Bach: The Art of Life (2CD)

An aura of mystery looms around J.S. Bach's The Art of Fugue - his last masterpiece with its abruptly ending final fugue. Full of numerological symbolism, questions concerning the ordering of its various compositions which are just some of the intriguing conundrums of this collection.

MORE INFORMATION

The Art of Fugue lay unfinished at Bach’s death, so that his family tried to finish work on the edition, but in their confusion they committed a series of fundamental errors. The pieces by J.S. Bach sons, included in this album, build a symbolic arch as they oversaw the printing of the first edition.

The Art of Fugue - the culmination of Bach's experimentation with monothematic instrumental works - is the centerpiece of Daniil Trifonov's upcoming album. The main idea of the work was an in depth exploration of the contrapuntal possibilities of a short ten second theme.

To the present day, the work has received the highest recognition from musicians and music lovers. This stands in contradiction to the reception of the work, as it is rarely found in the pianistic repertoire or in concert life. One of the reasons for this - the technical demands.

Daniil Trifonov masters the challenge giving the work his personal touch by completing the final 14th fugue and composing two of his own canons as an original addition to the collection.

TRACK LIST

CD1

1-2 Bach, Johann Christian
Keyboard Sonata in A major, W.A 11 from 6 Keyboard Sonatas, Op.17/5
1. Allegro
2. Presto

3 Bach, Wilhelm Friedemann
Polonaise in E minor, from 12 Polonaises, F.12/8

4 Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel
Rondo in C minor, H.283, from 2 Sonaten, 2 Fantasien und 2 Rondos für Kenner und Liebhaber, Wq.59/4

5-23 Bach, Johann Christoph Friedrich
Variations on 'Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman'
1. Thema: Allegretto
2. Var. 1
3. Var. 2
4. Var. 3
5. Var. 4 Minore
6. Var. 5 Maggiore
7. Var. 6 Tempo di Minuetto
8. Var. 7
9. Var. 8 Schwäbisch (Non allegro)
10. Var. 9 Minore (Tranquillo)
11. Var. 10 Maggiore (Tempo I)
12. Var. 11
13. Var. 12 Alla Siciliano
14. Var. 13
15. Var. 14
16. Var. 15 (Più andante)
17. Var. 16. (Tempo I)
18. Var. 17 Minore
19. Var. 18 Maggiore (Allegro)

24-35 Bach, Johann Sebastian
Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (1725):
22. Musette D Major, BWV Anh. 126
41. Aria Gedenke doch, mein Geist, zurücke, BWV 509
14. Minuet A Minor, BWV Anh. 120
03. Minuet F Major, BWV Anh. 113
08. b) Polonaise F Major, BWV Anh. 117b
24. (Polonaise) D Minor, BWV Anh. 128
13. а) Choral Gib dich zufrieden und sei stille by J.S.       Bach, G Minor, BWV 511
04. Minuet G Major, Anh. 114 by Chr. Petzold
07. Minuet G Major, BWV Anh.116
19. Polonaise in G minor, BWV Anh. 125 by C.P.E.       Bach
15. Minuet C Minor, BWV Anh. 121
25. Aria Bist du bei mir by G.H. Stölzel, BWV 508

36 Brahms, Johannes / Bach, Johann Sebastian
5 Studies, Anh.1a/1
5. Chaconne von J. S. Bach (arrangement of the Chaconne from Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 by Bach)

37-41 Bach, Johann Sebastian
The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080
1. Contrapunctus 1, BWV 1080, 1
2. Contrapunctus 2, BWV 1080, 2
3. Contrapunctus 3, BWV 1080, 3
4. Contrapunctus 4, BWV 1080, 4
5. Contrapunctus 5, BWV 1080, 5

CD2

1-15 Bach, Johann Sebastian
The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080
6. Contrapunctus 6 [per Diminutionem] in Stylo Francese, BWV 1080, 6
7. Contrapunctus 7 per Augmentationem et Diminutionem, BWV 1080, 7
8. Contrapunctus 8, BWV 1080, 8
9. Contrapunctus 9 alla Duodecima, BWV 1080, 9
10. Contrapunctus 10 alla Decima, BWV 1080, 10
11. Contrapunctus 11, BWV 1080, 11
12. Contrapunctus [12] [rectus], BWV 1080, 121
13. Contrapunctus 12 inversus, BWV 1080, 122
14. Contrapunctus [13] [rectus], BWV 1080, 132
15. Contrapunctus [13] inversus, BWV 1080, 131

16. Canon [in Hypodiatessaron]. per Augmentationem in Contrario Motu, BWV 1080, 14
17. Canon in Hypodiapason (Canon alla Ottava), BWV 1080, 15
18. Canon alla Decima. Contrapunto alla Terza, BWV 1080, 16
19. Canon alla Duodecima. in Contrapunto alla Quinta, BWV 1080, 17
20. [Contrapunctus 14], BWV 1080, 19 (Completed by Daniil Trifonov)

16 Bach, Johann Sebastian / Hess, Myra
Jesus, joy of man’s desiring, transcr. by Myra Hess,
from Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147, Part II/10