Prelude No. 6 in D minor, BWV 851 (WTC I)

History

Prelude No. 6 in D minor, BWV 851 (WTC I) belongs to the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Bach's collection fair copy is dated 1722. For many years its life was in manuscript: around 1800, publishers in Zurich, Bonn and Vienna/Leipzig brought competing editions into print. That long journey from manuscript to publication is part of this piece's wider history.

Sources

• blog.henle.de

What to listen for

1. 1

   Upper triplets flow above a slower line

   The upper triplet stream moves above slower bass motion. Keep both layers audible rather than accenting every triplet note alike.

2. 2

   Bass changes give the stream new direction

   Bass rests, rising answers and register changes accompany the upper pattern. Hear the lower responses as part of the sequence.

3. 3

   The cadence gathers several layers

   Concurrent lower strands and cross-staff motion lead through the extended moving figure. Follow the independent layers toward the cadence.

4. 4

   Running motion yields to held voices

   The triplet texture gives way to sustained inner parts and the final fermata. Hear the change of texture before the last release.

How to practise it

Scaled short-note stream; register changes inside the stream.

1. Count the underlying three subdivisions rather than assuming ordinary equal sixteenths.
2. Practise each register group separately, then join them without changing subdivision.

How hard is it

About this piece

Collection

The prelude gallery

Licence

Public Domain

Source

mutopiaproject.org

More by Johann Sebastian Bach

1. 1Prelude in C major, BWV 846Level 4, estimatedOpen to everyone
2. 2Two-Part Invention No. 1 in C major, BWV 772Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
3. 3Italian Concerto in F major, BWV 971: III. PrestoLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro