Bach Fugue in Eb BWV 552,2
The Fuga in E-flat Major is the final piece in the third part of the Clavier-Übung, a major production published by J. S. Bach in 1739. Bach writes the following on the title page, "Third part of the Clavier Lessons, consisting of various preludes on the Catechism Hymns and other chorales, for organ.." Interpreting these pieces through the lens of the Catechism makes the fugue represent the evening blessing with which the Lutheran day closes, "In the evening, when you go to bed, you are to bless yourself with the Holy Cross and say: In the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen." To represent this, the main fugue subject crosses over itself, as it were. The Holy Trinity is represented using numerology. There are three flats in the key-signature, 3 fugue subjects, 3 sections, and many of the musical ideas are based on triplets. The main subject is heard in all three sections representing the three Divine Persons being in one God. I performed this on the Craighead-Saunders organ (2008) of Christ Church in Rochester, NY. June 14, 2018.