BWV 872/2: Fugue 3 in C# major

(c) Yo Tomita, 1997

Earlest Version (ca.1720)

Bach's autograph of this earliest model does not survive. This version is found in the manuscripts of later generations, such as P 563 produced by the copyist worked for C. P. E. Bach in his Hamburg days.

This version is written in C major, and 19 bars long .

Intermediate Version (ca. 1738)

This version is known through the copy (P 595) made by J. F. Agricola, who began his study with Bach on that year.

This piece is still written in C major, but the piece has been extended to 30 bars long .

London Autograph (1739/40)

Based on the intermediate version, Bach presumably transposed the piece to C# major on this score, while composing the 5 bar extension (bb. 25-29) where the subject appears in augmented form. Bach revised the piece several times, introducing further demisemiquaver figurations from bar 8 onwards .

Final Version (1744)

Autograph is lost, but this version is reflected in the copy made by J. C. Altnickol in 1744. Here Bach introduced further demisemiquaver passages .