My Love For You And All Existence
- Grantus Greenwood
- Oct 28, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 19, 2021
I want you to think of this as what I'm always really wanting to express, the state of my ideal soul - loving and glorifying everyone and everything... It is my very favorite movement of Bach, and I think Bach never reaches higher in every compositional regard.
Like Contrapunctus XIV, it is the highest bar.
Unlike most of my posts so far, this movement is not a chorale fantasia or based in any way on a chorale (folk hymn) tune. Rather, it is a large-scale prelude and fugue.
The fugue (beginning at 1:49) is no ordinary fugue however. This is a permutation fugue, arguably the strictest musical form there is.
A permutation fugue is “a type of composition that brings together certain characteristics of fugue and of canon, namely: (1) The voices enter successively, as in fugue, each waiting until the preceding voice has stated the opening theme. (2) Entries alternate between tonic and dominant. (3) Each voice, once it has completed its statement of the opening theme, continues by stating two or three additional themes of the same length, all voices stating these themes in the same order. (4) There is almost no non-thematic material; that is, when a voice has completely stated all themes, it begins the series over again, either immediately or after a rest, and restates all themes again in the same order."
This movement represents the most sophisticated expression of a whole tradition of music-making, the tradition of Western art music and most of all the analytical Germanic kind that Bach inherited and transformed. It is more than just a showcase of the conquering of form; it is the apotheosis of it. Beyond conquering its form, this work glorifies it, deifies it! The listener cannot help but ask how such music - exhilarating, godly, yet natural at once - could be derived from such a strict form!? How could a human of flesh and blood conceive, arrange, construct this *musical Sudoku puzzle* and solve it so gorgeously, so effortlessly in every moment!?
When I first heard this piece, I immediately recognized it as my favorite movement of all the Bach Cantatas I know, one of my favorite works by Father Bach, one of my favorite works of art! of humanity! I was stricken …. and I still am. When I hear this, I live in a Heaven on Earth, swimming in celestial light, dancing through the godly soundscape, transported from the material world, like Faust flying with the evening sun,
away from physicality and into transcendence!
We humankind always wish to live here! to always sing just as the Universe wordlessly sings of its own supreme beauty! to always proclaim the glory of the heavens,
the firmament stretched before us as a canopy of virtuous stars!
We always wish to hear and sing the Om! ——Come! let us sing it together!
Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes,
und die Feste verkündiget seiner Hände Werk.
Es ist keine Sprache noch Rede,
da man nicht ihre Stimme höre.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament shows His handiwork.
There is no speech nor language
where their voice is not heard.
- Psalm 19:1,3
What a beautifully transcendent reflection—your words truly brought me into that ethereal space you described, where Bach’s fugue becomes a celestial embrace. In the spirit of that kind of harmony and gentle uplift, I’d like to share a small practical recommendation for anyone looking to nurture calm and clarity in their daily life: if you're ever in Queen Creek and hoping to come home to a peaceful, sparkling space, consider reaching out to house cleaning queen creek. And for those searching more precisely, house cleaning queen creek az offers the same serene experience tailored to your location. A tidy home can truly feel like a grounding composition—a soft fugue for the soul.
Reading this beautifully written post this devotion to the sublime architecture of Bach’s fugue reminds me how often we miss the subtle emergency signs in our own creative and emotional lives until they become overwhelming. It could be a moment of restlessness, a whisper of disquiet something gentle urging us to pause.
At the same time, what might seem like a small tweak or inconspicuous detail can actually be a danger sign, pointing toward deeper truths or creative shifts we shouldn’t ignore.
Such a beautifully expressed post! It really captures love in its most expansive form. On a related note, if you're exploring the intersection of AI and human connection, you might want to check out answer ai — a great tool for crafting responses that feel more genuine and heartfelt. And when aiming for the most seamless, human-like tone, the best ai humanizer is truly top-notch.
Thanks for sharing something so moving today—this resonates deeply!
Such a heartfelt and inspiring piece! It really shows how deeply love and connection can resonate across all aspects of life. As a Legal Nurse Consultant, I often see how compassion and understanding play a role even in professional spaces, especially when helping attorneys and clients navigate complex medical cases. Whether it’s personal matters or something as intricate as product liability, the underlying theme is always about care, clarity, and truth. Thank you for sharing this—it’s a beautiful reminder of how love and purpose can guide us in everything we do.
What a beautifully heartfelt post—reading it felt like experiencing a gentle embrace of universal love and connection. Your words capture something deep and profound about how we relate to each other and the world around us.
In the spirit of nurturing both inner and outer harmony, I’ve recently incorporated a face massager into my daily self-care. It’s such a grounding little ritual—simple, soothing, and surprisingly rejuvenating. Pairing that with thoughtfully chosen Beauty Essentials has transformed my routine into something that feels truly intentional and caring.
Thank you for sharing something so luminous and inspiring. Here’s to expanding more love—both within and beyond ourselves.