Prelude in G minor, BWV 860

E1032345

Prelude in G minor, BWV 860 is a keyboard piece by Johann Sebastian Bach from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, known for its expressive, flowing figuration and frequent pairing with its accompanying fugue.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Baroque prelude
keyboard composition
approximateCompositionDate circa 1722
associatedWork The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893 NERFINISHED
book Book I
catalogNumber BWV 860 NERFINISHED
collection The Well-Tempered Clavier NERFINISHED
commonCatalog Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV) NERFINISHED
composer Johann Sebastian Bach
difficultyLevel intermediate to advanced keyboard repertoire
dominantKey D minor
educationalUse keyboard technique and Baroque style study
followedBy Prelude in A-flat major, BWV 862 NERFINISHED
genre prelude
hasKeySignature two flats
intendedInstrument clavichord
harpsichord
isFrequentlyPerformed true
isFrequentlyRecorded true
key G minor
languageOfTitle German
movementNumberInWTCI 16
notableFeature contrast between flowing figuration and harmonic cadences
frequent performance with its fugue as a pair
opusNumber none (BWV catalogue only)
pairedForm prelude and fugue
pairedWith Fugue in G minor, BWV 860 NERFINISHED
partOf The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I NERFINISHED
performancePractice ornamentation in Baroque style
period Baroque
placeOfComposition Köthen or early Leipzig (probable)
precededBy Prelude in F-sharp major, BWV 858 NERFINISHED
primaryMeter common time (4/4) GENERATED
relativeKey B-flat major GENERATED
setWithin 24 preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys (Book I) NERFINISHED
styleCharacteristic clear harmonic progression
continuous broken-chord patterns
expressive flowing figuration
texture predominantly two-part figuration
titleInGerman Präludium g-Moll, BWV 860 NERFINISHED
tonalSystem well-tempered tuning (conceptual context)
tonic G minor
tuningContext demonstration of well-tempered tuning system
typicalModernInstrument piano GENERATED
usesForm through-composed sectional design
workNumberWithinCollection No. 16 in Book I

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Fugue in G minor, BWV 861 isOftenRecordedWith Prelude in G minor, BWV 860