The Six Little Preludes (BWV

BWV

The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis is the numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The prefix BWV, followed by the work's number, is the shorthand identification for Bach's compositions...

 933-938) are a group of preludes written by the composer Johann Sebastian Bach

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...

 for harpsichord

Harpsichord

A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...

. They are all short, pedagogical efforts written in or around the period of 1717-1720, but they were not published until 1802. These pieces are all short pieces that require a strong understanding of technique. This is one of a series of 18 preludes Bach sporadically produced around 1717-1720, primarily for instructive purposes, and were not intended for performance.

Little Prelude in C major, BWV 933

The C major prelude consists of two brief sections, repeated as a pair, followed by a variation on each section, again repeated as a pair. The first segment demands complete independence of the right and left hands, with the left hand providing a busy accompaniment. The bass material becomes more rudimentary in the second segment, as the treble indulges in hyperactive passagework. The variation half of this prelude makes minimal changes to the basic material, mainly brightening it by lifting the slightly altered melody into a higher register.

Little Prelude in C minor, BWV 934

This C minor effort is similar to a minuet, but it is a bit more complex than it sounds. It features a lively theme whose accompanying leaps and long-breathed, angular manner impart a delightful sense of color through the adventurous twists and turns. The theme and second subject are played through twice and vary considerably on their third appearance. This piece generally lasts just over a minute.

Note

Game composer Mike Morasky

Mike Morasky

Mike Morasky is an American video game and film composer working at Valve Corporation. He is best known for composing the music for Portal, Team Fortress 2, the Left 4 Dead series and Portal 2.-Biography:...

 created a remixed version of this prelude named "Machiavellian Bach" that features in the Portal 2 soundtrack

Music of Portal 2

Portal 2 is a physics-based puzzle-platformer game created by the Valve Corporation and released on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in April 2011...

; however this version has been transported into F minor.

Little Prelude in D minor, BWV 935

The Little Prelude in D minor contains features that are similar to a two-part invention. This work generally lasts about a minute and a half.

Little Prelude in D major, BWV 936

This Prelude has features associated with a trio sonata

Trio sonata

The trio sonata is a musical form that was popular in the 17th and early 18th centuries.A trio sonata is written for two solo melodic instruments and basso continuo, making three parts in all, hence the name trio sonata...

: it contains two upper lines and a roving bass part underpinning them. The work opens with a lively theme. It is played through twice, then varied on its third appearance, showing much development.

Little Prelude in E major, BWV 937

This E major Prelude follows a left hand staccato pattern which the right hand then follows along with. Which is why this is a common Bach pattern to drop by. Unlike, Prelude in E minor, this song is interpreting a more lively scenario indicating that it is major. Though Bach's frequently used mordents aren't as common in this beautiful prelude.

Little Prelude in E minor, BWV 938

This E minor prelude contains features similar to the composer's inventions. Bach follows a pattern used in many of the pieces in the set, in presenting the main thematic material twice in more or less the same form, then developing it. This piece is approximately one-and-a-half minutes long.