Johann Sebastian Bach - booksnow.scholarsportal.info

—THE THIRTY VARIATIONS. 169" Ciavierübung." This part contains an aria with thirtyvariations for a harpsichord with two manuals.^^^ Thecircumstances which led to the composition of this workwill be related presently ; here we have only to do with themusic itself. The Variation, as the oldest form of independentinstrumental music, exercised the most diverseinfluences upon the musical organisms which arose in thesixteenth and seventeenth centuries; on the clavier suiteand the chorale arrangement, on the sonata and on musicfor the violin, but its principal sphere was that of the keyedinstruments. The singular manner in which it grew for along period simultaneously with the suite has been shownbefore.^^'' The chorale variations, or chorale partitas properlyso called, flourished however when the difference betweenclavier and organ music was not sufficiently appreciated.The variation form i.e., an artistic entity consisting of atheme and a set of alterations or variations upon it—did notbelong to the church ; and this not only because there wasno place for it in divine service, but because it would impairthe solemn effect of the chorale melody. Hence it becamegradually defined as a form of clavier music, but as such,in spite of its great historical significance, it had fewattractions for a man like Bach. Inventive power couldonly be displayed either in the general outline, in the orderof the different variations, or in the finest details of ornamentation.No thorough working out of the theme laywithin the scope of a single variation. As regards theextent of the variation, it was strictly confined to thelimits of the theme, while the alteration of the theme mustconsist exclusively of surrounding ornamentation, so thatthe sequence of harmonies had to remain essentially thesame throughout. All this gone, the form had a superficialcharacter, antagonistic to depth and scientific elaboration.It is a significant fact that the variations of Sweelinck,Frescobaldi, or Cornet have the strongest family likenessthose of Mozart, written two hundred years afterwards.313 p. s. I., Cah. 6, No. 3 (209). B.-G. III., p. 263 ff. The copies of theoriginal edition were sold by Breitkopf in the year 1763 for 2 thlr. 8 gr.21^ See Vol. II., pp. 74 and 77.to