Composed during Bach's Leipzig period, BWV 548 is renowned for its dramatic contrast: a rigorously structured prelude with recurring themes, followed by a fugue whose subject expands chromatically like a wedge—earning it the nickname "The Wedge Fugue." The fugue's middle section features virtuosic toccata passages, while the unexpected Picardy third ending in E major adds a radiant conclusion to this monumental organ work, later adapted for diverse ensembles like brass quartet.
This monumental organ work showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint, featuring a dramatic prelude with virtuosic pedalwork and a four-voice fugue with a distinctive expanding subject. The "wedge" nickname derives from the fugue theme's interval structure, gradually widening from minor third to octave.
Composed during Bach's Leipzig period, this organ work features a prelude with virtuosic pedal solos and a fugue whose subject expands chromatically in wedge-like motion, earning its nickname. It showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint and organ technique.
The fugue's subject features expanding chromatic intervals that create a distinctive wedge-like contour when notated, symbolizing theological concepts of divergence and resolution central to Baroque aesthetics.
