Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, "Little" (popularly known as the "Little Fugue"), is a piece of organ music written by Johann Sebastian Bach during his years at Arnstadt (1703–1707). It is one of Bach's best known fugues and has been arranged for other voices, including an orchestral version by Leopold Stokowski.

Early editors of Bach's work attached this title to distinguish it from the later Great Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542, which is longer in duration.

Score

The fugue's four-and-a-half measure subject is one of Bach's most recognizable tunes. The fugue is in four voices. During the episodes, Bach uses one of Arcangelo Corelli's most famous techniques: imitation between two voices on an eighth note upbeat figure that first leaps up a fourth and then falls back down one step at a time.

References

1. ^ Kimberly Marshall, "Bach on the organ", Early Music (2008) 36 (4): 661–664. doi:10.1093/em/can100
2. ^ Schnorr, K. (2001). "Litanei und Ostinato in Bachs Passacaglia c-moll BWV 582." Anuario Musical, 0(56): 163–172, p. 167