J. S BACH

Die Kunst Der Fuge

CD 1

Die Kunst der Fuge BWV1080

1 Contrapunctus 1

2 Contrapunctus 2

3 Contrapunctus 3

4 Contrapunctus 4

5 Contrapunctus 5

6 Contrapunctus 6 a 4 in Stylo Francese

7 Contrapunctus 7 a 4 per Augment[ationem] et Diminut[ionem]

8 Contrapunctus 8 a 3

9 Contrapunctus 9 a 4 alla Duodecima

10 Contrapunctus 10 a 4 alla Decima

CD2

Die Kunst der Fuge BWV1080

1 Contrapunctus inversus 12 á 4 [rectus]

2 Contrapunctus inversus 12 á 4 [inversus]

3 Contrapunctus inversus a 3 [rectus]

4 Contrapunctus [inversus] a 3 [inversus]

5 Cnon alla Ottava

6 Canon alla Decima Contrapunto alla Terza

7 Canon alla Duodecima in Contrapunto alla Quinta

8 Canon per Augmentationem in Contrario Motu

Einige canonische Verænderungen über das

Weynacht-Lied

Canonic Variations on the Christmas Song

Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ich her

vor die Orgel mit 2 Clavieren und dem Pedal

BWV769/769a

9 Variatio 1 in Canone all’Ottava

10 Variatio 2 Alio Modo in Canone alla Quinta

11 Variatio 3 Canone alla Settima

12 Variatio 4 per augmentationem in Canone all’ottava

13 Variatio 5. L’altra Sorte del’ Canone all’ rovercio: alla Sesta – alla Terza – alla Seconda – alla Nona

CD 3

Musikalisches Opfer BWV1079

1 Ricercar [à 3]

2 Canon perpetuus super Thema Regium

3 Ricercar à 6

4 Canon à 2 Quaerendo invenietis

5 Canon à 4

Sonata sopr’il Soggetto Reale à Traversa, Violino e Continuo1

6 I. Largo

7 II. Allegro

8 III. Andante

9 IV. Allegro

10 Canon perpetuus

Canones diversi super Thema Regium

Regis Iussu Cantio Et Reliqua Canonica Arte

Resoluta

11 Canon 1 a 2

12 Canon 2 a 2 Violin: in Unisono 2 vl./cello/harpsichord

13 Canon 3 a 2 per Motum contrarium

14 Canon 4 a 2 per Augmentationem, contrariu Motu2

Notulis crescentibus crescat Fortuna Regis

15 Canon 5 a 2 [per Tonos] – Ascendenteque Modulatione ascendat Gloria Regis

16 Fuga canonica in Epidiapente vl.

17 Fuga a 3 soggetti (fragment) BWV1080/19

Matteo Messori (harpsichords, organ, chapel master)

Cappella Augustana

J.S. Bach’s great masterpiece, The Art of Fugue, was incomplete when the composer died in 1750, and he left no indications whatsoever for its instrumentation. Since then there has been much debate on the subject, but we now know that it was written as a practical work intended for keyboard performance exploring the contrapuntal possibilities within one subject. Bach also adopted the same compositional notational method for the beautiful and profound organ cycle Canonic Variations on the Christmas Carol and the brilliant six-voice Musical Offering, created for King Frederick II of Prussia, which are also heard in this 4-CD set. Also included is the fragment of the incomplete three part final fugue BWV1080/19, whose inclusion in The Art of Fugue is disputed amongst music scholars.

The renowned Italian harpsichordist, organist and musical scholar, Matteo Messori, has won awards for his recordings of Bach. Messori has gone back to original sources and letters relating to these works, and taken account of the most up-todate research and interpretative knowledge, in order to reveal Bach’s true intentions for his music, and to give as authentic a performance as possible. Messori performs on the harpsichord and organ, and is joined by Italian early music ensemble Cappella Augustana, featuring Luigi Mario Lupo (transverse flute), Luca Giardini (violin), and Marco Testori (cello).

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