About this work
The Fantasia in G major, BWV 572, unfolds as an organ piece in three planes. A lively opening sets the keyboards in motion, then everything broadens into a five-part central section, held in tension by long sustained notes and slow harmonic changes. The final section restores a more restless flow before finding its point of support. This contrast of proportions gives the work its grandeur without any need for heavy playing.
In the central section, begin without seeking a spectacular registration. Each voice must preserve its direction as dissonances are prepared and resolved. A stable bass is more useful than an overpowering low register. Apply the same attention to line in the faster passages: group runs by harmonic motion instead of delivering them note by note.
As you listen, notice the instant when time suddenly seems to expand. This is the heart of the piece. If the transition merely sounds slower, practise the end of the first section and the beginning of the next in a single breath. The organ should change scale without suggesting that it has changed works.
What the document containsthe Fantasia, or Pièce d’orgue, BWV 572 for solo organ;a 9-page PDF;no accompanying MIDI file.The document is an organ score, with no added instrumental arrangement.