Johann S. Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is a central figure of the Baroque era, and The Well-Tempered Clavier remains a cornerstone of keyboard repertoire. The three Prelude-and-Fugue pairs listed here—BWV 846 in C major, BWV 847 in C minor, and BWV 850 in D major—open Book I with a steady rise in tonal colour and technical complexity. The flowing C-major Prelude, graded Henle 2 and often tackled by late-intermediate pianists, contrasts with its more intricate Fugue at Henle 6. The C-minor set pushes into early-advanced territory (Henle 5-6) with compact, tightly argued counterpoint. The exuberant D-major pair, celebrated for its perpetual-motion sixteenth-note patterns, sustains a medium-advanced challenge around Henle 6 while rewarding performers with luminous brilliance and rhythmic vitality.