Prelude & Fugue No. 19 in A Major

The Prelude and Fugue in A major is an altogether special work. For a start, it feels like two fugues, with the Prelude setting off purposefully in the mistaken belief that it’s going to grow up to be a fully-fledged fugue in three parts, even if it is slightly loose around the academic edges. The Fugue proper, though, is one of Bach’s quirkiest. It begins with a musical exclamation mark—just a single note followed by a moment or two of silence. Is it meant to be witty? It’s certainly audible. If the player gives this solitary note due weight, then it can act as a musical traffic light: every time Bach brings in the main theme we hear its beginning loud and clear. Bach’s development and intensification of his themes is just as remarkable: we hear them treading on their own tails, doing so upside down, and struggling to carry on in the face of a barrage of exciting countermelodies.