Fantasia in G major, BWV 572

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The Fantasia in G major , also known as Pièce d'Orgue ( BWV 572), is an organ composition by Johann Sebastian Bach and is one of his best-known and most frequently performed organ works. It comes from Bach's Weimar period, consists of three parts and has been handed down in two versions. The early version is a copy that Bach's distant cousin Johann Gottfried Walther made in Weimar around 1712. The second version, in which the first part in particular was expanded, was made in Leipzig in the late 1720s .

construction

In his Musicalischen Lexicon from 1732, JG Walther gives the following definition of the formal term pièce, which is rarely used in German baroque music : “Pièce ... is mainly used for instrumental items, some of which constitute a whole piece as parts”.

First part

The first part of the Fantasia in G major does not contain a tempo indication in the early version; in the final version it is titled Très vitement (“Very Fast”). This is a manual solo in 12/8 time with a widely spun, unison melody line, which, however, suggests a latent polyphony , similar to the Prelude in C major from the first part of the Well-Tempered Clavier .

Second part

The second part begins with a surprising use of the pedal on the keynote G. In the early version it bears the playing instructions Gayement (“Fröhlich” or Allegro ), in the final version, however, Gravement (“Slow”, “Carried”). Together with the manual parts that immediately follow, a five-part movement is now created in alla breve time , which is mainly characterized by harmonic boldness with numerous stops and is based on French models. None of the five voices takes the lead, so it is not a fugue . This is a classic example of the French grand plein jeu , consisting of all principals and mixtures , with the focus exclusively on the development of harmony and largely without counterpoint and melody. The harmonic tension gradually increases over 157 bars and finally culminates in an organ point on the dominant D, which extends over nine bars. This part ends in an abrupt fallacy on a diminished seventh chord .

Philipp Spitta describes the structure and effect of the second part as follows:

"Towards the end [...] the scale motif also emerges powerfully and slowly, the expression now increases more and more to an indescribable intensity and glow that swings far, far beyond the capabilities of the organ: the pedal rises slowly and irresistible from D through two octaves in whole notes upwards, then it lies for a long time in the huge organ point again on the starting stone, the left hand takes over the motif in thirds, and above it the contrapuncts swing on and on. "

- Philipp Spitta

third part

The third part consists of arpeggierenden Manual runs in 32tel- sextuplets , accompanied by chromatically descending pedal tones, which in turn end up on the D as a pedal point before the long-awaited, triumphant final cadence in G major is reached. In the early version, the final part bears the tempo indication Lentement (“slow”), whereas in the final version there is no tempo indication . This is one reason why there are different interpretations of this part. While many organists perceive it as a dramatic final heightening, Olivier Latry, for example, interprets it as a calm, thoughtful end.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ see article by Folker Froebe in the ZGMTH
  2. ↑ Folker Froebe, in: Journal of the Society for Music Theory 9/1, 2012.
  3. ↑ Olivier Latry at the organ of the University of Notre Dame

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