The Toccata and Fugue "Dorian" BWV 538 includes specific instructions from Bach for manual changes between the Oberwerk and Rückpositiv, offering rare insight into his preferred instrument registration.
Notable Performances
Bach's great improvisation skill is evidenced by his three-quarter-hour improvisation on the chorale 'An Wasserfliissen Babylons' during a trial performance on the Schnitger organ in Hamburg in 1720.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Johann Sebastian Bach's works unite secular and religious elements, transcending confessional and ideological boundaries.
Composition History
The genesis of Bach's toccatas and fugues is often unclear because he frequently revised his compositions, and many works only exist as copies.
Composer Biography
Johann Sebastian Bach, born in 1685, is praised by contemporaries like Telemann as a world-famous organ virtuoso.
Instruments
The Wagner organ of Brandenburg Cathedral, built in 1723 by Joachim Wagner, is nearly original and is considered one of the most significant and well-preserved organs of German Late Baroque.
Compositional Technique
The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, one of Bach's most famous organ works, has a strong improvisatory character in its toccata section.
