page_title: Clavier-Übung III
section_title: Historic transcriptions
hierarchical_section_title: Clavier-Übung III / Historic transcriptions
caption_attribution_description: English: Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy, drawing by Wilhelm Hensel 1823 Deutsch: Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Zeichnung von Wilhelm Hensel 1823
context_page_description: The Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the German Organ Mass, is a collection of compositions for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, started in 1735–36 and published in 1739. It is considered Bach's most significant and extensive work for organ, containing some of his most musically complex and technically demanding compositions for that instrument.
  In its use of modal forms, motet-style and canons, it looks back to the religious music of masters of the stile antico, such as Frescobaldi, Palestrina, Lotti and Caldara. At the same time, Bach was forward-looking, incorporating and distilling modern baroque musical forms, such as the French-style chorale.
  The work has the form of an Organ Mass: between its opening and closing movements—the prelude and "St Anne" fugue in E♭ major, BWV 552—are 21 chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, setting parts of the Lutheran mass and catechisms, followed by four duets, BWV 802–805. The chorale preludes range from compositions for single keyboard to a six-part fugal prelude with two parts in the pedal.
context_section_description: Piano
  Benjamin Jacob (1778–1829), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for piano duet
  Ivan Karlovitsch Tscherlitzky (1799–1865), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 and chorale preludes BWV 669–689 for piano solo
  Adolf Bernhard Marx (1795–1866), arrangement of chorale preludes BWV 679 and 683 for piano solo
  Franz Xavier Gleichauf (1801–1856), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for piano duet
  Otto Singer (1833–1894), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for two pianos
  Ludwig Stark (1831–1884), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for piano solo
  Ernst Pauer (1826–1905), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for piano duet
  Max Reger (1873–1916), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for piano duet and piano solo
  Ferruccio Busoni "freely arranged for concert use on the piano" the prelude and fugue BWV 552 in 1890
  August Stradal (1860–1930), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for piano solo
  William G. Whittaker (1876–1944), arrangements of chorale preludes BWV 672–675, 677, 679, 681, 683, 685, 687, 689 for piano solo
  Christopher Le Fleming (1908–1985), arrangement of prelude and fugue BWV 552 for two pianos
  György Kurtág, Aus tiefer Noth schrei' ich zu dir BWV 687, transcribed for piano 4 hands from Játékok ("Games")
  Orchestra
  Vincent Novello arranged the prelude of BWV 552 for orchestra and organ duet: it was first performed with Samuel Wesley and Novello at the organ in the Hanover Square Rooms in 1812.
  Leopold Stokowski, conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Wir glauben all' an einen Gott BWV 680 and Aus tiefer Noth schrei' ich zu dir BWV 686 were among the 14 organ works of Bach orchestrated by Stokowski. Wir glauben was first performed on March 15, 1924 and recorded on May 1, 1929.
  Ralph Vaughan Williams, arrangement of Wir glauben all' an einen Gott BWV 680 for string orchestra, 1925 (there is also a simplified version by Arnold Foster)
  Arnold Schoenberg recomposed the prelude and fugue BWV 552 for orchestra in 1928; Its first performance was conducted by Anton Webern in 1929.
  Henri Verbrugghen (1873–1934), arranged the prelude and fugue BWV 552 for orchestra.
  Philip James (1890–1975), arrangement of Wir glauben all' an einen Gott BWV 680 for orchestra, 1929.
  Fabien Sevitzky (1891–1967), arrangement of Wir glauben all' an einen Gott BWV 680 for orchestra, 1937.
  Alan Bush (1900–1995), arrangement of Kyrie, Gott, heiliger Geist BWV 671 and the fugue on Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 689 for string orchestra, first performed in the Cambridge Arts Theatre in November 1941.
  Alfred Akon (1905–1977), arrangement of Wir glauben all' an einen Gott BWV 680 for string orchestra, 1942.
  Herman Boessenroth (1884–1968), arrangement of Wir glauben all' an einen Gott BWV 680 for full orchestra, 1942.
  Frederick Stock, conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, arranged the prelude and fugue BWV 552 for orchestra, recording it with them on December 22, 1944.
  Chamber ensembles
  Abraham Mendelssohn (1776–1835), arrangement of Vater unser im Himmelreich BWV 682 for flute, violin, viola, cello and organ
  Ferdinand David (1810–1873), arrangement of Duetti BWV 802–805 for violin and viola.
caption: Wilhelm Hensel, 1823: Abraham Mendelssohn
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