When Bach Invented Swing 170 YEARS EARLY! Contrapunctus II from the Art of Fugue

Written in the 1740s (the final decade of his life) Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Art of Fugue is a striking example of ‘late style’. In it, Bach distilled the expertise of forty years of contrapuntal practice in an extraordinary sequence of fugues and canons based on a single thematic idea. The cycle remained unfinished, and the final fugue breaks off, mysteriously, shortly after the composer introduced his own name, B A C H (in English notation B flat A C B natural) as a fugue subject. It was almost as if he was signing off his life’s work.

Contrapunctus II is the second Fugue in the cycle and elaborates the fugue subject with dotted rhythms. His approach here is no doubt influenced by ’French Style’ performance practice of the period in which pairs of 'notes inégales’ are played in a manner that might today be described as ’swung’. The dotted notation implies that the ratio of swing is more severe than 2:1 but possibly less severe than 3:1. Coupled with the use of tied notes, the syncopations enliven Bach’s magnificent contrapuntal fabric in a strikingly groovy way.

A fugue always has a main theme (called the subject) which is presented in several voices at the start, each entering in succession. The subject counterpoints with a secondary theme called a countersubject: in this fugue, the subject is in rather solemn half notes and the countersubject is in more dance-like dotted rhythm with some syncopation. Throughout the fugue, Bach brings in the subject, from time to time, in all the main related keys. These entries of the subject alternate with freer episodes, so the structure of the fugue has a kind of ebb and flow. At the end of the fugue, there is a final climactic presentation of the subject in the home key so that the fugue comes to a fully resolved and satisfying conclusion.

MUSICAL EXCERPTS USED IN THIS VIDEO

Contrapunctus II from The Musical Offering by J.S. Bach.

Realisation by Matthew King

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#bach #swing #artoffugue #themusicprofessor

Produced and directed by Ian Coulter & Matthew King

[radio.ned]

Some good old-fashioned baroque 'n' roll

[Daniel_Zalman]

It's interesting that so many Jazz musicians take inspiration from Bach. There are so many phenomenal Jazz arrangements, variations, etc. I recently heard a Saxophone Quintet play Bach's Toccata and Fugue for Organ, BWV 565 (The Quintessence Saxophone Quintent (corny name, but the playing is anything but). Then there are the famous Swingle Singers. And, I'm currently enamored with a recording called "Bach & Me" by the Vernizzi Jazz Trio.

[nickcarroll]

A jazz prof at my college said he had yet to find a rhythm used in jazz they he had not found in Bach’s work.

[DJKLProductions]

In my opinion, the best "swinging" recording of Contrapunctus 2 is by Joanna MacGregor, an underrated pianist. She is very good at highlighting the contrapuncti, or more generally cantus firmi, with light, not too strong, emphasis. It is also she who plays the Contrapunctus 2 of the Art of Fugue in an almost swinging manner. Her recording is my favourite.

[evanmisejka]

Don't forget the French overture style where not only dotted rhythms are exaggerated, but also they would "swing" regular eighth notes

[seanmundy]

In Bach's BWV 30 Cantata, "Freue dich erloste Schar", there is a swing groove in the alto aria "Kommt, ihr angefochtnen Sunder" (fifth movement of the cantata following the alto recit). It really swings in the continuo and obilgatto violin parts, as well in parts of the solo flute that duets with the alto. Not only does it swing and have a great groove, it's just an overall beautifully written aria.

[konokonokonoko]

For the most jazzy version of this piece, look no further than Berlin Bach Academy Soloists' 2000 album. You will hear the double bass, piano, and vibraphone. Could be right out of a Modern Jazz Quartet album.

[ShhshssDhhddhhd-lnbq]

Music is the king of all arts and Bach is the god of music.

[karolcpm-]

There is a saying that "Bach did it all", the swing in jazz especially.
Add more "swing" by playing the video at 1.25x speed. ;)

[davidtatro]

One of my best friends in high school played clarinet (I play trombone). He had a book of simple Bach duets arranged for clarinets, and most every day we would read through one of them straight and then play it again swung. They always sounded just as good when swung as they did straight.

[blackmage]

I think swung rhythm is simply extremely natural for humans and so it shows up in our music

[rocketsroar]

This is jazz about 2 centuries before it showed up in pop music.

[OziCastle]

The little dancing men always make me chuckle :))

[tonydarcy]

Whether it's "swing" or not, there's no doubt in my mind that Bach liked to get feet tapping !

[MrYuryZ]

Wow! Thank you for this video! Love this music! Coundn't stop to lisening to Bach's music. I think Contrapunctus 4 is also sounds very jazzy... or maybe I just so much into Bach's music so that I want to listen to it more on your channel as well :) Anyway, thank you again. Keep it up and may God bless you and your loved ones.

[ScarRach]

I just love that, however the fact, that Bach didn't notate this rhythm in the original but notated it with straight eights shows, that it was common practice to play this piece of music like that, since it reminds of other pieces/dances.
So inventing would definetly not the right term with that one, hoowever the BWV 826 Capriccio sound just like a boogie woogie or something and it is notated like that
:)

[howlinmad]

Oh great. Bach is having another episode.

[chessematics]

I knew it's this piece by just seeing the title.

[bogdanpatedakislitvinov]

These videos are amazing, loved the fast walking legs 😂

[omegads]

I've heard that french rhythm has this convention. Actually I like these swing rhythms, its like a fresh air.