Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 874
The Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 874, is a keyboard composition by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the fifth prelude and fugue in the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer. It was composed between 1739 and 1742.[1]
Prelude
The prelude's autograph is missing, probably due to conditions. The prelude consists of 56 bars and uses a double time signature of cut time and 12
8 time, which gives rise to two performance issues: if the dotted quaver and semiquaver pairs should be played at the same time as the triplet quavers (such as in bar 10); where most commentators think they should be, and if the quavers in bar 2 should be played as triplets; where most commentators think they should not be.[2]
The prelude's structure follows that of sonata form, having a 16-bar exposition, a 24-bar development, and a 16-bar recapitulation.[3] Below are the first 2 bars of the prelude:
Fugue
The fugue is in cut time and consists of 50 bars. Its subject consists of a motif of three quavers and two crotchets repeated twice. It seems similar to a stile antico, though the structure is modern, with expositions and episodes alternating throughout the fugue. Moreover, the structure uses many modulations, including the modulation to A major in bar 20 and F-sharp minor in bar 27. After the latter modulation, the fugue returns to the tonic key of D major. Unlike the typical sonata form, instead of a recapitulation, Bach uses a series of close strettos, the last of which contains subject statements from all four voices in bar 44.
The episodes of the fugue are in a canonic texture, and in these episodes, the motif grows from six notes in bar 7 to eight notes in bar 16, to a two-octave descending scale in bars 38–40. While the fugue is in cut time, the notes used are mainly crotchets and quavers, rather than minims and crotchets, to suggest that the piece should be lively in performance.[4] Below are the first two statements of the fugue's subjects:
References
- ^ "The Well-Tempered Clavier II No. 5 in D major – Bach". www.bachvereniging.nl. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
- ^ Ledbetter, David (2002). Bach's Well-tempered Clavier: The 48 Preludes and Fugues. Yale University Press. p. 255. ISBN 9780300128987. LCCN 2002109926.
- ^ Keller, Hermann (1976). The Well-Tempered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach. Translated by Gerdine, Leigh. George Allen & Unwin Ltd. pp. 146–147. ISBN 9780047860058.
- ^ Schulenberg, David (1992). The Keyboard Music of J.S. Bach. MacMillan Publishing Company. p. 209. ISBN 9780028732756. LCCN 91039348.
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- Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a (doubtful)
- Sonatas, BWV 525–530
- Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 531
- Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537
- Toccata and Fugue in D minor ("Dorian"), BWV 538
- Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540
- Fantasia and Fugue in G minor ("Great"), BWV 542
- Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543
- Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544
- Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546
- Prelude and Fugue in E minor ("Wedge"), BWV 548
- Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553–560 (doubtful)
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 562
- Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564
- Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (doubtful)
- Prelude (Toccata) and Fugue in E major, BWV 566
- Fantasia ("Pièce d'Orgue") in G major, BWV 572
- Fugue in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578
- Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
- Concertos, BWV 592–597
- Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599–644
- Schübler Chorales, BWV 645–650
- Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668
- Chorale partita Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig, BWV 768
- Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her", BWV 769
- Neumeister chorales, BWV 1090–1120
- Chorale fantasia Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 1128
- Aria variata alla maniera italiana
- Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother
- Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue
- Harpsichord solo concertos
- English Suites
- Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906
- French Suites
- Goldberg Variations
- discography
- Gould recording
- Inventions and Sinfonias
- Italian Concerto
- Overture in the French style
- Partitas, BWV 825–830
- Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938
- The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893
- I: C, BWV 846
- c, BWV 847
- C♯, BWV 848
- c♯, BWV 849
- e, BWV 855
- g, BWV 861
- B♭, BWV 866
- b♭, BWV 867
- II: C, BWV 870
- c, BWV 871
- c♯, BWV 873
- D, BWV 874
- d, BWV 875
- f, BWV 881
- g♯, BWV 887
- b♭, BWV 891
- b, BWV 893
- Toccatas, BWV 910–916
- Suite in G minor, BWV 995
- Suite in E minor, BWV 996
- Suite in C minor, BWV 997
- Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E♭ major, BWV 998
- Prelude in C minor, BWV 999
- Fugue in G minor, BWV 1000
collections
- Clavier-Übung III: Prelude and Fugue in E♭ major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552, Chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, Duets, BWV 802–805
- Concerto transcriptions, BWV 592–596 and 972–987
- Klavierbüchlein W. F. Bach
- Notebook A. M. Bach
- Twelve Little Preludes