Symphony Atlas

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846-869

17222 h 5 min

This guide follows Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846-869 (1722) in 24 parts: Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 846 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in c minor, BWV 847 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in C# Major, BWV 848 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in c# minor, BWV 849 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 850 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in d minor, BWV 851 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in Eb Major, BWV 852 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in eb/d# minor, BWV 853 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 854 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in e minor, BWV 855 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in F Major, BWV 856 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in f minor, BWV 857 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in F# Major, BWV 858 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in f# minor, BWV 859 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 860 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in g minor, BWV 861 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in Ab Major, BWV 862 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in g# minor, BWV 863 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in A Major, BWV 864 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in a minor, BWV 865 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in Bb Major, BWV 866 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in bb minor, BWV 867 (fugue), Prelude and Fugue in B Major, BWV 868 (fugue) and Prelude and Fugue in b minor, BWV 869 (fugue).

Recording: Thomas Schwan (piano)

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AnalysisComments
  1. 1Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 846 · Fugue
  2. 2Prelude and Fugue in c minor, BWV 847 · Fugue
  3. 3Prelude and Fugue in C# Major, BWV 848 · Fugue
  4. 4Prelude and Fugue in c# minor, BWV 849 · Fugue
  5. 5Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 850 · Fugue
  6. 6Prelude and Fugue in d minor, BWV 851 · Fugue
  7. 7Prelude and Fugue in Eb Major, BWV 852 · Fugue
  8. 8Prelude and Fugue in eb/d# minor, BWV 853 · Fugue
  9. 9Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 854 · Fugue
  10. 10Prelude and Fugue in e minor, BWV 855 · Fugue
  11. 11Prelude and Fugue in F Major, BWV 856 · Fugue
  12. 12Prelude and Fugue in f minor, BWV 857 · Fugue
  13. 13Prelude and Fugue in F# Major, BWV 858 · Fugue
  14. 14Prelude and Fugue in f# minor, BWV 859 · Fugue
  15. 15Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 860 · Fugue
  16. 16Prelude and Fugue in g minor, BWV 861 · Fugue
  17. 17Prelude and Fugue in Ab Major, BWV 862 · Fugue
  18. 18Prelude and Fugue in g# minor, BWV 863 · Fugue
  19. 19Prelude and Fugue in A Major, BWV 864 · Fugue
  20. 20Prelude and Fugue in a minor, BWV 865 · Fugue
  21. 21Prelude and Fugue in Bb Major, BWV 866 · Fugue
  22. 22Prelude and Fugue in bb minor, BWV 867 · Fugue
  23. 23Prelude and Fugue in B Major, BWV 868 · Fugue
  24. 24Prelude and Fugue in b minor, BWV 869 · Fugue
1Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 846Fugue0:23–4:42

C major. The prelude has no melody: it is a flow of broken chords, and the interest lies in how the harmony shifts. II follows, and then III, a long . The four-voice fugue begins on a two- that climbs a scale and then gives a sharp rhythmic snap. Later three come a apart, so each overlaps the last (), and the piece ends on a long C major chord.

  1. Prelude
  2. II
2Prelude and Fugue in c minor, BWV 847Fugue4:48–7:52
3Prelude and Fugue in C# Major, BWV 848Fugue7:58–11:37
4Prelude and Fugue in c# minor, BWV 849Fugue11:44–20:58
5Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 850Fugue21:24–24:22
6Prelude and Fugue in d minor, BWV 851Fugue24:27–28:52
7Prelude and Fugue in Eb Major, BWV 852Fugue29:21–34:51
8Prelude and Fugue in eb/d# minor, BWV 853Fugue35:01–45:22
9Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 854Fugue45:46–48:11
10Prelude and Fugue in e minor, BWV 855Fugue48:19–51:51
11Prelude and Fugue in F Major, BWV 856Fugue51:57–54:02
12Prelude and Fugue in f minor, BWV 857Fugue54:20–1:02:16
13Prelude and Fugue in F# Major, BWV 858Fugue1:03:26–1:07:42
14Prelude and Fugue in f# minor, BWV 859Fugue1:07:46–1:12:13
15Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 860Fugue1:12:25–1:15:41
16Prelude and Fugue in g minor, BWV 861Fugue1:15:46–1:21:00
17Prelude and Fugue in Ab Major, BWV 862Fugue1:21:04–1:25:12
18Prelude and Fugue in g# minor, BWV 863Fugue1:25:26–1:30:27
19Prelude and Fugue in A Major, BWV 864Fugue1:30:39–1:34:19
20Prelude and Fugue in a minor, BWV 865Fugue1:34:39–1:39:45
21Prelude and Fugue in Bb Major, BWV 866Fugue1:39:49–1:42:27
22Prelude and Fugue in bb minor, BWV 867Fugue1:42:32–1:50:52
23Prelude and Fugue in B Major, BWV 868Fugue1:51:01–1:54:17
24Prelude and Fugue in b minor, BWV 869Fugue1:54:25–2:05:22

Section boundaries in music are not always sharp; a transition may be felt over a pause or a held chord.

At a glance

  1. 1. Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 846Fugue · 4 min · 62 bars
  2. 2. Prelude and Fugue in c minor, BWV 847Fugue · 3 min · 69 bars
  3. 3. Prelude and Fugue in C# Major, BWV 848Fugue · 4 min · 159 bars
  4. 4. Prelude and Fugue in c# minor, BWV 849Fugue · 9 min · 154 bars
  5. 5. Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 850Fugue · 3 min · 62 bars
  6. 6. Prelude and Fugue in d minor, BWV 851Fugue · 4 min · 70 bars
  7. 7. Prelude and Fugue in Eb Major, BWV 852Fugue · 5 min · 107 bars
  8. 8. Prelude and Fugue in eb/d# minor, BWV 853Fugue · 10 min · 127 bars
  9. 9. Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 854Fugue · 2 min · 53 bars
  10. 10. Prelude and Fugue in e minor, BWV 855Fugue · 4 min · 83 bars
  11. 11. Prelude and Fugue in F Major, BWV 856Fugue · 2 min · 90 bars
  12. 12. Prelude and Fugue in f minor, BWV 857Fugue · 8 min · 80 bars
  13. 13. Prelude and Fugue in F# Major, BWV 858Fugue · 4 min · 65 bars
  14. 14. Prelude and Fugue in f# minor, BWV 859Fugue · 4 min · 65 bars
  15. 15. Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 860Fugue · 3 min · 99 bars
  16. 16. Prelude and Fugue in g minor, BWV 861Fugue · 5 min · 53 bars
  17. 17. Prelude and Fugue in Ab Major, BWV 862Fugue · 4 min · 84 bars
  18. 18. Prelude and Fugue in g# minor, BWV 863Fugue · 5 min · 70 bars
  19. 19. Prelude and Fugue in A Major, BWV 864Fugue · 4 min · 78 bars
  20. 20. Prelude and Fugue in a minor, BWV 865Fugue · 5 min · 115 bars
  21. 21. Prelude and Fugue in Bb Major, BWV 866Fugue · 3 min · 59 bars
  22. 22. Prelude and Fugue in bb minor, BWV 867Fugue · 8 min · 99 bars
  23. 23. Prelude and Fugue in B Major, BWV 868Fugue · 3 min · 53 bars
  24. 24. Prelude and Fugue in b minor, BWV 869Fugue · 11 min · 123 bars

Questions

How long is The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846-869?
About 2 h 5 min in this recording, in 24 movements: 1 4 min, 2 3 min, 3 4 min, 4 9 min, 5 3 min, 6 4 min, 7 5 min, 8 10 min, 9 2 min, 10 4 min, 11 2 min, 12 8 min, 13 4 min, 14 4 min, 15 3 min, 16 5 min, 17 4 min, 18 5 min, 19 4 min, 20 5 min, 21 3 min, 22 8 min, 23 3 min and 24 11 min.
What form are its movements in?
1: fugue, 2: fugue, 3: fugue, 4: fugue, 5: fugue, 6: fugue, 7: fugue, 8: fugue, 9: fugue, 10: fugue, 11: fugue, 12: fugue, 13: fugue, 14: fugue, 15: fugue, 16: fugue, 17: fugue, 18: fugue, 19: fugue, 20: fugue, 21: fugue, 22: fugue, 23: fugue and 24: fugue.

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In listening paths

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Path 28

Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier

A prelude and fugue in every major and minor key: Book I complete, then eleven pairs from Book II.

Bach

12 works · 3 h 20 min

In the catalog

Johann Sebastian BachKeyboardBaroque periodFugue

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