Description
The Fugue in A minor, B.144, composed in 1841, is one of the few strictly contrapuntal works Chopin wrote. It stands out among his output, since a composer best known for Romantic lyricism here engages with the strict fugal writing associated with the Bach tradition. A chromatic subject is worked through the voices with careful, almost experimental rigor. At around two and a half minutes with over 1,400 notes, it demands the advanced player's skill in keeping each voice independently clear.
Contrapuntal works influenced by Bach, where each composer's individuality shines through a strict formal structure.
About the Composer
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Frederic Chopin was born in Poland and made his career in Paris, remaining unusual among great composers for writing almost exclusively for piano. He poured his longing for his homeland into mazurkas and polonaises, while his ballades and etudes combine poetic melody with harmonic innovation. This site includes 131 of his works, including the "Revolutionary" Etude, Op. 10, No. 12, and Ballades No. 1 and No. 4.
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