Eight Short Preludes and Fugues
Encyclopedia
The Eight Short Preludes and Fugues are a collection of works for keyboard and pedal, originally attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach
. They were believed for a long time to have been composed by one of Bach's pupils, Johann Tobias Krebs
, based on certain unusual characteristics of the music when played on the organ.
These pieces came to be played often on the organ in the 19th and 20th centuries, and were especially useful as teaching pieces for beginners. Subsequent scholarship by Speerstra, Vogel and others has suggested that this collection was conceived specifically for the pedal clavichord
, thereby making the stylistic claim of inauthenticity far less tenable. Several elements of the pieces, including the rolling of large chords, octave doublings and repeated notes, and the patterns of movement of the fingers and feet, the rhythm, and overall texture are idiomatic on the clavichord
but make little sense on the organ
. Performer Harald Vogel
has recorded the collection on a pedal clavichord along with an essay by Speerstra (see liner notes) on the clavichordistic nature of these pieces and a discussion of the manuscript indications.
These works continue to be performed frequently in Christian churches because of their short length (about 3 minutes each) and ease of performance compared to the undoubtedly authentic preludes and fugues of J.S. Bach. Nearly all serious students of organ performance learn most, if not all, of these works.
The alternate English title, "Eight Little Preludes and Fugues" ("Huit Petits" in French) is also common.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. They were believed for a long time to have been composed by one of Bach's pupils, Johann Tobias Krebs
Johann Tobias Krebs
Johann Tobias Krebs was a German organist and composer.Krebs was born near Weimar, and died in the same area. He is known as a student of Johann Gottfried Walther and Johann Sebastian Bach....
, based on certain unusual characteristics of the music when played on the organ.
These pieces came to be played often on the organ in the 19th and 20th centuries, and were especially useful as teaching pieces for beginners. Subsequent scholarship by Speerstra, Vogel and others has suggested that this collection was conceived specifically for the pedal clavichord
Pedal clavichord
The clavichord is a keyboard instrument. From the 16th up to and including the 18th century, this instrument was excellently suited to serve as a practice, training and living-room instrument. Some clavichords had a pedal keyboard allowing them to be played with the feet...
, thereby making the stylistic claim of inauthenticity far less tenable. Several elements of the pieces, including the rolling of large chords, octave doublings and repeated notes, and the patterns of movement of the fingers and feet, the rhythm, and overall texture are idiomatic on the clavichord
Clavichord
The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...
but make little sense on the organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
. Performer Harald Vogel
Harald Vogel
Harald Vogel is a German organist, organologist, and author. He is a leading expert on Renaissance and Baroque keyboard music. He has been professor of organ at the University of the Arts Bremen since 1994.-Books & articles:...
has recorded the collection on a pedal clavichord along with an essay by Speerstra (see liner notes) on the clavichordistic nature of these pieces and a discussion of the manuscript indications.
These works continue to be performed frequently in Christian churches because of their short length (about 3 minutes each) and ease of performance compared to the undoubtedly authentic preludes and fugues of J.S. Bach. Nearly all serious students of organ performance learn most, if not all, of these works.
The alternate English title, "Eight Little Preludes and Fugues" ("Huit Petits" in French) is also common.
External links
- Open source scores from Nerstrand Music Publications
- Eight Short Preludes and Fugues played on a virtual organ