This is the final fugue of The Art of Fugue, the famous 'unfinished' fugue, number 14. We discuss how one could have understood this fugue to have been unfinished in earlier periods in musical history (it was finished) and what exactly is missing.
THE LAST PAGE ! CLICK HERE to see the 'corrupt' staves on which it would have been impossible to complete such a dense fugue. **Note the staff three from the bottom**
Topics covered:
B+A+C+H = 14
B-A-C-H as a melody and fugue subject.
Where the missing, 4th theme, comes in this quadruple fugue.
The final combination of all four themes and its 'note for note' inversion as mentioned in Bach's obituary of 1754.
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Concepts Covered:
In this episode, we analyze the final fugue in The Art of Fugue, the famous 'unfinished' fugue number 14, exploring its the reasons it is often thought to be incomplete. Should this be in fact a quadruple fugue? And where is the missing fourth theme? How could all four themes come together in a final combination, along with a note-for-note inversion, as referenced in Bach’s obituary of 1754? We discuss the 'corrupt' staves on the final page, the impossibility of completing such a dense fugue there and the known numerical symbolism of B+A+C+H = 14 and B-A-C-H as both melody and fugue subject.
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