J. S. Bach — Fugue in B minor, The Well-Tempered Clavier I (autograph)

Bach’s own hand — the first page of the fugue that closes The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I. Nothing redrawn.

The document

A faithful facsimile of leaf 44 verso of the autograph, held at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Mus.ms. Bach P 415). At the top, “Fuga 24. à 4.”, and “Largo” beneath the opening. Its subject sounds all twelve semitones of the octave in its first three bars.

About the artist

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) wrote out the book as a prelude and a fugue in every key, rising a semitone at a time from C. B minor is the last key, and this fugue closes the book.

The print

Printed to order and made to last. Choose Museum Matte (heavyweight matte art paper) or Fine Art Giclée (Hahnemühle cotton paper — the archival standard). The Métrica museum caption — artist, title, date and source — is printed as part of the piece, set in our house type. Free US shipping on two or more pieces.

J. S. Bach · Fugue No. 24 in B minor, BWV 869, autograph · 1722–23 · Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin · Mus.ms. Bach P 415 · Public Domain Mark.

Theme: Music manuscript — Johann Sebastian Bach’s handwritten score of the Fugue in B minor, The Well-Tempered Clavier I.