Fugue in D minor, WTC I
About this arrangement
This is No. 6 in Book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier, compiled in 1722 in Köthen. Its prelude also appears in the 1720 notebook Bach made for his son Wilhelm Friedemann, an early version of the collection.
Start with the subject alone, then find where it enters in each of the three voices. Play voice pairs (top and middle, then middle and bass) before all three, and loop the dense bars at 50%.
Start with short loops.
Use the section list as a practice map. Start at 50% tempo, loop one section, then return to the full piece once the hand shape feels stable.
Choose Right or Left to focus on one hand. Wait for note checks the highlighted notes as you play them on the screen or a connected MIDI keyboard.
Before you practice.
01 How hard is Bach's Fugue in D minor, BWV 851?
It is advanced for most players: three independent voices in 3/4, with the subject moving between the hands.
02 How long is BWV 851?
Our score has 44 bars. It is a fugue only, because the matching prelude has its own page.
03 What should I practise first?
Learn the subject by itself, then each entry in turn. Add the other voices only once the entries feel secure.