Composer

:

Johann Sebastian Bach

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Prelude & Fugue

Compose Date

:

1722

Publication Date

:

1866

Average_duration

:

5:53

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude and Fugue No. 20 in A minor is part of his monumental work, The Well-Tempered Clavier. This collection of preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys was composed in two volumes, with the first volume completed in 1722 and the second in 1744. The Prelude and Fugue No. 20 in A minor is from the first volume and was composed in 1722. The Prelude is a short, melancholic piece that sets the mood for the Fugue that follows. It is in binary form, with two sections that are repeated. The first section is in A minor and features a descending chromatic line in the right hand, while the left hand plays a simple accompaniment. The second section is in A major and features a rising chromatic line in the right hand, while the left hand continues with the same accompaniment. The Prelude ends with a brief coda that brings the piece to a close. The Fugue is a complex and intricate piece that showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint. It is in three voices and is based on a subject that is introduced in the first measure. The subject is a short, four-note motif that is repeated throughout the piece in various forms. The Fugue is in four movements, with each movement featuring a different variation of the subject. The first movement is in the tonic key of A minor and features the subject in its original form. The second movement is in the relative major key of C major and features the subject in inversion. The third movement is in the dominant key of E minor and features the subject in retrograde. The fourth and final movement is in the tonic key of A minor and features the subject in augmentation. The Fugue is characterized by its intricate counterpoint, with each voice weaving in and out of the texture in a complex and intricate dance. The subject is constantly being developed and transformed, creating a sense of unity and coherence throughout the piece. The Fugue ends with a brief coda that brings the piece to a close. Overall, Bach's Prelude and Fugue No. 20 in A minor is a masterful work that showcases his skill as a composer and his mastery of counterpoint. Its melancholic Prelude sets the mood for the complex and intricate Fugue that follows, creating a sense of unity and coherence throughout the piece.

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