On 7 May 1747 Johann Sebastian Bach responded to an invitation from King Frederick the Great of Prussia. The King himself was an amateur musician and composer, well known as a player of the flute.
Bach asked the King for a melody on which to improvise a fugue and variations. This would be called called the Royal Theme. The King then asked Bach to improvise a 6-voice fugue on the Royal Theme. Bach said he could not do that unprepared; instead he improvised on another subject.
When Bach returned to Leipzig he wrote out the music and had it engraved on copper plates. He did compose the requested 6-voice fugue. He sent a printed copy to the King.
The circumstances of this composition are better known than for those of almost any other of Bach’s compositions.
The King had assembled an ensemble when he was a crown prince. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach was its harpsichordist.
The King showed off the pianos at his palace. JS Bach apparently was not impressed with the instrument, which was in its youth. Bach did not start writing for the piano.
I have not found out the building where this meeting took place. Sans Souci Palace was ready by 1747.
The Royal Theme is a bit complicated to be a good fugue subject. Bach resorted to an old-fashioned form of fugue called a ricercar.
I bought my first recording the spring of 1962. It was a realization by Heinz Jansen, performed by the Muenchner Instrumental Ensemble.
In Wolfgang Schmieder's definitive catalog this piece is BWV 1079. Aside from supplementary listings, it is followed only by The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080. These 2 compositions may not have been intended to be performed as single concert pieces.
Analysis of the movements
There are different opinions about the sequence and instrumentation of the various movements. I follow the realization by Heinz Jansen, the first version known to me.
Only the Jansen version uses the English horn.
1) Ricercar a 3: harpsichord.
2) Canon perpetuus super thema regium: English horn, violin, cello. Hansen uses this as a transition to the trio sonata.
3) Trio sonata: Strings, flute, and bass. This is a piece of supreme beauty. Largo — allegro — andante- allegro. It is the longest portion of work. In this case Bach specified the instrumentation: flute, violin, continuo.
4) Canon a 2: English horn, violin. crabwise.
5) Canon a 2 violini in unisono. 2 violins, cello.
6) Canon a 2 per motum contrarium: 2 violins, viola.
7) Canon per augmentationem contrario motu: English horn, viola, violin.
8) Canon a 2 per tonos: English horn, viola, cello.
This is the spiral canon publicized by Douglas Hofstadter in his book 'Goedel, Escher, Bach' (1979). The canon goes through 6 cycles modulating to the key a whole tone up until it returns to the home key of C minor. Also here in the dedication copy in Latin: "As the modulations rise, so may the king's glory."
9) Canon a 2: viola, cello. This is written as a puzzle: "Seek and you will find."
10) Canon a 4: 2 violins, viola, cello.
In the Jansen version this movement seems like a climax; it seems like a deep emotional experience. It is also a puzzle canon; only the bass is written out.
11) Canone perpetuo: flute, violin, basso continuo.
A lighter spirit comes with the flute.
12) Fuga canonicain Epipediapente: flute, harpsichord.
13) Ricercar a 6.
In the Jansen version this is played by a string ensemble. I was disappointed and bought the Harmoncourt recording to hear it on a harpsichord. Marriner uses strings and flute. Tom Koopman has it played by an ensemble of strings and flute, then on 2 harpsichords. This is my favorite version of this fugue, but I prefer to hear the harpsichord version first, to make the ensemble the conclusion.
Bibliography
‘Johann Sebastian Bach: An Introduction to his Life and Works’ (1962), by Russell H. Miles. Prentice-Hall.
‘J. S. Bach’ by Albert Schweitzer (1908). Translated from German by Ernest Newman (1911). Dover.
‘Johann Sebastian Bach' by Philipp Spitta (1880). Translated from German by Clara Bell and J. S. Fuller-Maitland (1885). Dover.
Edward Doerffel and Wolfgang Graeser, editors. 'The Art of Fugue' and 'A Musical Offering.' (1885 and 1926) Dover.
Muenchner Instrumental Ensemble, 'Musical Offering.' Realization by Heinz Jansen. Vox LP. Recorded 1961.
Nikolaus Harmoncourt, Concentus musicus Wien. Teldec CD. Recorded 1970.
Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. 'The Art of Fugue' and 'Musical Offering. Decca CD. Recorded 1978.
Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. 'Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079.' CD. Recorded 2008.