Fugue XVI

Fugue XVI from The Well-Tempered Klavier, Book I (BWV 861)
J.S. Bach, arranged for string orchestra by Travis Freshner

Bach wrote this G minor fugue for a single keyboard player. In this arrangement, the counterpoint is shared across the whole string section, so every entrance of the subject gets its own color and every voice gets its own player. Violins, violas, cellos, and basses all take real melodic responsibility, which makes it as rewarding to rehearse as it is to hear.

The arrangement stays faithful to Bach’s music while making the texture work for strings. Voice leading is clear, the lines sit comfortably in each instrument’s range, and the parts are engraved for easy reading in rehearsal. It makes an excellent concert opener, a study in ensemble listening, or a way to introduce your players to fugal writing through a piece that sounds substantial without being out of reach.