Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: “Holy of Holies”

The 19th century commentator, Hugo Riemann, described Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp minor, BWV 849 as the “holy of holies.” The phrase, found in the Hebrew Bible, refers to the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle, where the Shekhinah (God’s presence) appeared.

The fourth piece from Book 1 of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 849 is solemn, meditative music filled with wrenching melancholy. The Prelude is a loure, a French Baroque dance which resembles a gigue in slow motion. It is a passionate and lamenting conversation between two voices, one occurring in the higher register and the other in the bass. The subject of the five-voice Fugue is dissonant and compressed. Made up of five pitches (C-sharp, B-sharp, E, D-sharp, C-sharp), the subject’s contour resembles a cross, the symbol of crucifixion, on the staff. The motif is derived from the Advent chorale, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (“Savior of the nations, come”). Unfolding over three themes, the Fugue delivers its most jarring dissonance in the final seconds before resolving with the sudden sunshine of a Picardy third.

This performance, recorded by the Netherlands Bach Society in Bois le Roi, France in September of 2016, features harpsichordist Bertrand Cuiller:

Featured Image: Bach’s manuscript for the Fugue in C-sharp minor

About Timothy Judd

A native of Upstate New York, Timothy Judd has been a member of the Richmond Symphony violin section since 2001. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where he earned the degrees Bachelor of Music and Master of Music, studying with world renowned Ukrainian-American violinist Oleh Krysa.

The son of public school music educators, Timothy Judd began violin lessons at the age of four through Eastman’s Community Education Division. He was a student of Anastasia Jempelis, one of the earliest champions of the Suzuki method in the United States.

A passionate teacher, Mr. Judd has maintained a private violin studio in the Richmond area since 2002 and has been active coaching chamber music and numerous youth orchestra sectionals.

In his free time, Timothy Judd enjoys working out with Richmond’s popular SEAL Team Physical Training program.

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