onism must be excused) music will scarcely bear a rapid _tempo_.
The movement opens with an eight-bar phrase, closing on the dominant.
Then the music, evolved from previous material, passes rapidly through
various related keys. After this modulation section there is a cadence
to F major, and in this, the dominant key, something like a new
subject appears, though it is closely allied to the first. A return is
soon made to the principal key, but there is no repetition of the
opening theme. After a cadence ending on the tonic (B flat), and two
coda-like bars, comes a fugal movement, still in the same key. The
vigorous subject, the well-contrasted counterpoint, the interesting
episodes, and many attractive details help one to forget the monotony
of key so prevalent in the days in which this sonata was written.
This, and indeed other fugues of Kuhnau show strong foreshadowings of
Handel and Bach; of this matter, however, more anon. The counterpoint
to the third entry of the subject is evolved from the opening subject
of the sonata. The third movement consists of a fine Adagio in E flat,
in the key of the subdominant and in three-four time. Then follows a
short Allegro in three-four time, of polyphonic character. At the
close of the movement Kuhnau has written the opening chords of the
first movement with the words _Da Capo_. A similar indication is to be
found in one of the "Frische Fruechte" Sonatas. This repetition, also
the third movement leading directly to the fourth, and the thematic
connection mentioned above, would seem to show that the composer
regarded the various sections of his sonata as parts of a whole.

In addition, Kuhnau wrote thirteen sonatas. The "Frische Clavier
Fruechte," or "Sieben Suonaten von guter Invention u. Manier auf dem
Clavier zu spielen," were published in 1696, and later editions in
1710 and 1724. In a quaint preface the composer tells us that in
naming his "Fresh Fruits" "sonatas," he kept in mind all kinds of
_inventiones_ and changes (Veraenderungen) by which so-called sonatas
are superior to mere partitas. Already a century before this preface
was written, Praetorius had distinguished between two classes of
instrumental music: the one, grave; the other, gay. The composer has
also a word to say about the graces or ornaments, the "sugar which
sweetens the fruits." In modern reprints of Kuhnau the sugar is
sometimes forgotten.[43] These "Frische Fruechte" were followed by six
"Bible" Sonatas