Bach's Musical Offering

[neueliteratur]

Hi forum,

I was listening to Bachs Musical Offering, and I thought the theme sounded somewhat "modern", in that it was very chromatic.

I know chromaticism is omnipresent in Bach's music but mostly as appoggiaturas or passage notes. I had never heard this kind of long chromatic succession.

Apparently King Frederick II of Prussia wrote this theme to test Bach's ability to improvise fugues. But my question is: are chromatic themes difficult themes, as compared to "normal" basic themes?

My second question is less important but I was wondering why the 'Trio Sonata' section has a completely different theme. Is that a convention?

Thanks for your wisdom sharing.

[herodotus]

Hi forum,

I was listening to Bachs Musical Offering, and I thought the theme sounded somewhat "modern", in that it was very chromatic.

I know chromaticism is omnipresent in Bach's music but mostly as appoggiaturas or passage notes. I had never heard this kind of long chromatic succession.

Bach's chromaticism is complex, and it's pervasive in all aspects of his later music, but it isn't clumsy and obvious like that of Liszt or Scriabin.

The subject of fugue number 12 in F minor in the first book of the Well Tempered Clavier is very chromatic. There are others that escape my recollection, but I don't think that they are as extreme. There are some subjects in the Art of Fugue which are pretty chromatic.

Apparently King Frederick II of Prussia wrote this theme to test Bach's ability to improvise fugues. But my question is: are chromatic themes difficult themes, as compared to "normal" basic themes?

If you are supposed to stay withing a tonal framework, I would say 'yes'. Otherwise, not necessarily.

My second question is less important but I was wondering why the 'Trio Sonata' section has a completely different theme. Is that a convention?

It's the same theme, just interpreted very loosely. I know I've seen a diagram, but I'm damned if I can remember where....