Work: Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue), BWV1080, Contrapunctus VI

This was a true tour de force and a fitting climax to a rather miraculous examination of counterpoint through musical history.

The more you read about music, the more you notice the word “authenticity” cropping up annoyingly frequently. The great raging musical arguments of the late 20th century still burn; performers, listeners, even composers find themselves having to take up quasi-moralistic stances on gut strings, vibrato, and whether trills should begin on the upper or lower note.