Das Wohltemperierte Clavier I, Praeludium XI

Description

Light, bright and one of the shortest preludes in the collection, this F major piece is No. 11 in Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier.

Set in 12/8 and written mostly in two voices, its sixteenth-note motion passes back and forth between the hands as it sways forward in four broad beats to the bar. The writing recalls a two-part invention, with the right and left hands sharing the motion as equals. Its compass, C2 to C6, is within reach of 61 keys. The fugue that follows is a light three-voice fugue in 3/8, as bright in character as the prelude.

Rated intermediate, it lasts about 1 minute 5 seconds with 572 notes in this data. It is short, but the tasks are to keep the broad 12/8 pulse while playing the sixteenths lightly, and to connect them with the same tone whichever hand is moving. With only two voices, the hand colours make it easy to follow the motion as it passes between the hands, and it serves as practice for Bach's two-part writing. Check how the beats fall with slower playback first, then bring it closer to tempo.

Bach's collection of preludes and fugues for keyboard, covering all 24 keys and regarded as the summit of contrapuntal writing.