The Art of Fugue at the centre of the harmonia mundi catalogue
One of the most enigmatic works in Bach’s entire output has given rise to a number of recorded versions and interpretations. A few weeks before a new reading joins this list, here is an overview.
Notated on four staves, as though intended for some unspecified set of instruments (or even voices? or keyboard?), these thirteen erudite contrapuncti, four canons, and an unfinished triple fugue—incorporating the letters of Bach’s name—are often considered to be his musical testament. Shrouded in myths traceable to the work’s origins. The Art of Fugue is a puzzle for the performers and for the listeners alike. And yet, between a solo harpsichord, a consort of viols, a chamber orchestra, and the unexpected threesome of Les inAttendu, several solutions present themselves. Simply enter the words “art of fugue” into the search field to discover the four versions released by harmonia mundi… in anticipation of a fifth, entrusted to the intrepid musicians of the Cuarteto Casals.
Available June 9
J.S. BACH, THE ART OF FUGUE / CUARTETO CASALS (HMM 902717)