Contrapuctus XIX

New from 21th March 2025

Contrapunctus XIX

"Old forms may well remain, but their spirit must stay alive – understandable to the people of their time."

music by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)  •  BWV 1080
completed by Nikolaus Matthes (*1981)  •  op. 26 

Paul Suits piano

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge ends with an unfinished Contrapunctus XIX, a fragmentary masterpiece that has puzzled musicians and scholars for centuries. Composer Nikolaus Matthes has carefully completed these fragments, staying true to Bach’s contrapuntal brilliance and creating a version that seamlessly integrates into the great work.

Pianist Paul Suits brings this unique completion to life with a precise, thoughtful, and sonically nuanced interpretation. This recording offers a rare opportunity to experience Bach’s final great work in a new and complete form.