debartzen (October 5, 2008 at 10:18 pm)

Maravillosa ésta música que transciende lo humano.Seis voces,seis.Mucho más que el Ricercare que parece..,

wcbroccoli (August 31, 2008 at 11:29 am)

Perhaps. But just 4 days after the historic meeting, the Berlin Spenersche Zeitung reported that when Bach improvised a fugue on the King's theme, "not only His Majesty was pleased to show his satisfaction thereat, but also all those present were seized with astonishment." While it's possible that newpapers of the time might tend to exaggerate, I doubt that they would run the risk of misrepresenting the King.

wcbroccoli (August 31, 2008 at 11:03 am)

To amazing to be true.The historic meeting, documented in newspapers of the time, occured May 7, 1747. The Musical Offering was presented TWO months later, not 2 weeks later.The dedication letter Bach wrote to Frederick was signed July 7, 1747.

wcbroccoli (August 31, 2008 at 10:46 am)

It's very likely that the 3-part ricercar is Bach's his recollection and reworking of the fugue he impovised. Not very likely that he improvised a 6-part fugue (nor an 8-part fugue, as Baron van Swieten claims he was told by Frederick about 24 years after Bach's death). In Bach's letter to the King he said he soon realized that he was not prepared to improvise a 6-part fugue on the theme and would need time to work it out properly. Two months later, Bach presented the Musical Offering.

wcbroccoli (August 31, 2008 at 10:36 am)

Oh, it's always going somewhere.Maybe you have a tin ear that can't recognize the expositions, cadences, episodes and modulations. In the course of the piece each voice plays the theme twice.

anisometropie (August 12, 2008 at 5:59 pm)

so beautiful, and so complex at the same time. absolutely perfect

DerowEgen (July 22, 2008 at 11:13 pm)

hä?

angoranimi07 (June 23, 2008 at 2:53 pm)

Bach is a genius, simply.

KickaPoohbeans (June 14, 2008 at 7:15 pm)

Work it all out IN HIS HEAD.

chrish12345 (June 6, 2008 at 8:49 am)

I'm not denying any of that or saying it in a derogatory sense, its just a feeling I get from it - its not like the 3 part one which clearly is always going somewhere.