From: roger@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Subject: Re: Clavieruebung
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 07:17:54 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.210242.3131@ducvax.auburn.edu> 
l_n_@ducvax.auburn.edu (N.Lakshminarayanan,Auburn Univ. AL36849) writes:
>Hi netters! I have been reading this group on and off and find
>it interesting reading.

Flattery will get you everywhere!

>	I am from India and have a good background in Indian
>classical music. For the past four years I have been here I have
>been listening to western classical music--mainly Bach and
>Beethoven. Recently I have been listening to music from
>Bach's Clavieruebung vol.3 played by Marie-Claire Alain on the
>organ. There is a piece titled "Aus tiefer Not sehrei'ich zu
>dir" , BWV686. I am afraid I don't follow the music down to each note,
>but from what I do follow, I should say that it is other-wordly, and
>it staggers the imagination to think that such musicality is possible.
>	But it is only 7 or 8 minutes long. My questions are:
>What was the intention of such works?(I know the title translates
>as "keyboard practice").

This is an interesting question.  The "Clavieruebung" in general is a
set of four published works by Bach, probably intended to show off the
possibilities of various keyboard instruments.  The first volume is six
Partitas (suites of pieces based on dance forms); the second volume is
two more harpsichord pieces, the Italian Concerto and the French
Overture.  These are two imitations of orchestral music; concerti were
generally for a string orchestra with one or more soloists, and big
suites with overtures (the word "overture" here being shorthand for
"overture-and-suite") wer elikewise often the province of the orchestra.
Part of the point here is the contrast in national styles.

The fourth volume is the Goldberg Variations, an exhaustive catalogue of
variation styles, canon styles, and so on.

The third volume is a set of organ pieces that follows the pattern of
the Mass.  The Ordinary of the Catholic Mass had been appropriated,
translated, and, where necessary, revised to make texts for Lutheran
hymns; Bach uses the tunes of these hymns as the bases for a set of
pieces, and adds more hymn-tune-based organ pieces to give a sort of
solo-organ version of a whole church service.  

In other words, this is a tour de force, a demonstration that
keyboard instruments can do anything: play popular suites, imitate an
orchestral style, provide endless variations on one tune (or, more
properly, its bassline), and (in the case of Part III) give an
impression of an entire church service.  The type of pieces in Part III
(generally referred to as the German Organ Mass) is usually called
"chorale prelude," "chorale fantasy," or the like; the key is that, one
way or another, you get the chorale tune.  The one you mention above is
indeed an astonishing piece (I assume you mean the first of the two
settings);  it is a rare example of fugal counterpoint in six parts
(with the pedals uncharacteristically taking two lines at once).  (The
second one is for manuals only, and is in four parts.)  The chorale text
is "Out of the depths I cry to Thee, Lord," based on Psalm 130, which is
used in many services in most Christian denominations.

There are some pieces in the German Organ Mass which are not
chorale-based.  These include the prelude and fugue that begin and end
the work, and the four duets.  Preludes and fugues were used at organ
concerts and as music before and after a service.

Now the good news: there are many more wonderful pieces for organ by
Bach, in the prelude/fantasia and fugue genre and in the chorale-based
genres.  The biggest collections of chorales are the Orgelbuechlein
(Little Organ Book), which is unfinished; Bach intended to produce a set
of chorales that could be played, one every week plus the major feasts.
These are usually short; for long ones, turn to the Eighteen or the Six
Schuebler Chorales.  (Schmuecke Dich, o liebe Seele is one of my
favorites in the 18.)  There are also lots of individual chorales lying
around.

To say nothing of the six Trio Sonatas, Bach's transformation of a
chamber-music genre into organ music.  

>Are there other works for organ of the same musical stature?(I have
>heard the St.Anne Fugue from the same collection).

Bach wrote very few other six-part pieces; the other great one is the
Ricercar a 6 from The Musical Offering.  Generally done on harpsichord;
occasionally on organ.

Some of my other organ favorites: Prelude and Fugue in E minor; Fantasia
and Fugue in C major; Prelude, Adagio, and Fugue in C; Passacaglia in C
minor; Prelude and Fugue in A minor; Toccata in F major.

And a lot more; there's about 18 records worth, and much of that is
stupendous.  But I agree with you: you've picked out one of the most
amazing pieces I know.

Roger

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