Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532

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Johann Sebastian Bach, the composer of Prelude and Fugue in D major

Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude and Fugue in D major (BWV 532) is a prelude and fugue
written for the organ c. 1710,[1] and has an approximate duration of 11 1⁄2 minutes.[2]

Contents
 1 Composition
 2 Description
o 2.1 Analysis
 2.1.1 Prelude
 2.1.2 Fugue
 3 Transcriptions
 4 References
 5 External links

Composition[edit]
Like most of Bach's organ compositions, this piece was written during his tenure in Weimar
between 1709 and 1717.[1] Many of his greatest and most well known organ works were written
during this period, including, for example, the Prelude and Fugue in E major, BWV 566.[3] The
composer was residing in Weimar after being hired by the ruling duke of Weimar, Wilhelm
Ernst, in 1709 as an organist and member of the court orchestra; he was particularly encouraged
to make use of his unique talents with the organ by the duke.[4] Indeed, his fame on the
instrument grew and he was visited by many students of the organ to hear him play and to try to
learn from his technique.[5] The Prelude and Fugue in D major was probably composed in 1710,
although this is not certain. However, it was definitely written before Bach codified the clear
two-section prelude and fugue in the form of what is used in The Well-Tempered Clavier, which
was composed in 1722.[6] This is because BWV 532 features a lengthy, complex, self-contained
fugue preceded by a multisectional prelude.[1]

Description[edit]
The piece is in two sections: a prelude and a fugue. Both the sections are in D major but, to begin
with, there is no tempo marking given on either section. Both pieces are in 4/4.

Analysis[edit]

Prelude[edit]

The prelude commences with a semi-quaver scale from the pedals, and then the manuals begin
with an intricate quaver pattern between the hands. Another run from the pedals is then followed
by a continuation of the quaver pattern from the right-hand. The quaver pattern then repeats one
octave lower. The pedals then play arpeggiated patterns which begin a repeated theme and slow
down throughout. This lasts for four bars. A sustained pedal then accompanies the manuals,
which have a dotted quaver, semi-quaver rhythm. This then turns into a repeated G♯, B demi-
semi-quaver rhythm. This then slows to a series of repeated cadences.

A new phrase then begins with an ascending scale in the manuals leading up to a large D major
chord. A new tempo is then introduced: Alla breve, and then a large phrase is introduced with a
very polyphonic texture and a prominent tune. A section then starts with chords played in the
manuals and the quavers played in the pedals. This continues for another long period of time
until the left hand takes the tune and the right hand plays the quavers.

When this section finishes, a new tempo of Adagio begins. A new theme then arrives with slow
quavers on the lower manual and pedal and ascending scales in the upper manual. The prelude
then concludes with a slow theme, on broken arpeggios and some slow, elongated final chords.

Fugue[edit]

The subject of this fugue is eight measures long and consist of tight figurations encompassing an
entire octave. Bach takes this subject firstly through the relative minor and then the mediant
minor, and then to the minor harmony of the leading tone and the major harmony on the
supertonic. After this progression we enter an episode with a flurry of figures on the dominant
and then a full entry of the subject on the tonic that works to resolve the preceding tension so
well that the eventual coda almost has the nature of an afterthought.
The Fugue's subject, showing a turn-like motif followed by a falling sequence

Transcriptions[edit]
Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532

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Transcribed for piano by Eugen d'Albert, performed by Martha Goldstein.

Excerpt of Prelude

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Performed by Manuel Doormann (organ)

Problems playing these files? See media help.

This work has been transcribed for solo piano by Ferruccio Busoni as BV B 20 in 1888, and by
Eugen d'Albert in 1893.

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Classical Archives". Classical Archives. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
2. ^ "Decca Records Publication No. 443 485-2". Missing or empty |url= (help)
3. ^ "Classical Archives". Classical Archives. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
4. ^ "JSBach.org". jsbach.org. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
5. ^ "Baroque music.org". Baroque music.org. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
6. ^ "qub.ac.uk". qub.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
External links[edit]
 Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
(IMSLP)
 Free download of BWV 532 recorded by James Kibbie on the 1755 Gottfried
Silbermann/Zacharias Hildebrandt organ in the Katholische Hofkirche, Dresden, Germany
 Video of "Fugue in D major" from BWV 532, performed by Timothy Coriddi