In the second installment of our Bach triptych, we discover The Art of Fugue with the help of Canadian Bach scholar extraordinaire (in more ways than one), Glenn Gould.

Glenn Gould's passionately intimate analysis of JS Bach's collection of monothematic fugal experiments sheds brilliant insight on the sonic logic of the man who sits at the apex of more 'top 10 most influential composers' lists than anyone else.

The Art of Fugue (BWV 1080) was never finished. I don't know if Bach ever had the intention of formally completing the collection as so many orderly minds would wish. In the last decade, there has been speculation from the academic community that the famously unfinished fugue Contrapunctus XIV was left intentionally unfinished for others to complete as a compositional exercise. Many composers have tried their hands at finishing it, but no one takes it apart with such passionate grace as Glenn Gould.

Here, watch and listen to Gould pluck key sections of the score out of the ether with an eerie fluency (not to mention a penchant for singing along with the inner voices) as these magical structures pour from the depths of his self-awareness through the tips of his fingers. An Art of Fugue (1980) presents fascinating portrait of the Great Canadian Bach Scholar and his unique psyche mediated by violinist/filmmaker Bruno Monsaingeon (who was also responsible for the documentary film about Nadia Boulanger featured in MWM episode 7). Watch it here:

 

 

If you want to follow along while you watch, you can find a digital copy of Bach's own manuscript here. If you'd prefer something more legible, try this.

 

Stay tuned to Classic107.com for new episodes of Mid-week Musicology every Wednesday!