I. The Toccata
Toccata is a piece “intended primarily as a display of manual dexterity, often free in form and almost always for a solo keyboard instrument.”[1] Instead of being a genre or form, toccata is often considered a principle in which other more “rigorous style such as fugue is incorporated.[2] The earliest keyboard toccatas, which might be composed before 1575, had already established a tradition.[3] Generally been though to represent an improvisational practice, it is a freely composed piece full of sequences of chords alternating with scale passages, where “either hand may perform brilliant runs against chords in the other.” Claudio Merulo whose styles of toccata include contrasting sectional fugue and chordal passages alternating with brilliant passage-work represents this tradition.[4]
Girolamo Frescobaldi, an early Baroque composer who followed this tradition, established a unique toccata characteristic by using frequent changes of harmony, tonality, melody, rhythm, and the sectional structure.[5] His legacy lasted until the end of the 17th century in Italy, where his influences could be seen in Alessandro Scarlatti’s works. Having followed the basic framework of Frescobaldi’s, Scarlatti further expanded it and incorporated elements such “as fugue, recitative and variations” in as many as “six or seven contrasting sections.” This “new departure” eventually influenced a few of J.S. Bach’s keyboard works,[6] including harpsichord toccatas, which he “favored a sectional structure, modern tonalities, mature fugal writing, and harmonic richness.”[7]
II. Bach’s Toccatas
Bach’s life “as a professional musician began with learning to play on a keyboard.” His study of keyboard music by the best composers laid the most important foundations of his training to compose keyboard works specifically for organ, harpsichord, and clavichord throughout his career. His “dedication to every keyboard genre and form” is vast.[8] The major types of his keyboard compositions comprise those of freely improvisatory such as prelude, toccata, and fantasia, the imitation and strict such as fugue and invention, the combinatory including prelude and fugue, and multi-movement forms including sonata, suite, and partite.
Among these compositions, seven “manualiter toccatas mark the culmination of Bach’s early work” for harpsichord or clavichord. [9] Based on the traditional framework, these toccatas are pieces comprising various types of sections, yet “not all of them are capable of standing as self-sufficient movements.”[10] It is possible that the sections that could stand alone, for example, the fugues, “might have originated as separate pieces that were later gathered together to form toccatas.”[11] Although all toccatas in this collection follow the basic structure, in which contrasting sections, chordal passages and virtuoso running scale-like passages alternate with each other, each of them has its own distinctive design as reflected by Bach’s own versatility. Toccata in C minor BWV 911, possibly being composed before 1715, is an example that shows how Bach employed various sources to display the virtuosity of the keyboard instrument.
III. Analysis of Toccata in C minor BWV 911
In the following part of this paper, I will begin with a brief structural description about the form of the Toccata in C minor. Then details about each part of this piece including the overall fugual plan, motivic development, and possible relationships among parts and sections will be presented. Diagrams will also be attached at the end of this paper for references.
Form
Toccata in C minor follows the typical toccata three-part design, in which a free quasi-improvisatory opening, two metrical fugue sections, and a free closing announcement are included.
Three sections comprise the opening part of the toccata. From measure 1 to the fermata at measure 6 is a tonic announcement of C minor. A brilliant running scale surrounding c states its tonality. This section is then followed by the metric-like imitation from measure 6 to measure 11 suggesting a progression from i toward V of C minor. A “motet-like” Adagio continues this introductory part from measure 12 where an expansion of V in C minor is introduced. After twenty-two measures, this section leads to a half cadence point, where the whole introductory part is concluded.
A very lengthy fugue part in three-voice comprising several sub-divisions takes part from measure 33 to measure 170. A clear half cadence cut at measure 85 divides this long-lasting fugue into two main sections. From measure 33 to measure 85 is considered to be Fugue I, while the rest of it is taken as Fugue II. A standard fugual design can be found in both Fugue I and II, where exposition, episode, middle entry, final portion, and coda are carefully arranged.
A short closing announcement is presented from measure 171 to the end of this piece. This short passage serves both as the coda of Fugue II and the closing of the whole piece to carry out the structure, within which the typical toccata is framed.
Table 1. Structure of Toccata in C minor
|
Part |
Introduction |
Fugue |
Closing |
|||
|
Sub-section |
Opening |
Middle section |
Adagio |
Fugue I |
Fugue II |
|
|
Measure |
mm.1-6 |
mm.6-12 |
mm.12-33 |
mm.33-84 |
mm.84-170 |
mm.170-175 |
|
Key |
C minor (i) |
C minor (V) |
c---g (i---V)
in c |
c-Eb-g-c |
c-g-c-Eb-Bb-f-c |
C minor (V/V-I) |
Introduction
Three contrasting sections in terms of tempo, texture, and harmonic functions, are included in the introduction. The opening part follows the typical toccata manner, which a free quasi-improvisatory passage is presented. The scales and arpeggios are based on the center tone C and are carried out by one voice only. A few chords are added at the end of this announcement to ensure the function of i in C minor. Following that is a metric-like middle section in 4-voice that gradually leads the harmonic progression towards the V of C minor. Theme (a) is freely imitated by different voices at different pitch levels.
The Adagio section in a 4-voice setting then occurs suggesting several possible motivic sources for the following fugue. By means of free imitation, theme (b) is presented at different pitch levels at least once in each voice. A passage from measure 20 to 29 strongly suggests the existence of the tonality in G minor. This passage, however, is not considered to depart from C minor, but rather the V of V in C minor. A closing passage taking the free rhapsody-like materials to continue the V function established by the Adagio appears after a fermata at measure 29. Not only considered to be a closing section for the introduction, it is also regarded as an interlude between the Adagio and the first Fugue.
Fugue I
The subject is first stated at the dominant level in alto from measure 33 to measure 38. It is answered at the tonal level by soprano immediately after completing its first announcement at measure 38. The last voice to state the subject is the bass, which starts from measure 46 to measure 51.
Several motivic materials that frequently occur in this piece are originated in the subject. One of the prominent figures is the rhythmic pattern found at the starting announcement, a combination of the eighth and sixteenth note. The syncopated pattern happens at measure 35 is also a source for later motivic development implicitly through the piece. Another motive derived from the subject is a tetrachord pattern going downward in C minor happened at the second half of the subject, which later is often incorporated in other sections of this piece. It can be seen easier from the simplified version of the subject (Fig. 1).
Fig.1 Simplified Subject
The countersubject, a consistent melodic pattern that appears with the subject begins at the third beat of measure 40 to the first eighth note at measure 42. A descending scale starting from c-bb-a-g at the first 16th note of each downbeat suggests a tetrachord in G minor. This countersubject, after being modified, accompanies the last announcement of the subject at measure 48 to measure 50 to close the exposition.
A cycle of fifth is found in the materials used in the bridge (mm.43-46) between the second and the third statements of the subject. It appears in the 16th note downward scale pattern from ab at the second beat of measure 42 to d at the last beat, g at the second beat to c at measure 43, eb to ab of measure 44, and f to b nature at measure 46. A brief “down fifth” cycle is also found in harmonic progression of the bass voice as the sequential passage goes from V of C minor at the down beat to its following unit, the i of C minor at measure 43, and iv to VII at measure 44.
The first episode starting from
measure 51 to 55 shows how previous motives are used. A descending scale
pattern that first emerges in the soprano (mm.51
-52
) and then the alto from measure 52
to 53
in sequence is based on the tetrachord found in the subject.
In the bass line where the combination pattern of eighth and sixteenth note,
mot.(a) appears throughout the episode reminding the first half of the subject.
The syncopated rhythmic pattern found in the subject is also subtly employed in
the alto voice in this section. A mode change takes place in this episode as
well preparing for the occurrence of Eb major in the middle entry.
A subject at dominant level in Eb major initiates the first middle entry. It is stated by alto (mm.55-60) and accompanied by the countersubject of the bass line (mm.58-59). Other motivic materials such as mot.(a) and mot.(b) are both seen in the soprano.
Given refreshing
ideas of motives (a) and (c) in all three voices, episode 2 takes from Eb major
to G minor preparing for the entrance of the following section, where soprano
states the subject at the dominant level in G minor from measure 64
. Unlike the previous subject statements, the subject in this
section is slightly modified and extended for two beats longer. This middle
entry then is concluded by an authentic cadence (V-i) in G minor at the
downbeat of measure 69.
No episodic material is inserted between the middle entry in G minor and the returning of the subject in the original key, C minor, at measure 69 that the final portion may possibly take place. Being stated alternatively by alto and soprano, the subject here is cleverly divided by two voices. Although the tonality of the subject strongly suggests the arrival of final portion, the subtle way of stating subject and a passage of running figures immediately followed (mm.74-75) in fact serve a bridge function leading this piece towards the real final portion, where the subject is restated by the bass in C minor at measure 75.
The coda material is essentially an extension of i of C minor. An improvisatory practice from measure 80-82 is utilized to embellish the center tone, c. This is followed by a passage indicating the V of C minor from measure 82 to 83. For the sake of being “toccata,” after the fermata, a V/V chordal passage is further included to build a half cadence on C minor to shortly close the first fugue section and leads it directly to the dominant level of the C minor subject statement in the following fugue section.
Fugue II
In the exposition (mm.86-102), the subject is stated respectively in the same order (alto—soprano—bass) as that of Fugue I. A new countersubject idea is introduced immediately as the alto starts to state the subject. Two units (a and b) make up this countersubject in Fugue II. The “a” part is simply a repetition of pattern x as marked on the score. The second half is a cycle of 3rd presented by means of figure corte from measure 88 to 89
Both two short bridges
appearing in this section (mm.90-91 and mm.96-97) provide not only smooth
connections between the subject statements but also several motivic materials
that are to be incorporated later in the episode, for example, mot.(d) starting
from 90
. The melody in the soprano of measure 102 where episode 1
begins is an idea derived directly from this motive. Being slightly modified,
this idea later appears again in bass at measure 103. Also derived from the
bridge passages is another motivic material that is frequently presented later
in this fugue, the mot.(e) at 91
. This motive in fact is the same as the rhythmic idea of
mot.(a) but is presented in a faster note value. An ascending scale presented
in the manner of “added thirds” occurs briefly in the third beat of upper
voices at measure 103 that suggests the closing of this episode.
After the motivic development and change of mode in episode 1(mm.102-104), statements of subject and countersubject appear at measure 104, where a middle entry in G minor is presented. The syncopated motive, mot.(b) from Fugue I, also occurs here in soprano from measure 106 to 108 to add more rhythmic interest.
Although episode 2 (mm.109-115),
a section that only has two voices, is lighter in terms of texture, it provides
an interesting voice exchange pattern between soprano and bass that makes this
section remarkable. Starting at measure 109, the first beat in soprano
anticipates the second beat of the bass, and
soprano anticipates
of the bass. This anticipation goes on in sequence lasting
for two measures, and then leads to the rest of this episode where a series of
sequences based on mot.(e) help modulate to C minor happens.
A subject as announced by alto
at the dominant level occurring at 115
starts the middle entry in C minor (mm.115-127). As usual,
its countersubject appears in soprano immediately as the subject is presented;
however, it does not stay in soprano for too long. A quick voice shift at 116
allows the bass line to take over the melody to complete the
statement of this countersubject. A short bridge (mm.120-123) connecting two
subjects in this section is considered to be an extension of its previous
phrase. It suggests a progression of i (m.120)-V(m.121) –i (m122
)- V (m.122
)- i (m.122
). Moreoever, in the beginning of the bridge at measure 120,
the tetrachord idea originated in the subject appears in the form of the two
sets of ascending and descending scales.
Episode 3 (mm.127-133), like
episode 2, is a two-voice arrangement in texture. Several similar motivic developments
are presented here; however, the appearance of Eb major descending scale within
a new rhythmic pattern, a series of eighth notes that slows down the running
bass line, somehow sounds abrupt. This strong tonality promptly takes the fugue
to the middle entry in Eb major from measure 133 to 141. Stated by the soprano,
the subject is modified by delaying its resolution for two beats (mm.137-138).
A prominent extension of the fugue subject (mm.138-140) is attached at the end
of this middle entry by repeating the idea of the closing figures at 138
. This also helps modulate to Bb major to prepare for the
arrival of the next middle entry (mm.141-147). Like the modification happened
in the subject of middle entry in Eb, the subject in this section is also
delayed in terms of its resolution. It is not resolved until half measure
later.
Episode 4 (mm.147-152) takes the abrupt idea occurred in episode 3, which a series of descending scales are presented in the bass line. The appearance of Db in both soprano and bass helps modulate to F minor and suggest the tonality of the forthcoming entry.
A brief middle entry in F minor
is introduced from measure 152 to 157. Several interesting ideas add more
colors on this short passage. No longer appearing in its full length, the
countersubject at this point only comprises its first part, the repetitions of
pattern x. After carrying out this incomplete countersubject, the alto soon
adopts a new idea that outlines an F minor descending scale from measure 154
to 156
to ensure the existence of F minor. Toward the end of the
subject in soprano starting from measure 156
to 157
, the melody is slightly modified to delay the resolution. It
is followed by episode 5 (mm.157-162), where not only includes previous motivic
materials but also brings an idea of using neighboring tone to emphasize f,
eb, and c to the soprano part (mm.157-162). A key change from F minor to C minor also
takes place in this section.
The final
portion is introduced at measure 162 with the subject announced alternatively
by alto and soprano. A N6 occurs at 166
to add a richer harmonic color in the last appearance of the
subject. An extension of the fugue subject is attached to this section
continuing the function of V in C minor by using a long-lasting pedal G.
Finally in the coda, a brilliant and embellishing running scales starting at
V/V in C minor at measure 171 carries on the function of V and leads it to the
I of tonic at the end, where the toccata is concluded.
IV. Conclusion
Being composed in his early career, this toccata has been regarded as one of the representatives of young Bach’s style. It demonstrates the characteristics of his vigorous “musical rhetoric and economical and intensive use of thematic material.”[12] Several examples can be found from the particular subject and countersubject in this toccata and how it reappears differently in the whole piece as analyzed above. A frequent use of voice exchange to split a prominent melody also presents Bach’s subtlety on arranging voice ranges. In terms of texture, an alternation of single, two, three, and four-voice setting somehow suggests the efforts Bach made on writing solo keyboard piece in a concerto-like orchestra manner.