Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 852

The Prelude and Fugue in E♭ major, BWV 852, is a keyboard composition by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the seventh prelude and fugue in the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer.

Analysis

Prelude, played by Kimiko Douglass-Ishizaka

Prelude

The prelude is 70 measures long, and consists of three sections:^[1]

• The first section begins from the first measure and lasts until m. 10. It is a short toccata,^[2] mainly made of energetic semiquaver movements, with the ending two measures (m. 8 and 9) made of demisemiquavers.^[3] It establishes the tonic key (E♭), presents theme I, and ends on the dominant (B♭).^[1]
• The second section starts at m. 10, and ends at m. 25. It is a chorale, in the style of four-part harmony, introducing theme II.^[4]
• The third section starts at m. 25 and lasts until the end. It is a four-voice double fugue, and the first subject is introduced in the alto (theme I extended), second subject in the bass (theme II).^[1][5] This section is three times as long as the other two sections together.^[6]

This prelude is unique among the 48 preludes of The Well-Tempered Clavier because it already includes a fully developed fugue. It may originally have been conceived for organ (the early version has fewer semiquavers in the bass of the second section than the final one).^[7][a]

Fugue, played by Kimiko Douglass-Ishizaka

Fugue

The fugue is 37 measures long and has three voices.^[1] Its light style contrasts strongly with the prelude.^[9]