This article is part of a series: Read about the entire Well-Tempered Clavier

Introduction

The second pair of pieces in Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier is extremely popular as a gateway for young pianists. The enthralling prelude and catchy fugue are adored by beginners and professionals alike, and their simple brilliance can teach us a lot about preludes and fugues.

The prelude uses a homophonic texture, meaning that the two voices play the same rhythm. It also employs a moto perpetuo (meaning "always moving") rhythm, made up of a constant stream of notes. The fugue is arguably the easiest to play out of the entire Well-Tempered Clavier, but happens to also be a favorite among listeners.

Terms

• Picardy third: The practice of ending a minor-key section in a major key, creating a surprising rejoice
• Fugue: A Baroque compositional device where voices imitate a subject in a structured way
• Tonal answer: A slightly modified imitation of a fugue subject that allows the piece to stay in the same key

Listening Guide