“Contrapunctus 4” is also simple and also uses an inverted theme. Like its counterpart in Contrapunctus 2, it begins to open up the musical landscape that Bach has in store for us.
Contrapunctus 4 is a kind of summation of the simple fugue construction. This, soundscape hints at the intricacies that come next. When I wrote “landscape” above, I could have used the term “universe”. I discovered this more in the weaving process than was obvious in the graphing.
What “C-4” opens up is how the “inner voices” develop as imitations of the fugue theme. They are nuanced sparkles creating a kind of shimmer. The visual is not as apparent as the sound. C-4 at once, summarizes the preceding 3 “single” fugues while opening the door to the vistas beyond.
