Bach's Fugue à la Gigue

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (trans. Gustav Holst) (ed. Jon Ceander Mitchell)

This work bears the designation BWV 577.

General Info

Year: 1707 / 1928 / 2005
Duration: c. 3:05
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Cost: Score and Parts - $125.00   |   Score Only - $12.95

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet Solo-I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II (I div. a2)
F Horn I-II
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba I-II
String Bass

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

When Holst was commissioned to write Hammersmith for the BBC Wireless Military Band in 1928 he felt rather out of practice in orchestrating for the medium. For some years he had had the idea of arranging some Bach fugues for brass and military band, so he set himself the task of scoring the Organ Fugue in G Major BWV 577 (from Preludes, Fugues and Fantasias). He, rather than Bach, called it Fugue à La Gigue.

The piece made an ideal exercise, and Holst’s brilliant dovetailing of the counterpoint between different instruments shows his mastery. The piece is technically demanding and the characteristic unison clarinet writing suggests the orchestral conception of a large wind ensemble rather than a band. It was this conception which the composer carried forward into Hammersmith.

Fugue à La Gigue was published for military band in 1928 by Boosey & Hawkes and shortly afterwards for orchestra, but with only short scores, as was customary at the time.

- Program Note from publisher

Commercial Discography

• Audio CD: The Ohio State University Wind Symphony (Russell C. Mikkelson, conductor) - 2012

Audio Links

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Florida: VI
• Louisiana: V
• North Carolina: V
• Texas: V. Complete

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of South Alabama (Mobile) Wind Ensemble (William Petersen, conductor) – 27 February 2020
• Carmel (Ind.) High School Wind Symphony (Michael Pote, conductor) – 21 February 2020 (CBDNA 2020 North Central Division Conference, Chicago, Ill.)
• University of Nebraska (Lincoln) Wind Ensemble (Carolyn Barber, conductor) – 11 December 2019
• University of Oregon (Eugene) Wind Ensemble (David M. Jacobs, conductor) – 4 December 2019
• Baylor University (Waco, Texas) Wind Ensemble (Eric Wilson, conductor) – 25 November 2019
• University of South Florida (Tampa) Wind Ensemble (Matthew McCutchen, conductor) – 17 November 2019
• Temple University (Philadelphia, Penn.) Concert Band (Patricia Cornet, conductor) – 17 October 2019
• The Ohio State University (Columbus) Wind Symphony (Brent Levine, conductor) – 3 October 2019
• Callanwolde Concert Band (Decatur, Ga.) (Glenn Moore, conductor) – 29 September 2019
• University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) Wind Ensemble (Shaun Evans, conductor) – 29 May 2019
• University of Missouri, Kansas City, Wind Ensemble (Joseph Parisi, conductor) – 24 April 2019
• Michigan State University (East Lansing) Symphony Band (David Thornton, conductor) – 23 April 2019
• Penn State University (University Park) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Dennis Glocke, conductor) – 18 April 2019
• Peninsula Symphonic Band (Palo Alto, Calif.) (Ted Henderson, conductor) – 24 March 2019
• Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Wind Ensemble (Steven M. Knight, conductor) – 5 December 2018
• Philadelphia (Penn.) Wind Symphony (Paul Bryan, conductor) – 20 October 2018
• Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Mallory Thompson, conductor) – 18 May 2018
• University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Mark Heidel, conductor) - – 21 February 2018
• Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton, Calif.) Wind Ensemble I (David Vickerman, conductor) - 17 February 2018 (2018 CASMEC Conference, San Jose)
• University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Wind Ensemble (John R. Locke, conductor) – 16 February 2018

Works for Winds by this Composer

Adaptable Music

• The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
• Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
• Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
• O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brion and Brand) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) ( ? /2020)
• Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)

All Wind Works

• Air (tr. Lang) (c. 1730/1958)
• Air for Woodwind Choir (arr. Joel Blahnik)
• Arioso (arr. de Haan) (1729/2000)
• Arioso (arr. Hill) (1729/1984)
• Arioso (arr. Reed) (1729/1998)
• Art of Fugue, The (tr. Amis) (c. 1745)
• Bach: Air (arr. McGinty) (c. 1730/)
• The Bach Buch (tr. Pann) (2011)
• Bach Fugue (arr. John Kinyon)
• The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
• Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Brand). See: Fugue à la Gigue
• Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Mitchell) (1921/2005)
• Bourrée (arr. Isaac) (1720/1969)
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (arr. Marlatt) (1721/2011)
• Canzona, BWV 584
• Chaconne (arr. Ito) (1720/1987)
• Chaconne and Festive Aria (arr. Daehn)
• Chaconne in D Minor (arr. Daehn)
• Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
• Chorale and Fugue in F Major (arr. Daehn) (1988)
• Chorale Prelude on "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (trans. Damrosch; adapt. O'Toole)
• Chorale in C Minor (arr. Topolewski) (2012)
• Christ He Is My Life (arr. Cailliet) (1973)
• Christmas Pastorale (arr. Hastings) (1970)
• Come, Sweet Death (arr. Alfred Reed) (1736/1976)
• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Alfred Reed and Kim Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Contrapunctus III (arr. King) (c. 1745/1955)
• Contrapunctus V (arr. Daehn) (c. 1745)
• Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
• Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (arr. Alfred Reed) (1990)
• Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; tr. Topolewski) (1727?)
• Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; arr. Nowlin) (1727?/2016)
• Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 (arr. Hunsberger) (1727?/1997)
• Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 "The Great" (arr. Boyd)
• Fantasia in C (arr. Sterk) (1706/2017)
• Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. John Boyd) (1703-7/1957/1985)
• Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Edwin Franko Goldman) (1703-7/1957/2012)
• Fervent is My Longing; Fugue in G Minor (tr. Cailliet) (c. 1710/1935/2006)
• Forget Me Not, O Lord (arr. Alfred Reed) (c. 1736/1985)
• French Suite No. 2 (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
• Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Brand) (1921/2008)
• Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Mitchell). See: Bach's Fugue à la Gigue
• Fugue à la Gigue (arr. Rondeau) (1921/2011)
• Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
• Fugue in B-flat Major (arr. Daehn) (1722/1988)
• Fugue in E-flat Major (tr. Abrams and Jones) (1739)
• Fugue in G Minor (arr. Kimura)
• Fugue in G Minor (arr. Rechtman)
• Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• God Still Lives (arr. Alfred Reed)
• Hertzlich tut mich verlangen. See: Fervent is My Longing; Organ Fugue in G Minor
• If Thou Be Near (arr. Alfred Reed) (1725/1984)
• If Thou Be Near (arr. Moehlmann) (1725/1940)
• In Dulci Jubilo (arr. Reed) (1970)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Cailliet) (1723/1962)
• Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring (tr. Leidzen) (1723/1936)
• Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring (arr. Reed) (1723)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sapieyevski) (1723)
• Komm, Susser Tod (arr. Leidzen) (1736/1936)
• A Little Bach Suite (arr. Gordon) (1966)
• Little Fugue (arr. Romm; adapt. Custer) (c. 1705/1974/1991)
• Little Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578 (arr. Parks)
• My Heart is Filled With Longing (arr. Alfred Reed) (c. 1710/1986)
• My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (arr. Alfred Reed)
• Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. McAlister)
• O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht (arr. Westover) (c. 1736/2017)
• O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brion and Brand) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
• Our Father Who Art In Heaven (arr. Alfred Reed)
• Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Donald Hunsberger) (1703-1713?/ 1968/1975)
• Passacaglia and Thema Fugatum in C Minor (tr. Stowkowski; ed. Sosnowchik) (1703-1713?/2014)
• Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Nicholas Falcone) (ca. 1712/1969)
• Passacaglia from "Cantata No. 12" (arr. Daehn) (1714/2011)
• Präludium und Fuge d-Moll (trans. Rechtman) (1722/2003)
• Prelude IV (arr. Reed) (1983)
• Prelude and Fugue No. 6 (arr. Anthenien) (1722/1979)
• Prelude and Fugue in Ab (tr. Moehlmann) (1964)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) ( ? /2020)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1955)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Minor (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1969)
• Prelude and Fugue in D Major BWV 532 (arr. Steinmetz) (1710/2018)
• Prelude and Fugue in D Minor (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1988)
• Prelude and Fugue in D Minor (trans. Rechtman), see: Präludium und Fuge d-Moll
• Prelude and Fugue in E-flat (setting Hunsberger) (c. 1739/2009)
• Prelude and Fugue in F Major (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/?)
• Prelude and Fugue in F Minor (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1954)
• Prelude and Fugue in G Minor (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1939)
• Prelude, Chorale and Fugue (arr. Godfrey) (1919)
• "Ricercare a 6" from Musical Offering, BWV 1079 (tr. McAlister)
• Saint Anne's Fugue (arr. Rhoads) (1965)
• Sarabande (arr. Kennaway) (1972/1977/1995)
• Second Bach Suite for Band (tr. Tolmage) (1965)
• Sheep May Safely Graze (arr. Alfred Reed) (1713/1981)
• Sinfonia from "Cantata No 29" (arr. Ninmer)
• Sixteen Chorales (arr. Lake) (1938)
• Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Patterson) (1731/1995)
• Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Reed) (1731)
• Sleepers, Awake! (tr. Sparke) (1731/2002)
• Songs of Exaltation (arr. Gordon) (1974)
• St. Anne. See: Prelude and Fugue in E-flat
• Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Thus Do You Fare, My Jesus (arr. Reed)
• Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major (arr. Rechtman) (c. 1717)
• Toccata, Aria, and Fugue in C Major (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
• Toccata & Fuge d-Moll (arr. Goldhammer) (1705/2011)
• Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (arr. Goldhammer), see Toccata & Fuge d-Moll
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Goto) (1705/2014)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hindsley) (1705)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1705/1998)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Leidzen) (1705/1942)
• Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (arr. Lopez) (1705/2010)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Nowlin) (1705/2015)
• Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue, BWV 564 (tr. Paynter) (c. 1717/2000)
• Toccata, Adagio and Fugue (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
• Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major (arr. Kitakata) (1720/)
• Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (arr. Lauf Jr.) (1731/2019)
• Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just (arr. James Croft) (1978)
• Wir Glauben All’ An Einen Gott (1739)

References

• Bach, J.; Holst, G.; Mitchell, J. (2005). Bach's Fugue à la Gigue [score]. Boosey & Hawkes: London.
• Hermann, Joseph W. "Fugue á la Gigue." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 9, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 527-535. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2013.
• Rudgers, Gregory B. Fugue a la Gigue. MBM Times, Issue 6 (2012), 68.