Bach’s Fughetta BWV 899 is a compact gem - a brief, elegant glimpse into fugal writing distilled to its essentials. At its core lies a strikingly simple subject, rising step by step, each pitch sustained for an entire measure. This unhurried, almost contemplative ascent gives the fughetta its distinctive character: poised, clear, and quietly purposeful.

On the classical guitar, the piece reveals a new warmth and transparency. This arrangement, presented in A minor, preserves the structure and expressive shape of the original while allowing the fughetta’s three‑voice texture to unfold with natural ease. The subject, its answering line, and the lightly supportive third voice all sit comfortably on the instrument, inviting a balanced, intimate interplay rather than dense counterpoint.

The lines fall under the fingers in a way that encourages long, unbroken phrasing and a refined sense of clarity between voices.

For guitarists, this edition offers a faithful yet idiomatic way to experience BWV 899 - a small, finely crafted work that adapts to the guitar with striking ease and expressive charm.

Score: 3 pages (Double-stave notation)

Preface, legend, and performance notes: 7 pages

Below is a link to Youtube which will allow you to get an idea of what this piece sounds like on keyboard. (Performed by Robert Hill on clavichord)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coUNdtZ-ShA&list=RDcoUNdtZ-ShA&start_radio=1

Over the coming months, I will be playing short excerpts from all pieces listed in this catalogue on classical guitar myself and post them on my Youtube channel, titled:

Michael De Baker Arrangements for Classical Guitar.

Double-stave notation

Bach fugues and fughettas are presented in double‑stave notation to preserve the clarity of Bach’s contrapuntal writing.

A single guitar stave compresses multiple voices into one visual plane, forcing the performer to infer voice‑leading, sustain, and articulation from stem direction alone.

By contrast, a two‑stave layout restores the spatial logic of the original keyboard sources: upper voices remain visually distinct from the bass line, imitative entries are immediately recognizable, and the structural relationships between subject, answer, and countersubject become far easier to follow.

For the guitarist, this clarity is not merely cosmetic: it directly supports informed fingering, balanced voicing, and a more faithful realization of Bach’s polyphonic texture.

Double‑stave notation therefore serves both musical integrity and practical performance, offering a score that reflects the true architecture of the fugue rather than a compressed approximation of it.

Thanks for tuning in. Wishing you much musical enjoyment and many rewarding hours with our instrument, the classical guitar.

Michael

Contact. If you’d like to reach out - whether about repertoire, arrangements, or upcoming projects - feel free to email me at mdebakerclassicalguitar@use.startmail.com