What Does the Author Mean? The Example of Clavier-Übung III

Abstract:This article is a critical reflection on selected interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Clavier-Übung III, including the problematic issue of the symbolism of numbers. From those analyses, a theoretical model has been created, inspired by Umberto Eco’s writings and consisting of the following levels of interpretation: (1) intentio auctoris—authorial intentions; (2) intentio operis—interpretations that arise from the semiotic code of the piece; (3) intentio lectoris/intentio auditoris—readings that result from the recipient’s own perception of the written text (intentio lectoris) or an auditory experience (intentio auditoris); and (4) intentio actoris—meanings that are shaped by decisions made by the performer(s). The model was developed in the course of studying the Clavier-Übung III and provides a framework for describing the process of negotiating the meanings of the collection’s constituent pieces. Additionally, it enables a better understanding of the controversial issue of number symbolism within Clavier-Übung III, which—as is argued in the article—is shaped between intentio operis and intentio lectoris. Last but not least, the model presented takes into consideration an often-neglected aspect of construing the meaning in music, namely the part played by the audience and performers.