[jkl]

Bach wrote many great fugues. I think he really enjoyed writing fugues and became so good at it.

 

[consuono]

Bach wrote many great fugues. I think he really enjoyed writing fugues and became so good at it.

I think Bach was a mathematician at heart.

 

[jkl]

Possibly, in a musical sense. Bach was pursing musical science towards the end of his life like he was trying to figure out the secrets of composing complex fugues as the highest form of musical expression.

 

[golfer72]

Shostakovich #7 and 24. Brahms Handel Var. Beethoven late sonata fugues

 

[hammeredklavier]

I also like the Classical sense of drama Mozart displays in;

^notice how the section at 0:50 is different in feel from the one at 3:00

Missa longa K.262 - Et vitam venturi
youtube.com/watch?v=Zm3tZfyFjwE&t=17m2s
^I think the dissonant strettos (18:11, 18:42) are wonderful

Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento K.243 - VIII. Pignus futurae gloriae (starts at 24:04):

^this is thought to be inspired by a Pignus double fugue by M. Haydn, just as K.339/iv was inspired by the Cum sanctis tuis from M. Haydn's C minor requiem. I also want M. Haydn's litanies recorded as I'm eager to know how good his are too.

 

[consuono]

I also like the Classical sense of drama Mozart displays in;

^notice how the section at 0:50 is different in feel from the one at 3:00

Missa longa K.262 - Et vitam venturi

^I think the dissonant strettos (18:11, 18:42) are wonderful

Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento K.243 - VIII. Pignus futurae gloriae:

^this is thought to be inspired by a Pignus double fugue by M. Haydn, just as K.339/iv was inspired by the Cum sanctis tuis from M. Haydn's C minor requiem. I really want M. Haydn's litanies recorded as I'm eager to know how good his are too.

"The sort of holy music that evokes nostalgia for the ancient past."
"The sort of outdated music that should belong to a museum."

both views are equally valid.

I'll go with option B for all the above.

 

[hammeredklavier]

I'll go with option B for all the above.

Sure, but I like how this has "gradations" in terms of mood changes and dynamics, btw:
youtube.com/watch?v=SfbwNRKuVRo&t=12m18s (13:18, 13:24 and 14:34)
youtube.com/watch?v=SfbwNRKuVRo&t=4m57s (5:32 and 7:15)
youtube.com/watch?v=SfbwNRKuVRo&t=10m17s
youtube.com/watch?v=SfbwNRKuVRo&t=19m44s

 

[consuono]

Sure, but I like how this has "gradations" in terms of mood changes and dynamics, btw:

(13:18, 13:24 and 14:34)

(5:32 and 7:15)

I'll still go with option B. The point is, hammered, these little oblique attacks on Bach can be used to absolutely nuke the composers and works you're continually advocating here. If Bach belongs in a museum, these would be in the basement.

 

[ArtMusic]

Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mozart. I am sure there are other good fugues but I haven't come across them yet from other composers nearly as good.

 

[Xisten267]

It has been almost an year since this poll was started and I'm deliberately bumping it so that the new members may see it and participate.

 

[Marc]

Listening to fugues... oh boy (or girl), yes!!

I love the perpetuum mobile feel I can get from them... even though, of course, there are plenty of fugues with, say, 'intersections' or 'intermissions'.
I'm not knowledgeable enough to really rate the quality of fugues, to me it's mostly the experience that can drive me... [still searching for the best word].
I remember, when I first listened to Mozart's Requiem, I was almost drowning in the 'quam olim Abrahae' fugue. But it did not last long enough, so I managed to survive.

I guess that Bach remains my ultimate fugue composer. My favourite fugue of all time is probably Contrapuntus 11 (or XI) of Bach's BWV 1080 (the printed edition of 1751).
But to me, that particular one works best after listening to contrapunti 1-10 first. Which means: 10 other great fugues.

My best 'live' experiences of fugues were also Bach fugues, played on organ. The Ricercar a 6 from BWV 1079 and the fugue of BWV 544 did send me to... [still searching for the best word].
IIRC, they were respectively played by Leo van Doeselaar and Pieter-Jelle de Boer on the glorious Schnitger et al organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen, NL.

 

[59540]

Aside from Bach: Beethoven, Hindemith, Shostakovich...oh and Bruckner too. It's hard to narrow down to three

 

[larold]

Beethoven's from the "Hallelujah" chorus of Christ On the Mount of Olives.

Bruckner's double fugue in the finale of the Fifth Symphony.

Bach from the Prelude and Fugue No. 7 in book 1 of Well-Tempered Clavier.

 

[Agamenon]

Bach is the EMPEROR in this field.

Regards.

 

[Rogerx]

Bach is the EMPEROR in this field.

Regards.

The first thing that crossed my mind also .

 

[4chamberedklavier]

Seems a bit unfair to include Bach in this list eh?

 

[dko22]

probably the climax of Suk's "Zrani" (Ripening) symphony.
Baroque fugues can be thrilling to sing but I'd never actually listen to any of them......