Composer

:

Franz Liszt

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Prelude & Fugue

Compose Date

:

1855

Publication Date

:

1859

First Performance

:

May 13, 1856

Average_duration

:

12:36

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Franz Liszt's 'Präludium und Fuge über das Motiv B.A.C.H. (I)', S. 260i, is a monumental work for the organ that was composed in 1855. The piece was premiered by Liszt himself in the same year at the inauguration of the new organ at the Merseburg Cathedral in Germany. The work is divided into two movements, a prelude and a fugue, both of which are based on the musical motif B-A-C-H, which is derived from the notes B-flat, A, C, and B-natural. This motif was a popular musical device in the 19th century and was used by many composers as a tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach, whose name is spelled using those four notes in German notation. The prelude is a virtuosic display of Liszt's organ technique, featuring rapid arpeggios, cascading scales, and thunderous chords. The B-A-C-H motif is heard throughout the prelude, sometimes in the foreground and sometimes in the background. The prelude builds to a climax before subsiding into a quiet coda, which features a delicate treatment of the B-A-C-H motif. The fugue is a complex and intricate contrapuntal work that showcases Liszt's mastery of counterpoint. The B-A-C-H motif is the subject of the fugue, and it is heard in various forms throughout the work. The fugue is divided into several sections, each of which explores different aspects of the B-A-C-H motif. The fugue builds to a powerful climax before subsiding into a quiet coda, which features a final statement of the B-A-C-H motif. Overall, 'Präludium und Fuge über das Motiv B.A.C.H. (I)', S. 260i, is a monumental work that pays tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach while showcasing Franz Liszt's virtuosity and mastery of the organ. The work is a testament to the enduring influence of Bach's music on later generations of composers and musicians.

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