1714 König organ at the Klosterkirche, Niederehe, Germany

Bach may have considered this piece a theoretical study and not have intended The Art of Fugue to be performed at all, since he prepared it in open score and left the climax incomplete. On our next Pipedreams program, we give life to theory, as an international array of soloists leads us through Bach’s contrapuntal maze, this music which astounds the mind and delights the ear simultaneously. A fugue too many? Not to worry, we’ll provide a map to help you listen, and hand you all the keys necessary to open the doors of mystery. How does it end?

It may seem that organs can never be too large, but the music on this week’s show reveals the beauty in smaller things—music played on instruments with only a single manual keyboard!

Hot to the touch, and hotter to hear, these compositions cover the keyboard with memorable sonic effects.

…a reminder that bigger is not necessarily better, and that the efficient, one-manual pipe organ s rich in charm and character.

…modest instruments can achieve maximal satisfaction, as proven by these organs which posses no more than twelve stops each.

…an international array of soloists leads us through the magical intricacies of The Art of Fugue/Die Kunst der Fuge (S. 1080) by Johann Sebastian Bach.