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Duettos

Duetto IV

Johann Sebastian Bach

DifficultyIntermediate
Duration3:36
Notes1,076
OpusBWV 805

Description

This final duet of the set of four develops an emotionally rich A minor subject through tightly woven exchanges between the two voices. As the theorist Mattheson praised it, this is "an artistic and fugal duo," concentrating advanced compositional technique into a spare two-voice texture. Intermediate in level and the longest of the four duets, it calls for clear handling of the melodic exchange along with expressive shaping of its minor-key character.

Two-voice contrapuntal pieces from Part 3 of Bach's Clavier-Übung, blending strict compositional rigor with a lively dialogue between the voices.

Sheet Music

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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project

About the Composer

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Johann Sebastian Bach was the towering figure of German Baroque music, serving for decades as Cantor of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. Renowned for his mastery of counterpoint, he laid the foundations of keyboard music with works such as The Well-Tempered Clavier and the Inventions. This site includes 229 of his pieces, including numerous chorale settings and arias.

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Duetto IV - Johann Sebastian Bach | Visual Piano