1. The texture of this prelude is in toccata style, which may be thought of as converting a steady succession of block chords into a series of arpeggiations. How many essential voices are represented in this arpeggiated texture?
2. There is a remarkable unifying factor among the voices of the first four measures. What is this factor?
3. The surface of the piece is continuous, and therefore does not lend itself to division into separate parts in any traditional way. Nevertheless, the prelude manifests certain dividing points, which cadences and sequential imitation help identify.
a) Give the m. #s of three authentic cadences.
b) Locate an exact 5-bar sequential imitation. Where does a shorter sequence occur?
c) Into how many parts are mm. 1-19 subdivided?
d) Indicate the essential harmonic content (progression) of each of these parts.
e) What is the passage in mm. 24-31 called?
f) All in all, how many parts do you find in the prelude?
4. Referring again to sequential imitation, it is curious that although m. 13 imitates m. 5, m. 14 deviates from m. 6. Why do you think the soprano part of m. 14 contains B, instead of G? (G, a fifth lower than the D of m. 6; would be consistent with the other pitches in this sequential imitation.)
5. What do you make of the C7 chord in m. 32? In other words, what exactly is its function? Why would Bach want to weaken what one would expect to be the final principal cadence of the piece? (Incidentally, the chord in question can be compared to the C7 chord which opens the first movement of Beethoven's First Symphony, also in C major.)
6. What does the final 4-bar phrase have in common with the opening four measures of the prelude?
7. Harmonic analysis: In what measure should a secondary key first be regarded as local tonic in place of C major? At what point does C take over again? Label the chords in the following measures: 8, 12, 16, 20, 29, 26, and 32.
8. Looking ahead, can you discover a melodic source for the upcoming fugue subject (below) in the prelude? If so, indicate where.
