The aptitude of the B-A-C-H motive for infinite variation (unendliche Variation), its terseness and possibility to appear as part of a twelve-tone row led composers like Reger, Schoenberg, and Webern either to use it as a point of departure for or to integrate it into their composition. They thus refer to Bach, who used the motive himself and who especially in his later works also developed a great variety of forms from similarly limited material.

Works: Reger: Fantasy and Fugue Op. 46 (420-21); Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra Op. 31 (421), Piano Suite Op. 25 (421), Moses und Aron (421); Webern: Cantata Op. 26 (421), Cantata Op. 29 (421), Quartet for Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Piano, and Violin Op. 22 (421), String Quartet Op. 28 (421).

Index Classifications: 1900s

Contributed by: Andreas Giger