most amazing of all is the Ricercar a 6 from the Musical Offering. That is the ultimate in counterpoint writing of all time.

Good fugue

what is the reason that I hear the last chord of this fugue as a dominant? After some seconds my brain gets this as a tonica..

Richard, I have a doubt: Couldn't the second subject be considered a diminution of a counter-subject used in the first page? As in measures 22-23, I know the last note of the tenor is already theme 1, but couldn't it be the last 2 notes of measure 36 an allusion to that? This counter-subject, preceeded and merged with the half-common part these counter-subject has with the other counter-subject that had just shown up acutually (soprano of measure 35) and followed up by this diminution of the first theme? This argumento may sound a little struggled to fit in my theory, but I guess, why not asking? Because I don't know if I see it as a trully new theme such as theme "3" is. Thanks for this amazing video!

Would bee nice to have an insight of the fact that this fugue is "Christ's Prayer" one and the origins of the motives used in the fugue.

The F# minor Prelude book 2 must have been special because it is the ONLY work in both books to contain a verbatim statement of the melody theme 3 separate times. No other prelude repeats the theme in that way.