Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg, Fuga in a moll (1)

Of Marpurg’s didactical writings, the Abhandlung von der Fuge (1753–4) is a authoritative discussion of fugal practice in late Baroque music. Marpurg’s descriptions of small- and large-scale contrapuntal and fugal procedures, based largely on Bach’s works, are forerunners of modern textbook descriptions of the classical fugue. It is no surprise than that Marpurg made heavily use of the form of fugue in his own compositions.

As was the case with the Fuga sopra “Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr” this fugue in a minor is notated in the source on two staves. Nevertheless, I think it could very well be meant as a pedaliter composition, and I render it on three staves in my score. It is a fugue with a serious and somewhat heavy character, best performed, i think, with a solid plenum.

The recording was done with the Hauptwerk software and the sampleset, made by Sonus Paradisi, of the Schnittger organ in the St. Martini-kerk, Groningen (https://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs/netherlands/groningen-st-martini.html).

Score
Marpurg, Fuga

Performance

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