Präludium und Fuge C-Dur op.13 Nr.01

So, a new project is about to begin.

The Well-Tempered Organ, Part II – Opus 13.

And what can I say? The first two works are already finished: Opus 13 No. 1, Prelude & Fugue in C major, and Opus 13 No. 2, Prelude & Fugue in C minor.

The third one, Opus 13 No. 3 in D-flat major, has already been set up in Capella as well, and the Prelude is almost finished.

So here is the Prelude & Fugue in C major.

One thing that immediately stands out is the length of these pieces. Both are well over ten minutes long and are therefore even somewhat denser and more elaborate than the works from The Well-Tempered Organ, Part I.

While Opus 11 could still be regarded as predominantly Baroque in character, these new pieces move beyond the Baroque and reach into Romanticism, perhaps even into Impressionism. Rhythmically, they are becoming more complex and multi-layered, and harmonically they are somewhat more adventurous and challenging.

So there is plenty for the listener to look forward to. Many works now lie ahead of us, and even I do not yet know exactly where this journey will lead – or whether I will have the stamina necessary to bring a project of this magnitude to a proper conclusion while maintaining a consistently high level of quality.

Two weeks ago, I had to undergo emergency surgery because of an intestinal obstruction. Fortunately, I paid attention to the warning signs and called the emergency services in time, so I came through it relatively well.

But this is exactly what I mean when I speak of the “necessary stamina”. As we move through our sixties, unfortunately the likelihood of becoming seriously ill increases, and none of us knows where life will take us.

Every day is precious – and every day filled with music is just that little bit more precious.

I will not go into a lengthy description of the individual pieces this time. I also will no longer upload the scores as I used to do.