“The Ensemble of Performers” in the Textures of Clavier Compositions by J.S. Bach

Abstract

The musical text of any of Johann Sebastian Bach’s works for clavier contains numerous artistic signs, semantic fi gures and expressive elements. Some of them bear within themselves signifi cations of diverse nuances of meaning and feelings through recreation of the scenes of music-making. Upon the defi nition of the semantic equivalent they align themselves into concrete plotline situations. The intonational formulas, the vertical and horizontal structures-dialogues, the acoustic images of musical instruments (including the human voice) imprinted in the musical texts of a composition — all of these semantic “characters” and “protagonists” designed to express the spirit of time, omnipresent, old and eternally new. The acoustic images in the structure of the musical texts may be extremely different: in the guises of duos, trios, baroque models with the participation of solo, basso continuo and tutti parts in their various alternations and combinations. The musical materials of suites and partitas are used in the article to trace the intertextual migration of typifi ed models of “migrating” images with the unfolding of the plotlines of “music within music.” Typifi ed dialogic structures are disclosed in the texture of the musical composition, and upon deciphering they become conducive towards a competent expressive articulation.