Bach, Johann Sebastian : Capriccio 'Sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo' (Adagio)
Work Overview
Genre:caprice
Total Playing Time:1 min 30 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (1)
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Last Updated: October 30, 2023
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Author : Ooi, Kazurou
This piece is sometimes performed at a faster tempo than Adagio, but in any case, it features many strettos, which I interpret as an expression of a very "restless, anxious" emotional state.
It is a four-voice fugue that begins in G minor but modulates through many keys. This further contributes to the sense of unrest. The piece concludes with a Picardy third in C minor, ending with high tension. This lack of repose is understood as an expression of anxiety and sorrow.
This fugue contains three cadences. Excluding the final cadence, there are two distinct points:
- The first occurs on the first beat of measure 6.
- The second occurs on the first beat of measure 11.
Observing the progression leading up to each cadence, one can see that the number of voices gradually increases, strettos appear, and tension builds before the cadence is reached. Once a cadence concludes, the number of voices reduces to two, and then gradually increases again towards the next cadence.
Therefore, dynamically, it is logical to apply a gradual crescendo leading up to each cadence and then restart from p once the cadence is complete.