Composer

:

Gustav Adolf Merkel

Genre

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Keyboard

Style

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Fugue

Average_duration

:

5:04

Fugue on BACH, Op. 40 is a composition for organ by German composer Gustav Adolf Merkel. It was composed in 1879 and premiered in the same year in Leipzig, Germany. The piece is a single movement work that is approximately six minutes in length. The Fugue on BACH is a tribute to the great composer Johann Sebastian Bach, and is based on the famous B-A-C-H motif. The piece begins with a statement of the motif in the pedal, followed by a series of imitative entries in the manuals. The fugue subject is then presented in its entirety, and the piece proceeds with a series of episodes and modulations. The Fugue on BACH is characterized by its contrapuntal complexity and virtuosic writing for the organ. Merkel employs a variety of techniques, including stretto, inversion, and augmentation, to create a rich and varied texture. The piece also features a number of technical challenges for the performer, including rapid passagework and intricate pedal writing. Despite its technical demands, the Fugue on BACH is a highly accessible work that has become a staple of the organ repertoire. Its popularity is due in part to its clever use of the B-A-C-H motif, which has become a symbol of Bach's legacy and influence on subsequent generations of composers.

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