Customer Reviews

Complete Preludes and Fugues for Organ (Dover Music for Organ)

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As other reviewers have mentioned, the term "complete" does not mean that every prelude and fugue by Bach is contained. Here is a complete list of its contents:

Prelude and Fugue, C Major (BWV 531; BG XV, 81)
Prelude and Fugue, D Major (BWV 532; BG XV, 88)
Prelude and Fugue, E Minor (BWV 533; BG XV, 100)
Prelude and Fugue, F Minor (BWV 534; BG XV, 104)
Prelude and Fugue, G Minor (BWV 535; BG XV, 112)
Prelude and Fugue, A Major (BWV 536; BG XV, 120)
Prelude and Fugue, D Minor (BWV 539; BG XV, 148)
Prelude and Fugue, G Major (BWV 541; BG XV, 169)
Prelude and Fugue, A Minor (BWV 543; BG XV, 189)
Prelude and Fugue, B Minor (BWV 544; BG XV, 199)
Prelude and Fugue, C Major (BWV 545; BG XV, 212)
Prelude and Fugue, C Minor (BWV 546; BG XV, 218)
Prelude and Fugue, C Major (BWV 547; BG XV, 228)
Prelude and Fugue, E Minor (BWV 548; BG XV, 236)
Prelude and Fugue, C Minor (BWV 549; BG XXXVIII, 3)
Prelude and Fugue, G Major (BWV 550; BG XXXVIII, 9)
Prelude and Fugue, A Minor (BWV 551; BG XXXVIII, 17)
Eight Short Preludes and Fugues (possibly spurious)
1. C Major (BWV 553; BG XXXVIII, 23)
2. D Minor (BWV 554; BG XXXVIII, 27)
3. E Minor (BWV 555; BG XXXVIII, 30)
4. F Major (BWV 556; BG XXXVIII, 33)
5. G Major (BWV 557; BG XXXVIII, 36)
6. G Minor (BWV 558; BG XXXVIII, 39)
7. A Minor (BWV 559; BG XXXVIII, 42)
8. B-flat Major (BWV 560; BG XXXVIII, 45)

This book contains some of the most wonderful music ever composed, which are perfect in themselves, yet this book has several flaws in its presentation of them: You will find that the print is somewhat small in this book, which is good or bad, depending upon your eyesight. And the last major issue I found (besides the fact that the book doesn't contain "all" of the Preludes and Fugues) was that there were several page turns which were placed in rather undesirable places. But as the title of this review suggests, for such an inexpensive price, the book serves its basic duty.

People below complained that BWV 552 "St Anne" does not appear in this book. BWV 552 is part of Clavier Uebung III, which includes more than a dozen other pieces (mostly chorale preludes). According to Clifford Bartlett, in actual practice, the prelude was played separately from the fugue; the rest of Clavier Uebung III was sandwiched between the prelude and fugue. Furthermore, often only pieces of the Clavier Uebung were played, rather than the whole thing. Hence, one might argue that BWV 552 stands in contrast to other pieces clearly marked "Prelude and Fugue."

The Complete Preludes and Fugues for Organ includes the following prelude & fugues:
BWV 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 539, 541, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, and the following "possible spurious" ones: 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 560.

(I double-checked my BWV numbers for typos).

BWV 552 "St. Anne" in published by Dover in Organ Music (ISBN 0-486-22359-0), and 566, the Toccata and Fugue in E Major is published by Dover in Toccatas, Fantasias, Passacaglia and Other Works for Organ (0-486-25403-8).

The book is a paperback with sewn signatures, so it won't lie flat, but it won't fall apart if you smoosh it flat;-)

The included works are from the Bach-Gesellschaft of 1865, ed. by W. Rust, and the Bach-Gesellschaft of 1888, edited by E. Naumann.

Another steal! Beautifully reproduced at an attractive size (I could have liked it slightly larger) and lightish weight from the Bach-Gesellschaft authoritative edition that still hasn't been dethroned by the Neue-Bach-Ausgabe.

Of course, those who insist on the "St.Anne" E-flat pair or the E-major (BWV566) Toccata will need to turn to the other two volumes published by Dover. [Personally I wouldn't have minded all three volumes published in one larger-sized book; however, those who don't wish to carry more weight around than necessary can then be happy with the 'status quo'.]

Very warmly recommended - what lovely music here present like the great A-minor, B-minor, E-minor and 3 C-major pairs!!!

As a young organ student, I enjoyed the basic challenge and ease of reading the clean print in this fine manuscript.

Good Dover publications. But beware. It is NOT complete. I bought this book mainly for one Prelude, BWV 552, E-flat Major, "St. Anne" and that one is not in there. It gives a reason for it but I find the word "Complete" very mis-leading.

I haven't still bought this book, cause I saw from last review that it isn't compete, so I would kindly ask everyone who has bought this book, just to write me on my e-mail adress that is :sbeki@hotmail.com, does it contain Prelude and Fuce in C minor, BWV 549, cause I would bought this book only because of that, or I would please everyone who has that Prelude and Fuge, to let me know, cause I need it desperatly. Thanks