Fugue No. 3 in F major, F. 31

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Musical Terms (5)

• empfindsamer Stil German
  The 'sensitive style' — the dominant keyboard aesthetic of mid-18th-century North Germany, associated above all with C.P.E. Bach and W.F. Bach. Characterised by sudden dynamic contrasts, unexpected harmonic turns, expressive melodic sighs and hesitations, and a deeply personal, quasi-improvisatory quality that stands in deliberate contrast to the learned contrapuntal style of J.S. Bach.
  In empfindsamer Stil playing, emotional surprise is the primary expressive tool. Lean into unexpected harmonies rather than resolving them quickly — let the listener feel the strangeness before moving on. Dynamic contrasts should be abrupt, not gradual. The character should feel spontaneous and confessional rather than composed.
• Fantasie German
  In W.F. Bach's output, a free keyboard piece without strict formal structure, characterised by dramatic harmonic excursions, sudden textural contrasts, and an improvisatory quality that pushes against the boundaries of Baroque formal convention. His ten fantasias (F.14–F.23) are the most harmonically adventurous works in his keyboard output.
  W.F. Bach's fantasias inhabit an extraordinary harmonic world — they modulate to remote keys, use dissonances that are left momentarily unresolved, and change texture and character without formal preparation. Approach them as composed improvisations: flexibility of tempo, close attention to the harmonic journey, and willingness to linger on unexpected chords are all part of the style.
• galant style French/German
  A lighter, more melodically elegant style that emerged in the mid-18th century in reaction to the learned complexity of the Baroque. W.F. Bach occupies an uneasy position between his father's strict contrapuntal world and the galant aesthetic of his contemporaries — his polonaises and some sonata movements show galant melodic grace, while his fantasias and fugues remain rooted in Baroque density.
  In W.F. Bach's galant moments — the more lyrical polonaises, the singing slow movements of the sonatas — allow the melody to project clearly above the accompaniment and keep the texture lighter than you would in J.S. Bach. The melodic line should charm rather than argue.
• Hallescher Bach German
  The Halle Bach — W.F. Bach's nickname, derived from his long tenure as organist at the Marktkirche Unserer Lieben Frauen in Halle (1746–1764), the city most associated with his career. Used to distinguish him from his brothers and father in the Bach family.
  W.F. Bach's organ background is audible throughout his keyboard writing — the thick, polyphonic textures and the 8 Fugues sans pédale reflect an organist's habits of voice-leading and sustained counterpoint. Approach his keyboard works with the sustained legato and careful voice balance of an organist rather than the lighter finger-articulation of a harpsichordist.
• sans pédale French
  Without pedal — the designation on W.F. Bach's 8 Fugues, F. 31, indicating that these keyboard fugues are written for harpsichord or clavichord rather than organ. The absence of pedal confines the writing to hand-only textures and distinguishes these works from organ fugues in the style of J.S. Bach.
  Playing sans pédale fugues requires the two hands to carry the complete contrapuntal texture without any bass reinforcement. Voice-leading must be absolutely clear and each entry of the subject given sufficient weight to project above the counter-voices without over-accenting.