Little Fugue

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (arr. Ronald Romm; adapt. Calvin Custer)

Subtitle: Based on Little Fugue in G minor

General Info

Year: c. 1705 / 1974 / 1991
Duration: c. 3:35
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Organ
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $70.00   |   Score Only (print) - $5.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet 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 Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Crash Cymbals
• Snare Drums
• Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, "Little" (popularly known as the Little Fugue), is a piece of organ music written by Johann Sebastian Bach during his years at Arnstadt (1703–1707). It is one of Bach's best known fugues and has been arranged for other voices, including an orchestral version by Leopold Stokowski. Early editors of Bach's work attached this title to distinguish it from the later Great Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542, which is longer in duration.

The fugue's four-and-a-half measure subject is one of Bach's most recognizable tunes. The fugue is in four voices. During the episodes, Bach uses one of Arcangelo Corelli's most famous techniques: imitation between two voices on an eighth note upbeat figure that first leaps up a fourth and then falls back down one step at a time.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Georgia: IV
• Minnesota: I
• Tennessee: V
• Virginia: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• College of Idaho (Caldwell) Wind Ensemble (Luke Strother, conductor) - 8 April 2021
• Youth Wind Ensemble of Westchester (Ossining, N.Y.) (Bradley Morrison, conductor) - 4 May 2018
• Spokane Falls (Wash.) Community Band (Karl Mote, conductor) - 10 March 2014

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)
• French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
• Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
• O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (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)
• Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)

All Wind Works

• 5 Preludes and Fugues (arr. Beyrent)
• Adagio (arr. Hautvast)
• Adagio (arr. Warner)
• Air (arr. Hautvast)
• Air (arr. Klemke) (c. 1730/2006)
• Air (tr. Lang) (c. 1730/1958)
• Air for Woodwind Choir (arr. Blahnik)
• Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3 (arr. Daehn) (1721/1980)
• Arioso (arr. De Haan) (1729/2000)
• Arioso (arr. Hill) (1729/1984)
• Arioso (arr. Reed) (1729/1998)
• The Art of Fugue (tr. Amis) (c. 1745)
• Ave Maria
• Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (arr. Lovrien) (1853/2004)
• Bach: Air (arr. McGinty) (c. 1730/)
• The Bach Buch (tr. Pann) (2011)
• Bach Chorale and March (arr. Wilson) (c. 1730/1990)
• Bach: Chorale and Variation (arr. McGinty) (1994)
• Bach Fugue (arr. Kinyon) (/1984)
• 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)
• Before Thy Throne I Now Appear (arr. Bukvich) (1750/1993)
• Berceuse (arr. Hautvast) (/1994)
• Bourrée (arr. Isaac) (1720/1969)
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (arr. Marlatt) (1721/2011)
• Brandenburg Concerto No 3. See also: Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3
• Canzona (orch. Stock)
• Chaconne (arr. Ito) (1720/1987)
• Chaconne and Festive Aria (arr. Daehn)
• Chaconne in D Minor (arr. Daehn) (1720/)
• Chaconne in D Minor (tr. Whitwell) (1720/2015)
• Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
• Chorale and Fugue (arr. Warner)
• Chorale and Fugue in F Major (arr. Daehn) (1988)
• Chorale Prelude on "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (tr. Damrosch; adapt. O'Toole)
• Chorale in C Minor (arr. Topolewski) (2012)
• Christ He Is My Life (arr. Cailliet) (1973)
• Christmas Pastorale (arr. Hastings) (1970)
• Ciaccona (arr. Votta) (1720/2021)
• Come, Blessed Peace (arr. Tolmage) (1736/1958)
• Come, Sweet Death (arr. Reed) (1736/1976)
• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Flute and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Flute, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto for Prince Johann (arr. Daehn) (c. 1713 / 2011)
• Contrapunctus I (arr. Barnes) (c. 1745/1988)
• Contrapunctus I (arr. King) (c. 1745/1960)
• Contrapunctus III (arr. King) (c. 1745/1955)
• Contrapunctus IX (arr. Clark) (c. 1745/2005)
• Contrapunctus V (arr. Daehn) (c. 1745)
• Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
• Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (arr. 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 (arr. Horovitz) (c. 1838/1986)
• Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 "The Great" (arr. Boyd) (c. 1838/1985)
• Fantasia in C (arr. Sterk) (1706/2017)
• Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Boyd) (1703-7/1957/1985)
• Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Goldman) (1703-7/1957/2012)
• Fervent is My Longing; Fugue in G Minor (tr. Cailliet) (c. 1710/1935/2006)
• Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord (arr. Reed) (c. 1736/1985)
• French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (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) (1739/2019)
• Fugue in G Minor (arr. Kimura) (1703-1707/1993)
• Fugue in G Minor (arr. Rechtman) (1703-1707/)
• 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. Reed)
• Goldberg Variations (arr. Colgrass)
• Hertzlich tut mich verlangen. See: Fervent is My Longing; Organ Fugue in G Minor
• If Thou Be Near (arr. Moehlmann) (1725/1940)
• If Thou Be Near (arr. Reed) (1725/1984)
• In Dulci Jubilo (arr. Reed) (1970)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Cailliet) (1723/1962)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Custer) (1723/1975/1997)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Hazo) (1723/2012)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Leidzen) (1723/1936)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Moerenhout) (1723/2019)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Pekas) (1723/)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Reed) (1723/)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sapieyevski) (1723/)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sparke) (1723/2004)
• Jig Fugue (arr. Marlatt) (2003)
• 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 (arr. Howland) (c. 1705/1974/2015)
• Little Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578 (arr. Parks)
• March (arr. Grainger) (1946)
• My Heart, Ever Faithful (arr. Barnes) (1988)
• My Heart is Filled With Longing (arr. Reed) (c. 1710/1986)
• My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (arr. Reed)
• My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace
• Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. McAlister)
• Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (arr. Stert) (c. 1748/2013)
• O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht (arr. Westover) (c. 1736/2017)
• O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
• Our Father Who Art in Heaven (arr. Reed) (1710/1988)
• Passacaglia (arr. Glover) (c. 1703-1713?/2014)
• Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. 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. Falcone) (ca. 1712/1969)
• Passacaglia from "Cantata No. 12" (arr. Daehn) (1714/2011)
• Präludium und Fuge d-Moll (tr. Rechtman) (1722/2003)
• Prelude IV (arr. Reed) (1722/1983)
• Prelude and Fugue No. 6, BWV 535 (arr. Anthenien) (1722/1979)
• Prelude and Fugue in A-flat, BWV 557 (tr. Moehlmann) (1964)
• Prelude and Fugue in Bb major (Brass Ensemble) (arr. Beyrent)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Brass Quintet) (arr. Beyrent)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major, BWV 553 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1955)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major BWV 553 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 559 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1969)
• Prelude and Fugue in C major (arr. Beyrent)
• Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 (arr. Steinmetz) (1710/2018)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (arr. Beyrent) (1722/2001)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 555 (arr. Coleman) (1852/2017)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1988)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor (tr. Rechtman). See: Präludium und Fuge d-Moll
• Prelude and Fugue in E-flat, BWV 552 (setting Hunsberger) (c. 1739/2009)
• Prelude and Fugue in F major (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/?)
• Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 555 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1954)
• Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1939)
• Prelude, Chorale and Fugue (arr. Godfrey) (1919)
• Prelude in E-flat, BWV 552 (arr. Tamura) (c. 1739/2001)
• Prelude No. 22 (tr. Lynch) (c. 1722/2013)
• "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)
• Sehet was die liebe tut (arr. Grainger) (1937)
• Sheep May Safely Graze (arr. Reed) (1713/1981)
• Sinfonia from "Cantata No 29" (arr. Ninmer)
• Sinfonia from "Cantate 156" (arr. Daniels) (1729/)
• Sixteen Chorales (ed. King) (1958)
• 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, Adagio, and Fugue, BWV 564 (tr. Paynter) (c. 1717/2000)
• Toccata, Adagio and Fugue (tr. Knox) (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)
• Violin Partita No. 3 in E major (arr. Kitakata) (1720/2018?)
• Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)
• Wachet auf (arr. Marlatt) (1731/)
• Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (arr. Lauf Jr.) (1731/2019)
• Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just (arr. Croft) (1978)
• Wir Glauben All’ An Einen Gott (arr. Stokowski) (1739)

Resources

• Bach, J.; Romm, R.; Custer, C. [199-?]. Little Fugue: Based on Little Fugue in G minor [score]. Hal Leonard: Milwaukee, Wisc.
• Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, Wikipedia Accessed 13 December 2015