The Long LineThe Long Line

Johann Sebastian Bach

Fugue no. 11 en Fa Majeur, BWV.880

BWV 880 Keyboard

The Prelude and Fugue in F major, BWV 880, is the 11th pair of preludes and fugues in the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach, composed between 1739 and 1744.

After the previous diptych in E minor, for F major, Bach follows it with a prelude that, unusually, evokes the Prelude in E♭ major from the first book, with similar organ-like swirls and sustained notes. In a gigue rhythm, the three-voice fugue features a free counterpoint and borrows from the concerto style.

Many composers and educators consider the two volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier a benchmark. Initially copied by musicians and then published at the beginning of the 19th century, beyond the musical pleasure they bring to music lovers, they have served since their composition as a means of studying keyboard technique and the art of composition.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Movements

  1. Præludium
  2. Fuga

Elsewhere

← All of the composer’s works