Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 867

The Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 867, is a keyboard composition by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the 22nd prelude and fugue in the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer. It was composed in 1722 or earlier.^[1]

Prelude[]

The prelude is in the style of an arioso, with up to seven nominal voices manifesting in only three distinct strands. The prelude's structure is bipartite, divided in half by a cadence. British music critic John Alexander Fuller Maitland compared it with the St Matthew Passion.^[2]

Below are the opening bars of the prelude:

Fugue[]

Among the fugues in The Well-Tempered Clavier's first book, BWV 867's fugue is closest to stile antico. The fugue is in five voices, and its subject stands out for its use of a wide minor ninth interval^[3] and "rhetorical" pause. Instead of substantial episodes, there are only two canonic bridges. The fugue climaxes in a five-part stretto.^[4]

Below are the first two statements of the subject in the fugue's opening:

References[]

^ Netherlands Bach Society.
^ Schulenberg 1992, pp. 192–193.
^ Ledbetter 2008, p. 224.
^ Schulenberg 2006, p. 193.

Sources[]

Ledbetter, David (2008). Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier: The 48 Preludes and Fugues. Yale University Press. pp. 222–226. doi:10.12987/9780300128987 (inactive 2021-05-16). ISBN 978-0300128987.CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of May 2021 (link)
Schulenberg, David (1992). The Keyboard Music of J.S. Bach. Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 9780028732756. LCCN 91039348.
"The Well-Tempered Clavier I No. 22 in B-flat Minor". Netherlands Bach Society. Retrieved April 23, 2021.

External links[]

Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 867: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project

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[FOOTNOTENetherlands_Bach_Society-1] Netherlands Bach Society.

[FOOTNOTESchulenberg1992192–193-2] Schulenberg 1992, pp. 192–193.

[FOOTNOTELedbetter2008224-3] Ledbetter 2008, p. 224.

[FOOTNOTESchulenberg2006193-4] Schulenberg 2006, p. 193.

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hide v t Compositions for organ, keyboard and lute by Johann Sebastian Bach
Organ	Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a (doubtful) Sonatas, BWV 525–530 Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 531 Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 Toccata and Fugue in D minor ("Dorian"), BWV 538 Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540 Fantasia and Fugue in G minor ("Great"), BWV 542 Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544 Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546 Prelude and Fugue in E minor ("Wedge"), BWV 548 Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553–560 (doubtful) Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 562 Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564 Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (doubtful) Prelude (Toccata) and Fugue in E major, BWV 566 Fantasia ("Pièce d'Orgue") in G major, BWV 572 Fugue in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578 Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 Concertos, BWV 592–597 Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599–644 Schübler Chorales, BWV 645–650 Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668 Chorale partita Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig, BWV 768 Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her", BWV 769 Neumeister chorales, BWV 1090–1120 Chorale fantasia Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 1128
Keyboard	Aria variata alla maniera italiana Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue Harpsichord solo concertos English Suites Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906 French Suites Goldberg Variations discography Gould recording Inventions and Sinfonias Italian Concerto Overture in the French style Partitas, BWV 825–830 No. 2 No. 4 No. 6 Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938 The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893 I: C, BWV 846 c, BWV 847 C♯, BWV 848 c♯, BWV 849 e, BWV 855 g, BWV 861 b♭, BWV 867 II: C, BWV 870 c, BWV 871 c♯, BWV 873 d, BWV 875 f, BWV 881 g♯, BWV 887 b♭, BWV 891 b, BWV 893 Toccatas, BWV 910–916
Lute	Suite in G minor, BWV 995 Suite in E minor, BWV 996 Bourrée Suite in C minor, BWV 997 Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E♭ major, BWV 998 Prelude in C minor, BWV 999 Fugue in G minor, BWV 1000
Mixed collections	Clavier-Übung III: Prelude and Fugue in E♭ major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552, Chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, Duets, BWV 802–805 Concerto transcriptions, BWV 592–596 and 972–987 Klavierbüchlein W. F. Bach Notebook A. M. Bach Twelve Little Preludes
List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach List of fugal works by Johann Sebastian Bach List of concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach