Completed in 1742, Book II of Bach's monumental "The Well-Tempered Clavier" explores all 24 major and minor keys through preludes and fugues. The C-sharp major prelude (BWV 872) features elegant arpeggios, while its three-voice fugue is a joyful display of contrapuntal mastery. This collection revolutionized keyboard technique and remains foundational to Western music theory.
A collection of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, demonstrating the feasibility of equal temperament. Book II, containing BWV 872, was completed around 1742 and reflects Bach’s mature compositional style.
This prelude and fugue exemplify Bach's mature contrapuntal style, with the fugue's subject featuring a distinctive chromatic descent and intricate stretto entries.
Bach masterfully modulates through remote keys in the fugue's episodes while maintaining structural clarity. The prelude's flowing quavers create a textural contrast to the fugue's dotted-rhythm subject, exemplifying Baroque contrapuntal innovation.
