Fantasia in G major
BWV 571 performed by Matthias Havinga
Walburgiskerk, Zutphen
Behind the music
Story
Story
Credits
Credits
To Bach or not to Bach
This organ fantasia may not have been written by Bach, but it’s beautiful anyway
In the big St Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach wrote his greatest masterpieces, stands a monument. Or rather lies a monument. In 1951, a tomb was erected there for Germany’s most popular composer, a little way in front of the altar. For many visitors it will come as a surprise that we are not entirely sure that the body in the tomb is actually Bach. It was dug up from a cemetery centuries after Bach’s death, and the identification process involved a lot of wishful thinking.
Our knowledge about Bach relies on this type of guesswork. Of course it is extremely brilliant guesswork, but ultimately there are many facts that we will never be able to confirm with certainty. Although we know the broad outlines of Bach’s life and work, it is sometimes unclear as to whether the less well-known pieces, such as this cheerful Fantasia in G major, BWV 571, were actually written by Bach.
The attribution of BWV 571 is made extra difficult because the piece, if it is indeed by Bach, must date from his early years. The germ of Bach’s adult style is certainly recognisable, but we hear even more of his lesser known musical forefathers: Buxtehude, Kuhnau and Reinecke. Aside from the attribution, it is perhaps even more interesting to see what happens to a piece if we stick Bach’s name on it.
Purely for your own listening enjoyment, that is a good idea. With Bach’s works in mind, all sorts of things come to light in the piece. In some places, for instance, it is reminiscent of Bach’s much better known Passacaglia in C minor. And the structure of the piece reminds us of an Italian concerto grosso. Could it possibly be an organ arrangement of such an orchestral work? In any case, there is a fast opening section and a melancholy, melodious, bitter-sweet middle section with an open ending, which are typical of this genre. The piece ends in a chaconne, constructed above a repeating bass line. Even though this piece of music may not bear the hallmark of Bach, the composer has anyway produced first-class work.
- BWV
- 571
- Title
- Fantasia in G major
- Instrument
- organ
- Genre
- organ works
- Year
- Probably from the Arnstadt period
- Special notes
- First theme based on J. Kuhnau, Prelude in C major in Neue Clavier-Übung (1698), No. 1.
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
Translation
Credits
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- Release date
- 6 November 2025
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- Recording date
- 30 May 2024
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- Location
- Walburgiskerk, Zutphen
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- Organ
- Matthias Havinga
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- Instrument
- Henrick Bader, 1639/1643
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- Director and editor
- Gijs Besseling
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- Music recording
- Guido Tichelman, Pim van der Lee
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- Music edit and mix
- Guido Tichelman
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- Camera
- Danny Noordanus, Manon Hoskens, Remco van Leest
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- Grip
- Wouter Visser
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- Assistant music recording
- Marloes Biermans
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- Producer
- Lisanne Marlou de Kok
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