Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Encyclopedia
Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (Bach's original spelling: Clavier-Büchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach) is a collection of keyboard
music compiled by the German
Baroque
composer
Johann Sebastian Bach
for his eldest son Wilhelm Friedemann
. It is frequently referred to simply as Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann.
Johann Sebastian began compiling the collection in 1720. Most of the pieces included are better known as parts of the Well-Tempered Clavier and the Inventions and Sinfonias. The authorship of most other works is debated: particularly the famous Little Preludes BWV
924–932 are sometimes attributed to Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
that contains an explanation of clef
s and a guide to playing ornaments
. The pieces of the collection are arranged by complexity, beginning with the most simple works. Of these, Applicatio in C major BWV 994 and Prelude in G minor BWV 930 are particularly notable because they are the only surviving works that feature the fingering
in Bach's own hand (the only other Bach piece with fingering marks is the C major Prelude BWV 870a, however, the marks are not in Bach's hand. They were probably added by Johann Caspar Vogler
, Bach's pupil and successor at Weimar
).
Here is a complete list of pieces, in order of appearance in the manuscript:
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
music compiled by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
for his eldest son Wilhelm Friedemann
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach , the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer...
. It is frequently referred to simply as Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann.
Johann Sebastian began compiling the collection in 1720. Most of the pieces included are better known as parts of the Well-Tempered Clavier and the Inventions and Sinfonias. The authorship of most other works is debated: particularly the famous Little Preludes BWV
BWV
The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis is the numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The prefix BWV, followed by the work's number, is the shorthand identification for Bach's compositions...
924–932 are sometimes attributed to Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
Contents
The book begins with a prefacePreface
A preface is an introduction to a book or other literary work written by the work's author. An introductory essay written by a different person is a foreword and precedes an author's preface...
that contains an explanation of clef
Clef
A clef is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Placed on one of the lines at the beginning of the staff, it indicates the name and pitch of the notes on that line. This line serves as a reference point by which the names of the notes on any other line or space of the staff...
s and a guide to playing ornaments
Ornament (music)
In music, ornaments or embellishments are musical flourishes that are not necessary to carry the overall line of the melody , but serve instead to decorate or "ornament" that line. Many ornaments are performed as "fast notes" around a central note...
. The pieces of the collection are arranged by complexity, beginning with the most simple works. Of these, Applicatio in C major BWV 994 and Prelude in G minor BWV 930 are particularly notable because they are the only surviving works that feature the fingering
Fingering
In music, fingering is the choice of which fingers and hand positions to use when playing certain musical instruments. Fingering typically changes throughout a piece; the challenge of choosing good fingering for a piece is to make the hand movements as comfortable as possible without changing hand...
in Bach's own hand (the only other Bach piece with fingering marks is the C major Prelude BWV 870a, however, the marks are not in Bach's hand. They were probably added by Johann Caspar Vogler
Johann Caspar Vogler
Johann Caspar Vogler was a German organist and composer taught by Johann Sebastian Bach.-Biography:He was born in Hausen, near Arnstadt; from 1706 he studied with Johann Sebastian Bach, who was at that time organist there, and was also taught, in Rudolstadt, by P. H. Erlebach and Nicolaus Vetter...
, Bach's pupil and successor at Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
).
Here is a complete list of pieces, in order of appearance in the manuscript:
- BWV 994, Applicatio in C major.
- BWV 924, PreludePrelude (music)A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude can be thought of as a preface. It may stand on its own or introduce another work...
in C major. - BWV 691, Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten (4), chorale preludeChorale preludeIn music, a chorale prelude is a short liturgical composition for organ using a chorale tune as its basis. It was a predominant style of the German Baroque era and reached its culmination in the works of J.S. Bach, who wrote 46 examples of the form in his Orgelbüchlein.-Function:The liturgical...
for organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
. - BWV 926, Prelude in D minor.
- BWV 753, Jesu, meine Freude (2), chorale prelude for organ (incomplete).
- BWV 836, AllemandeAllemandeAn allemande is one of the most popular instrumental dance forms in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite...
in G minor (1). Possibly composed by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. - BWV 837, Allemande in G minor (2). Possibly composed by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
- BWV 927, Prelude in F major.
- BWV 930, Prelude in G minor.
- BWV 928, Prelude in F major.
- BWV 841, MinuetMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
in G major. Probably not by Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece was also included in the 1722 Notebook for Anna Magdalena BachNotebook for Anna Magdalena BachThe title Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach refers to either of two manuscript notebooks that the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach presented to his second wife Anna Magdalena...
. - BWV 842, Minuet in G minor.
- BWV 843, Minuet in G major.
- BWV 846a, Praeludium 1 in C major. Alternative version of the prelude from Prelude and Fugue in C major from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier.
- BWV 847/1, Praeludium 2 in C minor (Prelude in C minor from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 851/1, Praeludium 3 in D minor (Prelude in D minor from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 850/1, Praeludium 4 in D major (Prelude in D major from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier, incomplete)
- BWV 855a, Praeludium 5 in E minor. Alternative version of the prelude from Prelude and Fugue in E minor from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier. This was later arranged for pianoforte by Alexander SilotiAlexander SilotiAlexander Ilyich Siloti was a Russian pianist, conductor and composer. Alexander Ilyich Siloti (also Ziloti, , Aleksandr Iljič Ziloti) (9 October 1863, near Kharkiv - 8 December 1945, New York) was a Russian pianist, conductor and composer. Alexander Ilyich Siloti (also Ziloti, , Aleksandr Iljič...
and transposedTransposition (music)In music transposition refers to the process, or operation, of moving a collection of notes up or down in pitch by a constant interval.For example, one might transpose an entire piece of music into another key...
into a Prelude in B minorPrelude in B minor (J. S. Bach, arranged Siloti)The Prelude in B minor is an arrangement for piano by Alexander Siloti of the Prelude in E minor BWV 855a by Johann Sebastian Bach from his Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach...
. - BWV 854/1, Praeludium 6 in E major (Prelude in E major from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 856/1, Praeludium 7 in F major (Prelude in F major from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 848/1, Praeludium [8] in C-sharp major (Prelude in C-sharp major from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 849/1, Praeludium [9] in C-sharp minor (Prelude in C-sharp minor from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 853/1, Praeludium [10] in E-flat minor (Prelude in E-flat minor from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- BWV 857/1, Praeludium [11] in F minor (Prelude in F minor from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- Piéce pour le Clavecin, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
suiteSuiteIn music, a suite is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniment; they may be extracts from an opera, ballet , or incidental music to a play or film , or they may be entirely original movements .In the...
by J. C. Richter. Incomplete, only features two parts: AllemandeAllemandeAn allemande is one of the most popular instrumental dance forms in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite...
and CouranteCouranteThe courante, corrente, coranto and corant are some of the names given to a family of triple metre dances from the late Renaissance and the Baroque era....
. - BWV 924a, Prelude in C major (alternative version of BWV 924).
- BWV 925, Prelude in D major.
- BWV 932, Prelude in E minor.
- BWV 931, Prelude in A minor.
- Baß-Skizze in G minor. Not included in the BWV catalogue.
- BWV 953, FugaFugueIn music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
a 3 in C major. - BWV 772, Praeambulum 1 in C Major (Invention No. 1)
- BWV 775, Praeambulum 2 in D minor (Invention No. 4)
- BWV 778, Praeambulum 3 in E minor (Invention No. 7)
- BWV 779, Praeambulum 4 in F Major (Invention No. 8)
- BWV 781, Praeambulum 5 in G Major (Invention No. 10)
- BWV 784, Praeambulum 6 in A minor (Invention No. 13)
- BWV 786, Praeambulum 7 in B minor (Invention No. 15)
- BWV 785, Praeambulum 8 in Bb Major (Invention No. 14)
- BWV 783, Praeambulum 9 in A Major (Invention No. 12)
- BWV 782, Praeambulum 10 in G minor (Invention No. 11)
- BWV 780, Praeambulum 11 in F minor (Invention No. 9)
- BWV 777, Praeambulum 12 in E Major (Invention No. 6)
- BWV 776, Praeambulum 13 in Eb Major (Invention No. 5)
- BWV 774, Praeambulum 14 in D Major (Invention No. 3)
- BWV 773, Praeambulum 15 in C minor (Invention No. 2)
- BWV 824, Suite in A major by Georg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp Telemann was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesheim, Telemann entered the University of Leipzig to study law, but eventually...
. Three parts: Allemande, Courante and GigueGigueThe gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance originating from the British jig. It was imported into France in the mid-17th century and usually appears at the end of a suite...
. - Partia di Signore Steltzeln, harpsichord suite by Gottfried Heinrich StölzelGottfried Heinrich StölzelGottfried Heinrich Stölzel was a prolific German composer.-Biography:Stölzel grew up in Schwarzenberg, Saxony in the Erzgebirge. From 1707 he was a student of theology in Leipzig, and of Melchior Hofmann, the musical director of the Neukirche. He studied, worked and composed in Breslau and Halle...
. Four parts: Ouverture, Air Italien, BourréeBourréeThe bourrée is a dance of French origin common in Auvergne and Biscay in Spain in the 17th century. It is danced in quick double time, somewhat resembling the gavotte. The main difference between the two is the anacrusis, or upbeat; a bourrée starts on the last beat of a bar, creating a...
, Minuet. - BWV 787, Fantasia 1 in C Major (Sinfonia No. 1)
- BWV 790, Fantasia 2 in D minor (Sinfonia No. 4)
- BWV 793, Fantasia 3 in E minor (Sinfonia No. 7)
- BWV 794, Fantasia 4 in F Major (Sinfonia No. 8)
- BWV 796, Fantasia 5 in G Major (Sinfonia No. 10)
- BWV 799, Fantasia 6 in A minor (Sinfonia No. 13)
- BWV 801, Fantasia 7 in B minor (Sinfonia No. 15)
- BWV 800, Fantasia 8 in Bb Major (Sinfonia No. 14)
- BWV 798, Fantasia 9 in A Major (Sinfonia No. 12)
- BWV 797, Fantasia 10 in G minor (Sinfonia No. 11)
- BWV 795, Fantasia 11 in F minor (Sinfonia No. 9)
- BWV 792, Fantasia 12 in E Major (Sinfonia No. 6)
- BWV 791, Fantasia 13 in Eb Major (Sinfonia No. 5)
- BWV 789, Fantasia 14 in D Major (Sinfonia No. 3)
- BWV 788, Fantasia 15 in C minor (Sinfonia No. 2)