Favorite Bach Prelude and Fugue

[rph108]

Love Bach. Just wondering what people thought. And give a reason why if you can.

[abe]

All of them are good, but just off the top of my head my favorites are 2, 3, and 5 from WTC Bk. 1.  I like their transitions from major to minor and I like the fast repeating patterns they have.

[bernhard]

All of them. But at the moment I have a special affection for no. 10 in E minor (book 1). I like its chromaticism and how modern it sounds. Also the fugue being in just two voices (the only fugue in two voices in the WTC) is a tour de force: Bach is saying:  “look, I can write a brilliant fugue even with just two voices!” The man knows no limitations.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[rph108]

I really like that one also. I wanted to play it for a prelude and fugue required in a competition, but its the only one that is prohibited. I'm pretty sure because it only has two voices.

[rph108]

I would have to say one of my favorites is #4. The Fugue is so magnificent and the dissonances are so strange being used in baroque style. In the fugue I love when the lower 2nd bass, I guess it can be called, comes in with the melody.

[larse]

Book 1:
The fugue from No 1 is actually very nice(though I hate the prelude)

No2 which I've played
No3
No5 which I've played
No6 which I want to play The prelude can be so creepy when played good
No 8, Ebm - That is one beautiful prelude!
No 10 is nice
N0 14
No 17 which I've played
And of course the one in Bb, which I played a long time ago, just to be cool...

To those studying: That fugue(no 21(XXI) in Bb Major from book 1) is the perfect school example of a pure fugue. Read it. See if you can find the themes, how they are put together and what keys they have. The Dux and the Comes are perfectly joined in the interludes, and perfectly replayed when the themes are 'shortened' or you can say begun earlier. Just have a peek!

[Motrax]

Pfft, none of you know what you're talking about. Book 2 is better.  

[larse]

I know. Or rather.. I never bought it so I would'nt know.. But I would like to know, and I've HEARD that it's alot better. Though I'm still fond of book 1

[larse]

I just thought of something. Is'nt it weird. Or...It's actually kind of creepy. Because this man, Bach, he uses his talent to write a prelude and a perfect fugue over each and every key in the well-tempered(wohl-temperierte) tonal system as we know it. If you just imagine the work and effort that must've costed. All the details. Regular people could use weeks just to produce one similar fugue after these perfect rules that Bach gouverned.

Then you meet this man next week. And he tells you he done the same thing AGAIN! And this time even better! There's no stopping Bach.

In the beginning of the 1700s, the rokokko period, Bach and his comrades were very late fashioned(Just SO last tuesday). So, however, this count or lord or whatever, invites Bach to have a little fun. His personal composer has created a small melody which this count asks Bach to make some music out of. The plan is that whenever Bach returns with whatever he made, they will look at it and laugh, play it and tease Bach.

Bach sees this, and he accepts, takes the melody, closes himself inside for a week, hardly eats, hardly sleeps, a little like Händel. And when he comes out, he returns to the Count with 'Die Musikalisches Opfer', 'The Musical Gift'. However, that work is so beautiful that noone could laugh. AND..

In that collection of pieces is (at least) one pice for two voices. Which requires 4 musicians. Because You put the score on the table, you put two musicians on one side, and two on the oposite side of the table. The all the musicians begin to play: The two on the correct side of the piece play the piece. The two others play the piece backwards. Then it's all one beautiful contrapunct. Is'nt THAT something!!

[rph108]

Thats pretty amazing. I wonder what else he did that isnt recorded? Probably alot.

[frederic]

No one likes the Prelude and Fugue No. 16 from Book 1? Gosh this is one amazing Fugue. Any comments on it?

[pseudopianist]

The 3 best fugues would be

1. Book 2 B Major - This fugue is just brilliant... I'm speechless
2. Book 2 G minor - This really majestic fugue is so powerful, the harmonies... *melts*
3. Book 1 C major - There is something almost religious about this fugue.

[Daevren]

I don't listen Bach preludes when I can listen Bach fugues.

Favorites:

No. 4
No. 5
No. 12
No. 18
No. 24


Book II
No .9
No. 21
No. 23


And I really like most others too. But some I don't know very well. I am sure some of the preludes are very nice but I haven't given those time yet.

https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/wtc/wtc.html

[minimozart007]

my fav's No. 13 From book 1.  In a word, beautiful.

[turner]

my fav's No. 13 From book 1. In a word, beautiful.

No. 13 from Bk 1 is also my favorite! Besides being beautiful, this work has special meanings to me because the teacher who taught me this many years ago is no longer alive.

[pita bread]

Book II,

#1 C Major
#4 c# Minor
#9 E Major, the fugue is a pain to play though.

[Rach3]

As of today, it would have to be The B-flat minor from book I, with the superslow five-voice fugue. I'm also really interested with the book II C major, and the "apothetical" E major.

[6ft 4]

no.24 fugue book 1 is like a whole lifetime in one piece. And the harmony is all over the place

no.6 book 2 also

[happyface94]

bwv 853

[gonzalo]

I like the first one , of Book 1

[pianoperfmajor]

what do you all think about book 2 number 8?  the d sharp minor..  my teacher wanted me to learn a prelude and fugue from bk 2 and i just kind of randomly chose this one.  is this one played very much?

[quantum]

Bk II - C# Minor.  I'm really fond of this one at the moment. 

[burstroman]

Bk 2, a minor.

[kreso]

My favourite is C-major from WTK 2. So beutifull and magnificant music...

[theodopolis]

May I play the part of the facetious organist and say his Prelude & Fugue in Am Bwv 543? (Most perfect fugue written - Listen to the Liszt transcription or the original organ version if you can)

But out of his WTC... Book I E-flat minor BWV 853. The Prelude is astounding in its simplicity and poignancy, and that Fugue - to die for.

Theodopolis