Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (Bach)

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (trans. Donald Hunsberger)

This work bears the designation BWV 582.

General Info

Year: 1703-1713? / 1968 / 1975
Duration: c. 13:05
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Harpsichord
Publisher: G. Schirmer
Cost: Score and Parts - $100.00   |   Score Only - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo/Flute III
Flutes I-II
Oboes I-II
English Horn
Bassoons I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinets I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet (B-flat Contrabass Clarinet)
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Flugelhorn
B-flat Trumpets I-II-III
F Horns I-II-III-IV
Trombones I-II-III-IV
Euphonium (Bass Clef & Treble Clef)
Tuba
String Bass
Organ

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Though one of the great organ classics, the Passacaglia in C Minor was first composed for the double-manual harpsichord. Despite the fact that the key of C minor is constantly present throughout all 20 variations and much of the fugue, Bach maintains a freshness in each variation which distinguishes it from the next. Albert Schweitzer advised that "Each of the twenty sections ... must have its own characteristic tone colour (but) ... no colour must be sharply differentiated from its predecessor or its successor."

In his transcription for wind ensemble, Donald Hunsberger follows this advice by employing woodwind voices in groups of three and brass voices (mellow vs. brilliant) in fours.

The work opens with a stately eight-bar theme followed by the 20 variations and an overwhelming tutti. The double fugue is built on the first part of the passacaglia theme in combination with a countertheme in eighth notes. The work closes with a massive climax of suspended harmonies and full instrumental sonority.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Commercial Discography

• Audio CD: Dallas Wind Symphony (Frederick Fennell, conductor) - 1993

State Ratings

• Alabama: Class AA
• Arkansas: V
• Georgia: VI
• Kansas: VI
• Louisiana: V
• Maryland: VI
• Michigan: Senior High AA
• Mississippi:VI-A
• New York: Concert Band VI
• South Carolina: VI
• Virginia: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory Wind Symphony (Steven Davis, conductor) – 29 September 2019
• Shenandoah Conservatory Wind Ensemble (Winchester, Va.) (Timothy J. Robblee, conductor) – 21 September 2019
• Manhattan School of Music (N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Kevin Fitzgerald, conductor) - 18 September 2019
• Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Mark Scatterday, conductor) – 6 October 2018
• Colorado Wind Ensemble (Denver) (David Kish, conductor) – 11 February 2018
• Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisc.) Wind Ensemble (Andrew Mast, conductor) – 15 October 2016
• University of North Texas Symphonic Band (Dennis Fisher, conductor) – 17 September 2015
• Illinois State University (Normal) Wind Symphony (Martin Seggelke, conductor) - 28 September 2014
• The College of New Jersey Wind Ensemble (David Vickerman, conductor) - Ewing, NJ 25 April 2014
• San Francisco Wind Ensemble (Martin H. Seggelke, conductor) - 27 October 2012
• Knightwind Ensemble [Milwaukee, Wisc.] (Erik Janners, conductor) - 1 April 2012
• High School Symphonic Band [Interlochen, Mich.] (Frederick Fennell, conductor) - 14 August 1981

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)
• 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 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/)
• 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)
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (arr. Marlatt) (1721/2011)
• Canzona, BWV 584
• 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)
• 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 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)
• 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)
• 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)

Resources

• Bach, J.; Hunsberger, D. (1968). Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor: For Symphonic Wind Ensemble [score]. G. Schirmer: New York.
• Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. (2010). Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 1. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 878-885.
• Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 25.