Writing Assignment 2

Baroque music not only expresses one type of affect but rather the style presents many

affects to the listener that may even be considered subjective. For example, Bach’s Fugue in C

minor BWV 847 is set in a somber key. One would think that the dark color of the key would

mean that the piece stays this way throughout, but the tempo of the piece is very lively. The

faster tempo makes the dark piece sound a little lighter which instills in the listener a sense of

hope that the piece will not make you feel sorrow for long but instead bring joy. The piece then

starts to sound like it is in a major key toward the middle, which underscores the many affects

that it starts to have on the listener. After this section the piece keeps its bright, colorful, major

sound and begins a sequence that repeats itself 3 times all the while the tempo beings to

accelerate giving the piece a sense of motion toward a destination. That destination though is

sadly right back to the beginning of the piece where we are again in a somber key, C minor. We

go through this another time a constant back and forth through major and minor before the

ending chord, which is inevitably C major. Doing this Bach allows the listener the feeling of joy,

sorrow, and excitement when the major key finally prevails. Bach’s Fugue in C minor is a good

example of the many affects that baroque music allows listeners to experience when listening to

this style of music.