John A. Graves Fugal Devices in the Suite for Violincello No. 5 in C Minor, Prelude by J.S.

Bach, BWV 1011

Although Bach is famous for his fugues, a relatively small percentage of his compositions fall under this classification. Of these, the Prelude from the cello suite in C minor, BWV 1011, is unique in that it is for primarily a single line instrument. Bach employs various techniques to imply a multiple voice texture. Yet this piece still exhibits the tight compositional unity and monothematicism of Bach's more standard fugal writing. The Prelude is actually in the format of a prelude and a fugue. The fugue enters at the third beat of measure 27. Bach's subject is particularly well suited for use on a single line instrument. The subject itself implies polyphony through alternation between registers and motivic structures. The lower line is a three note scalar passage leading to the downbeat. The upper line is an ornamental figure in sixteenth notes. The polyphonic nature of the subject insures a polyphonic texture throughout the piece. The core of the subject is these two motives, which repeat sequentially in measures 30-31. The scalar patterns and leaps in 32-33 are exploited later in the piece. The final bar of the subject is an expansion to the ornamental motive from bar 29. Bar 35 is a linking codetta, composed of a variant on the sixteenth note motive from bar 20, leading to the presentation of the answer form of the subject. Bach employs a real answer. This entrance is higher than the first subject entrance, implying an upper voice. He makes some modifications to the subject to imply contrapuntal accompaniment. In bar 40 Bach displaces the fifth note of the ascending scale by a sixteenth note to accommodate a bass line. The first episode begins at measure 43. It is derived from the pattern in the seventh bar of the subject. Bach moves this pattern through the circle of fifths,

connecting the episodic material to the third entrance of the subject through a descending scale. The third entrance of the subject is in the bass voice. The subject is revoiced with the ornamented motive now occurring below the ascending eighth notes. Bach varies the subject in bars 52 and 53 to strengthen this entrance's role as the bass voice. The fourth and last entrance of the exposition is in the answer form, as expected. Bach shifts octaves for parts of the line and adds a passing tone in measure 58 to counteract the lack of accompanying voices. Measures 63-71 are scalar episodic material. The link to the subject is the sense of propulsion towards the downbeat of each bar created first by ascending scales landing on the downbeat, and then by leaping up a fourth. The whole episode flows through the circle of fifths Bb-Eb-Ab [tritone] D-G-C-F-Bb on the downbeats, either the third or the root of each chord. This episode brings the piece to an entrance in the relative major. Bach takes more liberties with this entrance of the subject than he has previously. At this point in the fugue he has strongly established the subject. Also, all four "voices" have entered, necessitating more variation to simulate a multi-voice texture. The first definite cadence in the piece is at bar 79 in Eb major. Compound melody and motivic relation to the subject are both prominent in the episode beginning in measure 79. All the material for this episode is derived from the first two bars of the subject. The order of the two motives is reversed: the neighbor figure comes first followed by the ascending three note pattern. Both of these are set against an upper voice created by alternating between the static upper line and the moving lower line. A highly ornamented and abbreviated entrance of the subject enters at bar 88. Every sixteenth note is filled in to create a polyphonic texture. The added notes take the place of a true counterpoint. Bach uses the beginning of the subject to maintain the

presence of the theme while not devoting the same amount of emphasis to it as the exposition. Measure 92 marks the beginning of an episodic section centered on compound melody and hemiola. Bach uses a four note pattern for two bars, a three note arpeggiation pattern for three bars, and finally returns to a 3/8 pulse for the rest of the episode. 94-96 is in a three part texture. Bars 97-101 are in a two part texture. Bar 101 is variant on the codetta in the exposition at bar 36, leading back towards the subject. The entrance of the answer form of the subject at 102 is fascinating because of the registeral space between the two lines of the subject. More than an octave separates the melodic fragments. Measures 106-108 use the same cross rhythmic devices as the previous episode. This brief passage is a V/V, cadencing on the low G at bar 109. Measures 110-113 are episodic material constructed from the neighbor note figure of the subject and variants on the figure. The episodic material continues, but from bar 115-127 Bach makes uses of the figure originally occurring at measure 34 in the subject. Bars 128-133 are derived from the two main motives of the subject. The cadential figure from 106-108 returns, however it now moves to F minor. Measures 138-148 are in a three part texture consisting predominantly of arpeggiation figures. The codetta returns at 149 to announce another entrance of the subject. Once again this statement is marked by a wide spacing between the two lines. This leads directly into an episode that relates to much of the previous material, but it is more obscured than earlier episodes. Episodic material becomes more and more extended as the fugue progresses. At 166 a vii07 of V pedal point begins, preparing the dominant pedal point at 170. This pedal resolves on the entrance of the subject at 175/6.

A toccata-like passage enters at measure 183, recalling bar 41 of the answer. 197-202 is an expanded form of the subject. Bars 203-208 are marked by chromaticism and heavy scalar motion. This leads to a low C pedal that walks up (CD-Eb,E,F,F#) in the bass line to the final cadence of the piece. In conclusion, Bach's revolutionary use of fugal composition for a single line instrument demonstrates his extraordinary powers as a composer equally as well as better known fugal works such as the Art of the Fugue, the Well-tempered Clavier, of the first Kyrie of the B Minor Mass. In this cello prelude Bach undertakes the illogical task of writing a single line fugue, and in doing so demonstrates a multitude of techniques for implying polyphonic writing, as well as the versatility of the fugue as a compositional process.