About this edition
Bach's The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080, stands as one of the most profound explorations of contrapuntal technique ever composed—a monumental cycle of fourteen fugues and four canons that demonstrates the limitless possibilities within a single musical subject. Left unfinished at Bach's death in 1750, this enigmatic work represents the composer's ultimate statement on the art of fugue, with each movement revealing new layers of mathematical precision and expressive depth that have captivated musicians and scholars for centuries.
This reproduction presents the authoritative edition prepared by Wilhelm Rust for the historic Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, published by Breitkopf und Härtel in Leipzig in 1878. As part of the monumental Bach-Gesellschaft project—the first complete scholarly edition of Bach's works—Rust's meticulous editorial work established the foundation for modern understanding of The Art of Fugue. This edition represents nineteenth-century German scholarship at its finest, with careful attention to Bach's original notation and structure, making it an invaluable resource for performers and researchers studying this masterwork in its historically informed context.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score format
- 8.5" x 11" page size for comfortable reading and study
- Faithfully reproduced from the 1878 Bach-Gesellschaft edition
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition reproduces a carefully preserved public domain score, bringing this cornerstone of the classical repertoire to today's musicians, conductors, and music lovers. Whether for performance preparation, academic study, or personal enrichment, this accessible printing ensures that Bach's final contrapuntal testament remains available to inspire new generations of musicians.
