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 855Fugue48:19–51:47
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 862Fugue1:21:04–1:25:04
18Prelude and Fugue in g# minor, BWV 863Fugue1:25:26–1:30:27
19Prelude and Fugue in A Major, BWV 864Fugue1:30:39–1:34:13
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.

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More by Bach

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BachChromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 9031720BachSinfonia No. 1 in C major, BWV 7871723BachSinfonia No. 3 in D major, BWV 7891723BachSinfonia No. 6 in E major, BWV 7921723BachSinfonia No. 7 in E minor, BWV 7931723BachSinfonia No. 8 in F major, BWV 7941723BachSinfonia No. 13 in A minor, BWV 7991723BachSinfonia No. 14 in B♭ major, BWV 8001723BachSinfonia No. 15 in B minor, BWV 8011723BachTwo-Part Invention No. 1 in C major, BWV 7721723

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BachToccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 5651707BachPassacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582FreeBachFantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 5371717BachBrandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 10471718BachBrandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 10491720BachPrelude and Fugue No. 1 in C major (WTC II), BWV 8701727BachPrelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 5441731BachFugue in C minor (WTC 2 No. 2), BWV 8711740BachFugue in E minor (WTC 2 No. 10), BWV 8791740BachFugue in G major (WTC 2 No. 15), BWV 8841740

In the catalog

Johann Sebastian BachKeyboardBaroque periodFugue

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