Description

Bach's final instrumental works include two remarkable compositions that showcase his exceptional ability to weave intricate contrapuntal elements into a cohesive and expressive musical fabric. The Art of the Fugue, created around 1745-50, features nineteen canons and fugues that progressively demonstrate the diverse richness and complexity inherent in fugal writing. This edition is faithfully reproduced from the esteemed Breitkopf & Härtel score and includes a keyboard transcription printed directly below the main score. A Musical Offering, composed in 1747 for King Frederick the Great of Prussia, consists of a three-part ricercar and a six-part ricercar for keyboard, a renowned sonata for flute and violin, as well as a collection of canons, all derived from a theme conceived by the King himself. An appendix provides solutions to the canons and a realization of the keyboard part.