Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major, BWV 872

Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major, BWV 872, is a keyboard composition written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the third prelude and fugue in the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues in every major and minor key.

$\version "2.18.2" \header { tagline = ##f } \score { \new Staff \with { } << \relative c' { \key cis \major \time 4/4 s1*0^\markup{Prelude} \repeat unfold 2 { << { r16 eis gis cis~ cis4 } \\ { s4 gis16 fis gis eis } >> } \bar ".." \time 4/4 \stemDown e8\rest^\markup{Fugue} cis[ eis cis] << { \stemDown gis'8 e8\rest fis e8\rest e8\rest gis eis gis } \\ { \stemUp d8\rest gis8 bis gis cis d8\rest b e8\rest } >> } >> \layout { \context { \Score \remove "Metronome_mark_engraver" } } \midi {} }$

Analysis

Prelude

The prelude is in common time and has 50 measures, built upon the characteristic arpeggios similar to the famous C major prelude from the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier until the fugato.^[1]

$\version "2.18.2" \header { tagline = ##f } upper = \relative c' { \clef treble \key cis \major \time 4/4 \tempo 4 = 80 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"harpsichord" %% PRÉLUDE CBT II-3, BWV 872, ut-dièse majeur \repeat unfold 2 { << { r16 eis gis cis~ cis4 } \\ { s4 gis16 fis gis eis } >> } << { r16 fis16 ais cis~ cis4 r16 fis, gis dis'~ dis4 } \\ { s4 ais16 gis ais fis s4 gis16 fis gis fis } >> << { r16 eis16 gis dis'~ dis4 r16 eis,16 gis cis~ cis4 } \\ { s4 gis16 fis gis fis s4 gis16 fis gis eis } >> << { r16 dis16 fisis ais~ ais4 r16 dis,16 gis bis~ bis4 } \\ { s4 fisis16 eis fisis dis s4 gis16 fisis gis dis } >> << { r16 eis16 ais cis~ cis4 r16 dis,16 ais' cis~ cis4 } \\ { s4 ais16 gis ais eis s4 ais16 gis ais dis, } >> } lower = \relative c { \clef bass \key cis \major \time 4/4 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"harpsichord" << { gis'8 gis cis cis b b b b ais ais fis fis \repeat unfold 4 { bis } \repeat unfold 4 { cis } gis gis eis eis | ais ais ais ais gis gis dis gis | \repeat unfold 4 { gis } \repeat unfold 4 { fisis } | } \\ { \repeat unfold 3 { \repeat unfold 2 { cis4 r4 } } cis4 r4 bis r4 ais r4 dis } >> } \score { \new PianoStaff << \set PianoStaff.instrumentName = #"BWV 872" \new Staff = "upper" \upper \new Staff = "lower" \lower >> \layout { \context { \Score \remove "Metronome_mark_engraver" } } \midi { } }$

The arpeggios ends at m. 25, and the fugato starts, which uses the time signature of ³
₈. It has three voices.^[1]

$\version "2.18.2" \header { tagline = ##f } Mordaesq = { \tag #'print { gis4~_\mordent_\markup { \natural } } \tag #'midi { gis32 fis gis16~ gis8~ } } Mordeesq = { \tag #'print { dis4~_\mordent_\markup { \natural } } \tag #'midi { dis32 cis dis16~ dis8~ } } upper = \relative c'' { \clef treble \key cis \major \time 3/8 \tempo 8 = 152 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"harpsichord" %\context Score \applyContext #(set-bar-number-visibility 2) \set Score.currentBarNumber = #25 \bar "" %% PRÉLUDE CBT II-3, BWV 872, ut-dièse majeur \bar "||" < gis dis bis >8^\markup{Allegro} dis16[ cis dis \tempo 8 = 120 eis] \tempo 8 = 40 \grace eis8 \tempo 8 = 152 fis4.~ fis8 eis-! ais-! dis,8 \Mordaesq gis8 fis16 eis fis gis eis4. dis8 gis16 fisis gis ais bis } lower = \relative c { \clef bass \key cis \major \time 3/8 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"harpsichord" << { gis'8 r8 r8 | r8 ais16 gis ais \tempo 8 = 120 bis \tempo 8 = 40 \grace bis8 \tempo 8 = 152 cis4.~ cis8 bis eis ais, \Mordeesq dis8 \stemDown \change Staff = "upper" cis4~ cis8 \change Staff = "lower" \stemUp bis16 ais bis cis dis8 } \\ { gis,,8 r8 r8 R4.*4 r8 eis'16 dis eis fis gis4.~ gis8 } >> } thePianoStaff = \new PianoStaff << \set PianoStaff.instrumentName = #"" \new Staff = "upper" \upper \new Staff = "lower" \lower >> \score { \keepWithTag #'print \thePianoStaff \layout { \context { \Score \remove "Metronome_mark_engraver" } } } \score { \keepWithTag #'midi \thePianoStaff \midi { } }$

Fugue

The fugue has three voices and 35 measures.^[1] The subject is simply made from notes from the major triad, but has mutated many times throughout the whole fugue.^[2]

$\version "2.18.2" \header { tagline = ##f } \score { \new Staff \with { } << \relative c { \clef bass \key cis \major \time 4/4 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"harpsichord" %% SUJET fugue CBT II-3, BWV 872, ut-dièse majeur r8 cis8 eis cis gis' r8 fis r8 | eis16 dis cis8~ cis16 dis eis cis | fis8 } >> \layout { \context { \Score \remove "Metronome_mark_engraver" } } \midi {} }$

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Bach: Prelude and Fugue No.3 in C♯ major, BWV 872 Analysis". Tonic Chord. 2018-05-08.
^ Ledbetter (2002), pp. 249–251

Bibliography

Riemann, Hugo (1890). Analysis of J.S. Bach's Wohltemperirtes Clavier : (48 preludes & fugues). Vol. 2. Translated by Shedlock, John South. London: Augener & Co.
Ledbetter, David (2002). Bach's Well-tempered Clavier: The 48 Preludes and Fugues. Yale University Press.

[TC-1] "Bach: Prelude and Fugue No.3 in C♯ major, BWV 872 Analysis". Tonic Chord. 2018-05-08.

[2] Ledbetter (2002), pp. 249–251

[1]

[2]

v t e 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	Inventions and Sinfonias, BWV 772–801 English Suites, BWV 806–811 French Suites, BWV 812–817 Partitas, BWV 825–830 No. 2 No. 4 No. 6 Overture in the French style, BWV 831 Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893 Book 1 No. 1 in C major No. 2 in C minor No. 3 in C♯ major No. 4 in C♯ minor No. 7 in E♭ major No. 10 in E minor No. 16 in G minor No. 21 in B♭ major No. 22 in B♭ minor Book 2 No. 1 in C major No. 2 in C minor No. 3 in C♯ major No. 4 in C♯ minor No. 5 in D major No. 6 in D minor No. 12 in F minor No. 13 in F♯ major No. 18 in G♯ minor No. 22 in B♭ minor No. 24 in B minor Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906 Toccatas, BWV 910–916 Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938 Italian Concerto Harpsichord solo concertos Goldberg Variations discography Gould recording Aria variata alla maniera italiana Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother
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