Prelude (Toccata) and Fugue in (C or) E major, BWV 566 is an organ work written by
Johann Sebastian Bach probably during his 4 month-stay at
Lübeck or afterwards in the winter of
1705–
1706. It comprises five sections and is an early[1] work in grand form of Bach.
Its compositional form resembles that of
Praeludia by Danish-German composer
Dieterich Buxtehude.[2] The first section alternates
manual or
pedal cadenzas with dense suspended chords. The second is a charming
fugue with much repetition following the circle of fifths. The third section is a brief flourish for manuals, ending with an even briefer pedal cadenza punctuated with 9-voice chords. The fourth section, in 3 4 time, is a second fugue with a rhythmic subject resembling the theme of the first fugue immediately followed by the fifth and final section that opens with a virtuous pedal-solo.
Bach also wrote a transposed version of the piece in C major (BWV 566a), to play on organs tuned in
meantone where E major would sound discordant due to the tuning of the organ (with a very sharp D♯). Various recordings of the C major version exist mainly on historic instruments, for example
Ton Koopman's recording on the
Schnitger organ in
Hamburg's Jacobikirche, and
Marie-Claire Alain's recording on the
Silbermann organ at
Freiberg Cathedral. Both have a high pitch leaving the "concert" pitch up to a tone higher than modern pitch, where the temperament is significantly unequal to merit playing it away from E major. Modern organs or those tuned to a more equal temperament do not have this need.