String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1416898 Composed by Johannes Brahms. Arranged by James M. Guthrie. 19th Century,Chamber,Contest,Festival,Historic,Romantic Period. 17 pages. Jmsgu3 #998489. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.1416898). The Fugue in A-flat minor, WoO 8, is one of the early organ works by Brahms, composed around 1856-57. It is an intense, brooding fugue published without an opus number. The fugue is part of a small set of four early organ pieces by Brahms, including the chorale prelude and fugue O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid (WoO 7). These early organ works demonstrate Brahms' mastery of counterpoint at a young age. While Brahms did not have a close personal relationship with the organ, the genre of the chorale prelude allowed him to pay homage to his musical heritage, following the conventions of the form by paraphrasing and elaborating on pre-existing Lutheran chorale melodies. The Fugue in A-flat minor is considered one of the most significant and high-quality of Brahms' early organ works. It was eventually assigned the posthumous opus number 122, which is still known today. So, in summary, the Fugue in A-flat minor is an essential early organ work by Brahms that demonstrates his mastery of counterpoint, even though the organ was not his primary instrument. It is considered a significant and high-quality piece within Brahms' overall organ output.
