Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Bach)

This work has been identified for inclusion in the Small Band Repertoire Initiative. You may find discussion of the work's challenges and merits under the Discussion tab above. You may also contribute your own thoughts and recommendations by joining the WRP.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (trans. Roland Moehlmann)

This work bears the designation BWV 553, originally in C major.

General Info

Year: ca. 1690 / 1939 / 1988
Duration: c. 5:15
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Organ
Publisher: Alfred Publishing Co.
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $77.00; (digital) - $77.00 | Score Only (print) - $12.00; (digital) - $12.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn (optional)
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani

Errata

In Parts:

Piccolo, m.2: Missing a D4 dotted half note on beat 1 and under the slur starting on the and of beat 3 in the previous measure.

Program Notes

Preserving the rich texture of the original by using the modern symphonic band to its fullest potential in capturing the sound of a huge concert pipe organ, this proven Baroque transcription is exceptionally strong.

- Program Note from publisher

This is an arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 553, which is the first in a collection published around 1852 entitled Acht Kleine Praeludien und Fugen (“Eight Short Preludes and Fugues.”) However, some historians now attribute this publication to Johann Ludwig Krebs, who was a pupil of Bach, due to certain unusual characteristics of the music when played on the organ.

Roland L. Moehlmann's version was arranged in 1955 while he was serving as the director of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Preludes were typically composed for keyboard instruments that were designed to be paired with a contrasting work (i.e. Prelude and Fugue, or Prelude and Nocturne, etc.). The purpose of the prelude is to establish the key center of the following work. Fugues are based upon imitative counterpoint. Bach described fugues “as if they were persons who conversed together like a select company.”

Bach’s music was not as appreciated during his time as it has been since the mid-19th century. Transcribers have found a treasure trove of pieces to provide the wind band, and the Prelude and Fugue in B-flat is one of the best. Moehlmann’s transcription captures the colors of the organ and spreads the melodic material through virtually all instruments of the wind band.

- Program Note from Kennesaw State University University Band concert program, 22 April 2019

Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major is one of several of Bach’s organ works that Roland Moehlmann transcribed for concert band. Bach often arranged his own works for alternative performing forces, so Moehlmann’s reworking is in a grand tradition. Here he arranges Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 553, one of Bach’s Eight Little Preludes and Fugues, transposing the piece into a key that is suitable for the standard wind band. This piece, relatively simple in the context of Bach’s many preludes and fugues, probably was meant as a teaching piece originally, and continues that mission here.

- Program Note by Lindsay Sandberg for the University of Southern Mississippi Concert Band A concert program, 16 November 2020

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio MP3: Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (Tex.) Symphonic Winds (Andy Post, conductor) – 2016

State Ratings

Alabama: Class BB
Arkansas: III
Florida: III
Georgia: IV
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP II
Kansas: III
Louisiana: III
Maryland: III
Massachusetts: III
Michigan: Junior High AA
Minnesota: II
New York: Concert Band III
North Carolina: III
Oklahoma: III-A
South Carolina: III
Texas: III. Complete
Virginia: III
West Virginia: III

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Dr. Lawrence R. Sutherland Wind Festival Orchestra (Fresno, Calif.) (M/.J. Wamhoff, conductor) - 26 March 2023 (2023 Sutherland Wind Festival (Fresno, Calif.)
University of Illinois (Champaign) Hindsley Symphonic Band (Isaac Brinberg, conductor) - 1 March 2023
Bemidji (Minn.) State University Symphonic Band (Ryan Webber, conductor) - 19 April 2022
Margaretta High School (Ohio) Concert Band (Adam Reardon, conductor) - 30 January 2022 (Severance Music Center, Cleveland)
James Madison University (Harrisonburg, Va.) Concert Band (Amy Birdsong, conductor) - 26 October 2021
Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti) Symphonic Band (J. Nick Smith, conductor) - 20 April 2021
University of British Columbia (Vancouver) Concert Winds (Christin Reardon MacLellan, conductor) - 15 April 2021
Chadron (Neb.) State College Wind Symphony (John Wojcik, conductor) - 9 April 2021
University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg) Concert Band A (Lindsay Sandberg, conductor) - 16 November 2020
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Orchestra (Nicholas P. Waldron, conductor) – 8 March 2020
University of Charleston (S.C.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (John Christian, conductor) – 27 October 2019
University of Colorado Boulder Concert Band (Matthew Dockendorf, conductor) – 21 October 2019
Pima Community College (Tucson, Ariz.) Wind Ensemble (Mark Nelson, conductor) – 17 October 2019
New Hammer Band (Stockton, Calif.) (Emily Threinen, conductor) – 8 September 2019
Catawba Valley New Horizons Band (Hickory, N.C.) (Len Allman, conductor) – 23 May 2019
Kennesaw (Ga.) State University University Band (Trey Harris, conductor) – 22 April 2019
California All-State Junior High School Concert Band (Reed Chamberlin, conductor) – 17 February 2019 (2019 CASMEC Conference, Fresno)
Indiana University (Bloomington) All-Campus Band (Benjamin Alaniz, conductor) – 4 December 2018
University of South Alabama (Mobile) Wind Ensemble (William Petersen, conductor) – 6 November 2018
New Horizons Band (Iowa City, Iowa) (Nolan Hauta, conductor) – 29 July 2018
Columbus (Ohio) State Community College Concert Band (Thomas Lloyd, conductor) – 1 May 2018

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)

All Wind Works

5 Preludes and Fugues (arr. Beyrent)
Adagio (arr. Hautvast)
Adagio (arr. Warner)
Air (arr. Hautvast)
Air (arr. Klemke) (c. 1730/2006)
Air (tr. Lang) (c. 1730/1958)
Air for Woodwind Choir (arr. Blahnik)
Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3 (arr. Daehn) (1721/1980)
Arioso (arr. De Haan) (1729/2000)
Arioso (arr. Hill) (1729/1984)
Arioso (arr. Reed) (1729/1998)
The Art of Fugue (tr. Amis) (c. 1745)
Ave Maria
Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (arr. Lovrien) (1853/2004)
Bach: Air (arr. McGinty) (c. 1730/)
The Bach Buch (tr. Pann) (2011)
Bach Chorale and March (arr. Wilson) (c. 1730/1990)
Bach: Chorale and Variation (arr. McGinty) (1994)
Bach Fugue (arr. Kinyon) (/1984)
The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Brand). See: Fugue à la Gigue
Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Mitchell) (1921/2005)
Before Thy Throne I Now Appear (arr. Bukvich) (1750/1993)
Berceuse (arr. Hautvast) (/1994)
Bourrée (arr. Isaac) (1720/1969)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (arr. Marlatt) (1721/2011)
Brandenburg Concerto No 3. See also: Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3
Canzona (orch. Stock)
Chaconne (arr. Ito) (1720/1987)
Chaconne and Festive Aria (arr. Daehn)
Chaconne in D Minor (arr. Daehn) (1720/)
Chaconne in D Minor (tr. Whitwell) (1720/2015)
Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
Chorale and Fugue (arr. Warner)
Chorale and Fugue in F Major (arr. Daehn) (1988)
Chorale Prelude on "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (tr. Damrosch; adapt. O'Toole)
Chorale in C Minor (arr. Topolewski) (2012)
Christ He Is My Life (arr. Cailliet) (1973)
Christmas Pastorale (arr. Hastings) (1970)
Ciaccona (arr. Votta) (1720/2021)
Come, Blessed Peace (arr. Tolmage) (1736/1958)
Come, Sweet Death (arr. Reed) (1736/1976)
Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Flute and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Flute, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto for Prince Johann (arr. Daehn) (c. 1713 / 2011)
Contrapunctus I (arr. Barnes) (c. 1745/1988)
Contrapunctus I (arr. King) (c. 1745/1960)
Contrapunctus III (arr. King) (c. 1745/1955)
Contrapunctus IX (arr. Clark) (c. 1745/2005)
Contrapunctus V (arr. Daehn) (c. 1745)
Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (arr. Reed) (1990)
Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; tr. Topolewski) (1727?)
Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; arr. Nowlin) (1727?/2016)
Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 (arr. Hunsberger) (1727?/1997)
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor (arr. Horovitz) (c. 1838/1986)
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 "The Great" (arr. Boyd) (c. 1838/1985)
Fantasia in C (arr. Sterk) (1706/2017)
Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Boyd) (1703-7/1957/1985)
Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Goldman) (1703-7/1957/2012)
Fervent is My Longing; Fugue in G Minor (tr. Cailliet) (c. 1710/1935/2006)
Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord (arr. Reed) (c. 1736/1985)
French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Brand) (1921/2008)
Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Mitchell). See: Bach's Fugue à la Gigue
Fugue à la Gigue (arr. Rondeau) (1921/2011)
Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
Fugue in B-flat Major (arr. Daehn) (1722/1988)
Fugue in E-flat Major (tr. Abrams and Jones) (1739/2019)
Fugue in G Minor (arr. Kimura) (1703-1707/1993)
Fugue in G Minor (arr. Rechtman) (1703-1707/)
Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
God Still Lives (arr. Reed)
Goldberg Variations (arr. Colgrass)
Hertzlich tut mich verlangen. See: Fervent is My Longing; Organ Fugue in G Minor
If Thou Be Near (arr. Moehlmann) (1725/1940)
If Thou Be Near (arr. Reed) (1725/1984)
In Dulci Jubilo (arr. Reed) (1970)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Cailliet) (1723/1962)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Custer) (1723/1975/1997)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Hazo) (1723/2012)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Leidzen) (1723/1936)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Moerenhout) (1723/2019)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Pekas) (1723/)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Reed) (1723/)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sapieyevski) (1723/)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sparke) (1723/2004)
Jig Fugue (arr. Marlatt) (2003)
Komm, Susser Tod (arr. Leidzen) (1736/1936)
A Little Bach Suite (arr. Gordon) (1966)
Little Fugue (arr. Romm; adapt. Custer) (c. 1705/1974/1991)
Little Fugue in G minor (arr. Howland) (c. 1705/1974/2015)
Little Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578 (arr. Parks)
March (arr. Grainger) (1946)
My Heart, Ever Faithful (arr. Barnes) (1988)
My Heart is Filled With Longing (arr. Reed) (c. 1710/1986)
My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (arr. Reed)
My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. McAlister)
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (arr. Stert) (c. 1748/2013)
O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht (arr. Westover) (c. 1736/2017)
O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
Our Father Who Art in Heaven (arr. Reed) (1710/1988)
Passacaglia (arr. Glover) (c. 1703-1713?/2014)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1703-1713?/ 1968/1975)
Passacaglia and Thema Fugatum in C Minor (tr. Stowkowski; ed. Sosnowchik) (1703-1713?/2014)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Falcone) (ca. 1712/1969)
Passacaglia from "Cantata No. 12" (arr. Daehn) (1714/2011)
Präludium und Fuge d-Moll (tr. Rechtman) (1722/2003)
Prelude IV (arr. Reed) (1722/1983)
Prelude and Fugue No. 6, BWV 535 (arr. Anthenien) (1722/1979)
Prelude and Fugue in A-flat, BWV 557 (tr. Moehlmann) (1964)
Prelude and Fugue in Bb major (Brass Ensemble) (arr. Beyrent)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Brass Quintet) (arr. Beyrent)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major, BWV 553 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1955)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major BWV 553 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 559 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1969)
Prelude and Fugue in C major (arr. Beyrent)
Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 (arr. Steinmetz) (1710/2018)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (arr. Beyrent) (1722/2001)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 555 (arr. Coleman) (1852/2017)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1988)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor (tr. Rechtman). See: Präludium und Fuge d-Moll
Prelude and Fugue in E-flat, BWV 552 (setting Hunsberger) (c. 1739/2009)
Prelude and Fugue in F major (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/?)
Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 555 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1954)
Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1939)
Prelude, Chorale and Fugue (arr. Godfrey) (1919)
Prelude in E-flat, BWV 552 (arr. Tamura) (c. 1739/2001)
Prelude No. 22 (tr. Lynch) (c. 1722/2013)
"Ricercare a 6" from Musical Offering, BWV 1079 (tr. McAlister)
Saint Anne's Fugue (arr. Rhoads) (1965)
Sarabande (arr. Kennaway) (1972/1977/1995)
Second Bach Suite for Band (tr. Tolmage) (1965)
Sehet was die liebe tut (arr. Grainger) (1937)
Sheep May Safely Graze (arr. Reed) (1713/1981)
Sinfonia from "Cantata No 29" (arr. Ninmer)
Sinfonia from "Cantate 156" (arr. Daniels) (1729/)
Sixteen Chorales (ed. King) (1958)
Sixteen Chorales (arr. Lake) (1938)
Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Patterson) (1731/1995)
Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Reed) (1731)
Sleepers, Awake! (tr. Sparke) (1731/2002)
Songs of Exaltation (arr. Gordon) (1974)
St. Anne. See: Prelude and Fugue in E-flat
Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Thus Do You Fare, My Jesus (arr. Reed)
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major (arr. Rechtman) (c. 1717)
Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue, BWV 564 (tr. Paynter) (c. 1717/2000)
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
Toccata, Aria, and Fugue in C Major (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
Toccata & Fuge d-Moll (arr. Goldhammer) (1705/2011)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Goldhammer). See: Toccata & Fuge d-Moll
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Goto) (1705/2014)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hindsley) (1705)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1705/1998)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Leidzen) (1705/1942)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Lopez) (1705/2010)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Nowlin) (1705/2015)
Violin Partita No. 3 in E major (arr. Kitakata) (1720/2018?)
Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)
Wachet auf (arr. Marlatt) (1731/)
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (arr. Lauf Jr.) (1731/2019)
Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just (arr. Croft) (1978)
Wir Glauben All’ An Einen Gott (arr. Stokowski) (1739)

Resources

Bach, J.; Moehlmann, R. (1955). Prelude and Fugue in B-Flat Major [score]. Leblanc Pub: Kenosha, Wisc.
Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. (2010). Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 1. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 365-371.
Perusal score