Duet no. 2 in F major

Duet no. 2 in F major

BWV 803 performed by Laurens de Man
Freiberger Dom Sankt Marien, Freiberg, Germany

Behind the music

Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Credits
Credits

Clouds pass over the sun

In the middle of this duet, it seems as if a strange virus suddenly appears, caused by a mutation in the DNA

After Bach had ushered his listeners into a disorientating harmonic world in BWV 802 (the first of four duets in the third part of the Clavier-Übung), everything appears to be back to normal in this second duet. Just a nice sunny F major and a completely regular theme that rises in joyful leaps and then continues in exuberant movement. But just when you’re convinced there’s not a cloud in the sky, a new theme is introduced. It opens in the upper part with a peculiar harmonic step; a sort of small mutation in the DNA of F major.

And then the floodgates open. The lower part follows straight away in a strict canon on the same theme, with the same mutation, but then a couple of tones lower. As the same small harmonic irregularity is now heard at different pitches, the normality of the beginning is soon far away. Shortly afterwards, the opening theme returns, also in a sort of canon between the two parts. But instead of being sunny, the opening theme has now been infected by that peculiar harmonic mutation. And it continues: both themes are heard right way up and upside down, in a harmonic whole that appears to have been deformed by a sort of virus.

But then, almost before you know it, the two parts are healed. We’re back in the F major of the beginning, and the middle section of the duet remains at the back of your mind like a sort of feverish delirium.

Clavier-Übung
In Leipzig, between 1731 and 1741, Bach published four parts of Clavier-Übung, a title used previously by Johann Kuhnau, his predecessor as cantor at the Thomasschule, for similar collections of works for organ and harpsichord. The compositions are very varied in nature and, although the title suggests otherwise, were difficult to play. Bach addresses all the styles, genres and techniques for harpsichord and organ that were prevalent at the time, but then in the superior form to which only he had the patent.

Clavier-Übung I (1731) contains the six partitas, BWV 825-830; Clavier-Übung II (1735) the Concerto nach italienischen Gusto, BWV 971 and the Ouverture nach französischer Art, BWV 831; and Clavier-Übung IV (1741) the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988. The largest part, Clavier-Übung III (1739), is the only one devoted to organ, containing mostly chorale arrangements, or organ preludes based on Lutheran hymns. Bach made two versions of each chorale: one for great organ and one for a smaller type of organ. Most of the chorales refer to the six parts of the catechism. It is unclear whether Bach also played them during the services, or whether he developed his musical ideas in them for his own use, with no intention of performing them in public.

BWV
803
Title
Duet no. 2 in F major
Instrument
organ
Genre
organ works
Serie
Clavier-Übung III
Year
1739
City
Leipzig

With support from

Extra videos

Organists Daniel Seeger and Laurens de Man

“All four duets of Bach's Clavier-Übung III are two-part pieces of a peculiar nature.”

Vocal texts

Original

Translation

Credits

  • Release date
    17 March 2022
  • Recording date
    16 September 2020
  • Location
    Freiberger Dom Sankt Marien, Freiberg, Germany
  • Organist
    Laurens de Man
  • Organ
    Gottfried Silbermann, 1711-1714
  • Director and editor
    Robin van Erven Dorens
  • Music recording
    Guido Tichelman, Bastiaan Kuijt
  • Music edit and mix
    Guido Tichelman
  • Camera
    Robin van Erven Dorens, Onno van der Wal
  • Lights
    Ernst-Jan Thieme
  • Assistant music recording
    Marloes Biermans
  • Interview
    Robin van Erven Dorens, Marloes Biermans
  • Producer
    Jessie Verbrugh
  • With support from
    MWH4impact

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