Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musici...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musicians today. Many consider him
the greatest composer of all time.
The Well-Tempered Clavier (BWV 846–893), is a
collection of solo keyboard music composed by Bach. He
gave the title to a book of preludes and fugues in all
24 major and minor keys, dated 1722, composed "for the
profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning,
and especially for the pastime of those already skilled
in this study." Bach later compiled a second book of
the same kind, dated 1742, with the title "Twenty-four
Preludes and Fugues." The two works are now considered
to make up a single work, The Well-Tempered Clavier, or
"the 48," and are referred to as The Well-Tempered
Clavier Book I and The Well-Tempered Clavier Book II
respectively. The Well-Tempered Clavier and Twenty-four
Preludes and Fugues are generally regarded as being
among the most influential works in the history of
Western classical music.
Bach originally wrote this piece (BWV 848) in C major,
transposing only when he needed to fill the C# major
gap in his survey of all 24 keys. The prelude is
bright, quick, and celebratory, with a fast, nattering
element omnipresent either in the treble or the bass.
I created this transcription in order to simplify (in
my mind) the right/left hand notation of the final
measures. Although this piece is originally notated in
C# Major, I transposed it to C Major.