The first four bars of Bach's Prelude in C-sharp Major, BWV 848.
The
prelude is a lively 2 part texture, using a series of
broken chords which swap between the hands. It is in a fast 3/8
time signature and is made up largely of
semiquavers. Later on in the piece, the semiquaver line splits between the hands before ending with a short
Coda in an improvisatory manner.
Fugue
Fugue subject
The three-voice fugue is unusually void of the commonly used fugal devices, such as
augmentation,
diminution,
inversion,
pedal point or
stretti. The cheerful subject is characterised by descending broken 6ths in light
quavers. One of the countersubjects is constructed with running legato semiquavers, whilst the other consists of longer note values. The fugue has an extensive sequential episode which develops through related keys before the reappearance of the three voices.
