The Art of the Fugue & A Musical Offering (Dover Chamber Music Scores) [Paperback]

Johann Sebastian Bach (Author), Music Scores (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dover Chamber Music Scores | Publication Date: June 9, 1992

19 canons and fugues that progressively illustrate the rich variety and complexity of Bach's fugal writing (complete with a piano reduction). Also included is a set of canonical variations on a theme by Frederick the Great, complete with solutions and a realization of the keyboard part. Breitkopf & Härtel editions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (June 9, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486270068
• ISBN-13: 978-0486270067
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #364,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Historical Period > Baroque
  • #97 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Bach

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, if you have someone to hold it open., December 8, 1998

By 

Archimedes "archimedesz" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Art of the Fugue & A Musical Offering (Dover Chamber Music Scores) (Paperback)

This is a jewel; a paperback (with Dover's usual great binding quality) that contains both the Art of Fugue and the Musical Offering.

The Art of Fugue was originally written in open score, to emphasize that the performance instrument was not specified. This edition gives the open score with a two-stave (piano-type) reduction below.

Of course, with a solid binding like that, it's not going to stay open on your piano.

If you want to play / doodle the great Contrapunctus 1 from TAOF (like I did), and if you've got the hairclips to keep the pages down (like I wish I did), this book is for you! Gofer it. Arch

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful open score presentation of The Art of the Fugue - PERFECT for study, December 7, 2005

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art of the Fugue & A Musical Offering (Dover Chamber Music Scores) (Paperback)

This is a STUDY edition rather than a performing edition of JS Bach's "The Art of the Fugue" and "A Musical Offering". I suppose you could bend it back and break the spine in order to get it to lay flat, but there are already many great performing editions of these works. So, why not study from your performing edition?

Simply, this provides "The Art of the Fugue" in open score. That is, each voice has its own line so it is clear which voice leads where. If you want to study how the fugues work, or make arrangements for multiple instruments, this is a critical help. In standard two stave editions the voices cross so much that one has to be extremely careful to get the voices right. Here it is quite simple. The standard two stave system for playing the work at the keyboard is also provided, but it is really too small to read at a keyboard. Again, the purpose is for study.

Another added bonus for the student is that the alto voice uses the alto cleff and the tenor voice uses the tenor cleff. So, the student gets practice reading C-cleffs in addition to the standard G and F cleffs (the standard piano cleffs - treble and bass cleffs).

Highly recommended for the student who wants to study these works, learn more about counterpoint and fugue, and may want to try his hand at transcribing them for a small ensemble.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for Bach enthusiasts, January 15, 2007

By 

M. F. Williams "M F Williams Composer" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art of the Fugue & A Musical Offering (Dover Chamber Music Scores) (Paperback)

Beautifully presented. This shows the great man at the pinnacle of his contrapuntal powers. A must for Bach enthusiasts and those who wish to observe fugal writing without parallel.