Absalom set to WTC 1.4 Fugue in C minor

These mournful words, 'O my son Absalom, would God I had died for thee?', express a father's profound grief and despair. Johann Sebastian Bach masterfully sets this poignant text for SATB choir, drawing on his C minor fugue from The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1. The solemnity of the original instrumental music is here reimagined with voices, imbuing the biblical lament with a new layer of emotional depth. The English translation allows the full force of King David's sorrow to resonate directly, making this a powerful and moving choral setting of a deeply human tragedy.