J.S.

Bach Fugue in Bb Major from The Well-Tempered Clavier, I (BWV 866)

A Structural Analysis

Alex Burtzos

J.S. Bach Fugue in Bb Major From The Well-Temped Clavier, Book I (BWV 866):
A Structural Analysis
~
When analyzing a piece of music or, for that matter, any variety of art it is wise to begin by
noting the obvious, without expecting to find anything in particular. After all, when one expects to find
a certain characteristic, one can easily fall into two traps: either (A) bending the data to fit one's
expectations, or (B) becoming so distracted by searching for a certain attribute that another attribute of
note escapes attention. It's far better to compile data and then discover trends which may start to
illuminate the work, than to predict certain trends and then hope the data confirms these predictions.
In a work as intricate as the B-flat fugue from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, Book I, it's
astonishing how superficial observations lead quickly and seamlessly to concealed structural designs,
and how perfectly the macroscopic whole reflects the microscopic parts of the piece. I have tried my
best to analyze the piece in accordance with the strategy outline above. I hope that the reader will find
my conclusions to be compelling, logical, and unbiased.

Broad Structure, Phrasing, and The Number 12

The B-flat fugue has a total of 48 measures, and is in time. This means the piece has a total
of 144 quarter-note beats. This number is suspicious in its neatness, representing as it does the perfect
square of 12. In Christian tradition, with which Bach the organist and devout Lutheran would naturally
have been well-versed, 12 is an important number. It is the number of the tribes of Israel, each of
whom are described in Revelations 7:3, 14:1 and 14:3-5 as contributing 12,000 saved souls during the
end times (a total of 144,000). In addition, 12 is the number of the apostles of Jesus Christ, and relates

closely to the important number of 6 (the days in which God created the universe (Genesis 1:1 through
Genesis 2:3). This represents, therefore, a compelling potential extra-musical tenet of the design of the
piece.
Musically, of course, the number 12 is also significant. There are twelve pitches in an octave.
Furthermore, The Well-Tempered Clavier is among the first collections to contain works centered on
each of the twelve tones. There are, then definite reasons, both professional and spiritual, why Bach
may have lingered on the number 12 when concocting the design for this fugue.
The subject of this fugue is stated in measures 1-4 (more precisely, from the second eighth-note
of measure 1 to the first eighth-note of measure 5). It lasts, therefore, exactly 12 beats. Having
established the theme, it is now possible to break the piece into phrases, according to the following
principle: A new phrase begins either when the subject is restated or, having been present, disappears.
This yields the following structure of phrases (noted here by length, in measures), which can be further
classified according to whether they are thematic or non-thematic:

Thematic: Bold

Non-Thematic: Italic + Underline

PHRASE STRUCTURE (WITH KEY AREAS)

4
Bb

2*

g c

4
Eb

4
Bb

As can be readily seen, the piece consists of 12 phrases, nine of which contain the subject and
three of which do not. The ratio of thematic measures to non-thematic measures is 34:14. If one takes
the numbers of this ratio and adds them, (3+4+1+4), the result is 12.
It is interesting to note that there is one statement of the subject which is incomplete, presenting

only the first two measures before beginning once again (this moment is marked above by an asterisk).
Clearly exceptional, this statement occurs after exactly 34 measures a direct corollary to the ratio of
thematic to non-thematic measures. This two-measure incomplete statement seems to be an important
moment in the piece for other reasons as well, which will be addressed below.
This analysis of the phrases of the piece seems to suggest a ternary structure, where each large
section ends with a non-thematic phrase. If this is the case, the proportions of the three sections of the
piece, in measures, would be 21:13:14 (approximately 3:2:2). At this point, having established that this
fugue features a 12-beat subject, is divided into 12 phrases, and consists of 12x12 total beats, it should
come as no surprise that the digits of this ratio, if added (2+1+1+3+1+4), equal 12.

Permutations of the Fugal Voices

The B-flat fugue of WTC I consists of a three-voice texture. For the purpose of this analysis, I
will call the highest voice the Soprano (S), the middle voice the Alto (A), and the lowest voice the
Bass (B). This fugue is unusual in that it has two definite counter-subjects (which I will refer to as
CS I and CS II), both of which are present each time the subject (SUB) is heard. It is thus
possible to make a diagram of the fugue which displays what component each voice is stating during
each thematic section of the work (again, the incomplete thematic statement number 7 is marked
with an asterisk).

THEMATIC
SECTION
(mm.)
S
A
B

1
(1)

2
(5)

3
(9)

4
(13)

5
(22)

6
(26)

7*
(35)

8
(37)

9
(41)

SUB

CS I

CS II

SUB

CS I

CS II

CS I

SUB

CS I

SUB

CS I

CS II

SUB

CS I

SUB

CS I

SUB

SUB

CS I

CS II

SUB

CS II

CS II

CS II

As can be clearly seen, Bach establishes a pattern of entry beginning in measure one, wherein
the three voices each enter, then cycle in turn through the subject, first counter-subject, and second
counter-subject (in that order) before repeating. This pattern remains in place through measure 34.
After measure 34, a new pattern seems to take the place of the old, wherein the soprano and alto voices
exchange statements of the subject and first counter-subject, and the bass voice consistently states the
second counter-subject. This seems to imply an underlying binary form marked above - in which the
ratio of the lengths of the two sections (in measures) is 34:14 another allusion to the ratio of thematic
to non-thematic measures in the piece.
It is interesting to note that this paradigm shift occurs during the two-measure incomplete
statement of the subject, which has already been established as exceptional. In addition, this moment
marked a sectional division in the ternary analysis of the work based on phrase lengths and content.
This is a portion of the fugue which Bach clearly wished to bring to the fore. It's worth investigating
further exactly how and why measures 34-35 are so extraordinary, and it is to that purpose that the next
section of this study will be devoted.
Why the Irregular Phrasing and Incomplete Theme?
A Possible Reconstruction of the Compositional Process
If one were to set out, in the creation of a piece, to craft a 144-beat, three-voice fugue consisting
of 12 phrases and based on a 12-beat theme (certainly not an illogical assumption about Bach's
intentions, given our earlier findings), then the most straightforward way to array the phrases of the
piece in meter would be as follows. Note that at this early stage, the harmony consists merely of a
general modulation away from (after the fugal exposition), and back to, Bb Major:

4
Bb

4
Bb

If one furthermore wished to divide the structure into three large sections, the simplest and most
logical way to do so would be as is shown above (solid vertical lines). This being done, the ratio of the
lengths of these sections would be (in measures) 16:16:16, or 1:1:1. While certainly admirable in its
symmetry, this layout does not seem to relate at all to the larger original idea of expressing the number
12. After all, 1+6+1+6+1+6 is equal to 21, and 1+1+1 is equal to 3. If, however, the first sectional
divider were shifted over by one phrase (dotted line, below), this would form a proportion of 20:12:16,
or 5:3:4. This seems more fitting , given the dodecaphonic nature of the fugue. After all,
2+0+1+2+1+6 and 5+3+4 are both equal to 12. In order to plainly show this division, one could end
each section with a non-thematic section, as follows:

4
Bb

4
Bb

Notice that, if one divides the piece this way, the non-thematic modulation following the fugal
exposition must be postponed a phrase, in order to function as a sectional bookmark. This means that
the introduction of the subject in each voice that begins the piece will be followed immediately by
another thematic statement, giving the temporary impression of a four-voice fugue. This also means
that, since expositional statements of a fugal subject alternate between being stated on the tonic and
being stated on the dominant, we will begin our first non-thematic modulatory section in F major,
rather than Bb. This precludes a large-scale modulation to the dominant, which would normally be
one's first instinct in a major-key fugue. Instead, the logical choice of key for the next statement of the
subject becomes one of the two closely-related keys shared by Bb and F: namely, either d minor or g
minor. For several reasons (including the fact that C#, the leading tone in d minor, would sound as an
altered 3rd scale degree in the tonic key of the piece), g minor is the better choice.

There is one problem with this framework for a fugue, however. A piece which consists of
nothing but four-measure phrases threatens to become tedious. It is exceedingly rare in Bach's music to
have such a completely regular metric structure: therefore, one can conclude that he was concerned
with providing some metric variety in his work. Consequently, one must alter the existing structure in
some way. Lengthening a thematic section is not possible, so it is therefore logical to lengthen the nonthematic sections instead (excepting the final cadence, which will feel too unsettled if made part of an
irregular phrase). The result is this:

Bb

4
Bb

Unfortunately, due to the large-scale nature of the piece, the number of measures (48 measures x
3 beats/measure = 144 beats, the square of twelve) can not change. This means that, to account for the
two measures that have been added to the non-thematic phrases of the fugue, two measures must be
subtracted from somewhere else. The cadence, as was mentioned before, is better left unaltered.
Therefore, the extra two measures must be taken from thematic material. Removing a single measure
from two separate thematic phrases would create a substantial amount of ambiguity regarding the
nature of the subject itself. It is clearly better to lop two measures from a single thematic phrase,
creating an exceptional single moment.
This leads to a decision. Because this exceptional moment will, naturally, attract the ear of the
listener, one must think carefully about which thematic statement to cut short. It is impossible to take
two measures from the first four statements, as they form the fugal exposition and serve to establish the
subject fully. In considering the remaining five thematic phrases, one must examine again the
proportions of the piece. As it stands, the proportion is 21:13:16 clearly unacceptable, in that it does

not reflect the number 12 (2+1+1+3+1+6 = 14). If one takes two measures from the middle section, the
proportion would become 21:11:16, which is acceptable (2+1+1+1+1+6 = 12). If one takes two
measures from the last large section, the proportion becomes 21:13:14, which is also acceptable
(2+1+1+3+1+4 = 12). Although both options are possible, the latter option presents a more even
overall shape, and is nearer to a clear proportion (approximately 3:2:2). Therefore, this is the
preferable choice.
But there is more to consider. The creation of a singular moment in the music, achieved by the
abridgment of one statement of the subject, will necessarily create the feeling of a two-part form
(before vs. after) against our existing three-part form. The first statement of the final section the
seventh statement of the piece - thus becomes the clear favorite to be robbed of two measures for three
reasons: first, taking two measures from this statement creates a two-part proportion of phrases, 9:3,
which is equal to the proportion of thematic vs. non-thematic material. Second, doing so lines up the
moment of binary division with a moment of ternary division, avoiding a hidden hemiola which could
distract the listener. And third, doing so gives one enough remaining space to mark the binary division
in other ways (e.g., voicing permutations) before the end of the piece.
So, after subtracting two measures from the seventh thematic statement of the fugue, the final
metrical layout of the piece ends up as follows:

4
Bb

4
Bb

Harmonic Scheme

Many of the other compositional decisions in this fugue seem to have been arrived at via the

method of establishing a pattern, and then breaking this pattern beginning at the exceptional thematic
section and, in so doing, reinforcing the division of the piece at that moment. This idea has already
been discussed in regards to permutation of the fugal voices (see above), but the same principle applies
to the harmony of the piece.
For example, the fugal exposition in this piece alternates between subject statements on the
tonic and tonal answer statements on the dominant (designed to move towards the relative
subdominant, or V I), establishing a clear pattern of real subject, tonal answer, real subject, tonal
answer, etc. If one continues this pattern beginning with the g minor statement in measure 22, one will
necessarily remain in that key until m. 26, after which one will naturally modulate to c minor. And, in
fact, this is exactly what happens. Starting in m. 35 with the incomplete statement, however, Bach flips
the pattern: now, one hears a tonal answer, followed by a real statement, followed by a tonal answer.
This new pattern is actually somewhat inconvenient, as it means that Bach must alter the last tonal
answer (m. 41) in order to modulate back to the home key of Bb. However, Bach sticks to it, in order to
emphasize the difference of the music before and after measure 35.
One particularly interesting harmonic aspect of this work which demands to be mentioned is the
non-thematic phrase in measures 30-34. The first striking characteristic of this passage is the fact that
it does not modulate: although it is sequential and feels, upon first listening, to be in constant transit,
the phrase takes the listener from c minor right back to c minor. The inner makeup of this false
modulation is even more intriguing - Bach presents a sequence which maneuvers through the keys of
Bb Major, g minor, d minor, and c minor. In essence, this is a review of all the keys presented in the
work thus far, in order. The exception would seem to be d minor, which has not been seen before.
However, briefly settling in this key gives Bach a chance to utilize the single chromatic tone he hasn't
already C# (m. 33). This means that Bach utilizes the twelfth tone of the chromatic scale in the most
important place in the fugue surely no coincidence.

Following this noteworthy progression, it is unsurprising that the incomplete and exceptional
seventh thematic statement behaves differently than the others harmonically. Bach alters the c minor
tonal answer in measure 36 to create a modulation to, not the subdominant, but rather the relative major
of Eb in measure 37. This key remains in place until the final tonal answer (m. 41) modulates, as
expected, back to the home key of Bb. The final harmonic movement of IV I is extremely common in
the music of Bach. Not only does the subdominant provide an easy means of return to the tonic (one
that is generally, although not in this case, the opposite of the I V movement which took listeners
away), but the large sense of plagal cadence calls to mind the Amen that would end a Lutheran
hymn. This work certainly seems to have been constructed with a mix of religious and musical
motivation. It therefore seems logical to find a such a progression present.

Structure and Makeup of the Subject and Counter-Subjects

The subject of the fugue is four measures long. The fourth measure of the piece is essentially a
direct repetition of the third, meaning that the theme itself reflects a makeup of 3+1. The subject has
37 notes, nine of which are eighth-notes and 28 of which are sixeenth-notes. This comes extremely
close to expressing the 3:1 structural ratio of the subject in the ratio of short notes:long notes.
The 3+1 makeup of the theme is echoed in the first and second counter-subjects, each of which
end with a measure that essentially repeats the one before it. This means that when the subject and
both counter-subjects sound together (as is the case in every statement of the work after the initial
entrance of the bass voice in m. 9), they express a compound ratio of 9:3. This corresponds to the ratio
of thematic to non-thematic phrases discussed above. And, of course, 9+3 is equal to 12.

The Golden Section?

The golden section refers to a mathematical situation in which the ratio of a quantity A to a
smaller quantity B is identical to the ratio of A+B to A. Put plainly, this means that the golden ratio is
present if the quotient of a larger number and smaller number is equal to approximately 1.6180339887.
In the music of J.S. Bach, the golden ratio is often expressed by the proportion of (measures before an
event):(measures after an event).
In this piece, the golden ratio would fall at approximately measure 30 (48/1.6180339887 =
29.665...). This does, in fact, line up with a point of interest the beginning of the false modulation
discussed above. However, the most striking moment of the piece by far is not this, but rather the
incomplete statement in measure 35. Bach does observe the golden ratio in this piece, but in a way that
is decidedly subordinate to other moments. His creation of a moment of great emphasis, in other
words, seems to have been dictated less by the golden section than by other structural machinations
one potential reconstruction of which is detailed above.

Conclusion

Attempting to analyze a work which is truly great is invariably frustrating, because great works
spread like fractals before discerning analysis, revealing further and further layers of design. This
study at to this point is 3,175 words in length a hair over 34 words for every second of the Glenn
Gould recording of the piece in question and yet still represents just a small portion of the
observations which could conceivably be made. The analyst, then, must be discriminating in what
aspects of a masterwork he chooses to address. I have limited myself here to a discussion of the form
and structure of the BWV 866 fugue, mentioning harmony, melody, etc. only in terms of how they
relate to general architecture. Much more remains to be said about these neglected aspects of the piece,

but that is a work of scholarship for another day.

As I stated at the outset, my strategy for analyzing any work is to collect data, then draw
conclusions based on that data (rather than the other way around). I hope the reader will agree that I
have followed that procedure in the course of this brief study. No one, of course, can know now what
Bach's thinking was in regards to the construction of this piece. However, based simply on the
information at hand, I find the arguments put forth above to be compelling. And ultimately, this is the
goal of analysis not to achieve the impossible by entering the mind of the composer, but rather to
enhance our own appreciation of a work by becoming familiar with its intimate details and potential
meaning. It's my sincere wish that I've been able to accomplish this end in the pages preceding.