Das Orgel-Büchlein, BWV 599-644

Historical context

Bach’s Das Orgel-Büchlein, or ‘Little Organ Book’, likely took its final form as his last work during his time in Weimar, as noted in “the book” from 1717. This collection contains Preludes on 46 Choral melodies, which, according to “the book,” are arranged for two pianofortes. Beyond its musical content, the ‘Orgelbiichlein’ served a significant pedagogical purpose. It was intended to provide models for the rising generation of composers, demonstrating Bach’s own method of teaching composition.

The work also represents a profound artistic statement. As “the book” explains, the organ chorale, as elaborated by Bach in the ‘Orgelbiichlein’, “represents an ideal act of service in a purely instrumental form, aiming to express the sentiment of a hymn as it appeals to individuals.” Interestingly, its importance was not immediately recognized by all; Forkel’s incomplete knowledge of Bach’s organ works is revealed by his apparent ignorance of its existence, as he “could hardly have failed to introduce it in his section on Organ compositions if he had known of it.”

Drawn from Forkel, Johann Nikolaus, 1749-1818; Terry, Charles Sanford, 1864-1936, Johann Sebastian Bach; his life, art, and work, tr. from the German of Johann Nikolaus Forkel, with notes and appendices (1920); Spitta, Philipp, 1841-1894, Johann Sebastian Bach : his work and influence on the music of Germany, 1685-1750 (1899) — public domain, archive.org.