This virtuosic prelude and fugue by Bach showcases contrapuntal mastery, with the fugue's subject derived from the prelude's motifs. Originally for organ, its piano adaptations became popular in the Romantic era.
Composed during Bach's Weimar period, this prelude and fugue showcases his evolving style with a multi-sectional prelude and complex fugue structure predating the standardized forms of the Well-Tempered Clavier. The fugue subject spans an entire octave through intricate figurations, demonstrating Bach's mastery of counterpoint.
Composed during Bach's tenure in Weimar, this organ work showcases his innovative approach to form. Unlike his later structured preludes, BWV 532 features a multi-sectional prelude beginning with a rhapsodic pedal scale and an improvisatory passage, leading to a substantial Alla breve section. The fugue is remarkable for its harmonic daring, exploring distant keys like the mediant minor and leading-tone minor before resolving in a powerful tonic statement. Originally for organ, its complex counterpoint translates effectively to string ensembles.
