The Ciaccona in E minor, BuxWV160, is one of Buxtehude’s three ostinato works for organ, the others being the Ciaccona in C minor and the Passacaglia in D minor. Over the steady repetitions of a simple four-bar ground, quavers gradually give way to semiquavers, and at bar 41 the pedals drop out and the ground is varied rhythmically. The music becomes increasingly fantastic in character and almost suggests that, having grown tired of his chosen form, Buxtehude has strayed into free improvisation; but examination of the score reveals that the ground is ingeniously present throughout.
from notes by Relf Clark © 2010
