The Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 846, is a keyboard composition written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the first prelude and fugue in the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer. An alternative version of the prelude, BWV 846A, is found in the Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.

Analysis

Prelude

The prelude is 35 bars long and consists mostly of broken chords. Below are the first four bars of the prelude:

The first four bars of the prelude.  Listen ()

The prelude continues like this with different variations on harmony, and change of key. The prelude ends with a single C major chord.

The "Schwencke measure"

Some earlier editions of the prelude contain an extra bar between bars 22 and 23 known as the "Schwencke measure", a measure apparently added by Christian Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke in an attempt to correct what he allegedly deemed a "faulty" progression, even though this sort of progression was standard in Bach's music.

Fugue

The fugue is 27 bars long and is written for four voices. It starts with a 2 measure subject in the alto voice, which can be seen below:

The subject of Fugue No. 1 in C Major, in the alto voice. The soprano voice joins the alto at the end of the subject.  Listen (help·info)

The alto voice is joined by the soprano at the end of the subject, which signals the beginning of the answer in the dominant key (G major). The answer is repeated in the tenor and bass voice, respectively, when they join. The piece then modulates through various related keys, with the subject being repeated in each of the four voices. The piece eventually ends up back in the home key. It ends with each voice stopping at a note and holding it until the end, forming a C major chord.

Legacy

Charles Gounod composed a melody that was designed to be based on the prelude; a setting of that melody to Ave Maria is popular. The edition of the prelude used by Gounod contains the Schwencke measure.

Further media

Full length audio of the prelude or fugue

Excerpts

• Excerpt of Prelude in C major (bwv 846) at 5 beats per measureSorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Performed by Alexandre AstierExcerpt of Prelude in C major (bwv 846) at 7 beats per measureSorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Performed by Alexandre AstierExcerpt of Prelude in C major (bwv 846) at 15 beats per measureSorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Performed by Alexandre Astier

• Prelude in C major (bwv 846)Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Bars 1 to 5 with WolfsquintePrelude in C major (bwv 846)Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Bars 1 to 5 with Kommadifferenzen ohne NaturseptimePrelude in C major (bwv 846)Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Bars 1 to 5 with Kommadifferenzen mit NaturseptimePrelude in C major (bwv 846)Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Bars 5 to 11 with WolfsquintePrelude in C major (bwv 846)Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Bars 5 to 11 with Kommadifferenzen ohne NaturseptimePrelude in C major (bwv 846)Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
  You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.Bars 5 to 11 with Kommadifferenzen mit Naturseptime

See also

• List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach

Notes

1. ^ Barber, Elinore (1970). "Questions to the editor". Bach 1 (1): 19–22. 

References

• Bach, Johann Sebastian. "Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major." The Well Tempered Clavier, Books 1 and 2. Ed. Saul Novak.