Bach's The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080, survived in an autograph manuscript bound in a volume titled 'die Kunst der Fuga,' likely by his son-in-law, J. C. Altnickol.
Recording & Production
This recording of The Art of Fugue was made at the Scuola Diocesana di Musica S. Cecilia in Verona, Italy, from April 24th to 28th, 2008.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's The Art of Fugue achieves numerical completeness based on the 'name number' fourteen (the letters of Bach's name, A=1, B=2, add up to fourteen), which was seemingly his favorite number.
Interpretation
Sergio Vartolo, the harpsichordist, used a historic Taskin model harpsichord for this recording, reflecting a French style to which Bach dedicated his Contrapunctus VI.
Compositional Technique
The Art of Fugue features a 'BACH' subject in the incomplete Fuga a 3 soggetti, which is believed to be a means of rounding off the cycle and asserting authorship.
Performer Biography
Sergio Vartolo, the harpsichordist on this album, has performed throughout Europe as a harpsichordist, organist, conductor, stage director, and singer since 1970.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's The Art of Fugue shows a close influence from Girolamo Frescobaldi, an Italian composer, in its general conception, polythematic Ricercare structure, and theme formulation.
