Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 852 explained
Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 852, is a keyboard composition by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the seventh prelude and fugue in the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer.
Analysis
Prelude
The prelude is 70 measures long, and consists of three sections:[1]
- The first section begins from the first measure and lasts until 10. It is a short toccata, mainly made of energetic semiquaver movements, with the ending two measures (m. 8 and 9) made of demisemiquavers. It establishes the tonic key (E), presents theme I, and ends on the dominant (B).
- The second section starts at m. 10, and ends at m. 25. It is a chorale, in the style of four-part harmony, introducing theme II.
- The third section starts at m. 25 and lasts until the end. It is a four-voice double fugue, and the first subject is introduced in the alto (theme I extended), second subject in the bass (theme II).[2] This section is three times as long as the other two sections together.
This prelude is unique among the 48 preludes of The Well-Tempered Clavier, because it already includes a fully developed fugue. It may originally have been conceived fororgan (the early version has fewer semiquavers in the bass of the second section than the final one).
Fugue
The fugue is 37 measures long and has three voices.
Sources
Notes and References
- Web site: Bach: Prelude and Fugue No.7 in E♭ major, BWV 852 Analysis. Tonic Chord. 2018-05-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20240531063807/https://tonic-chord.com/bach-prelude-and-fugue-no-7-in-e%E2%99%AD-major-bwv-852-analysis/. 2024-05-31.
- Web site: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 852 - Animated Score and Analysis. . 2019-09-24.
