Complete organ works, Ser. 1, Vol. 1B: 8 short preludes & fugues, pedal exercitum, Orgelbüchlein (Practical urtext)

Which volume of our Bach series’ Pedagogical Works should you buy?

Many customers have asked about the difference between our Bach series’ The Complete Organ Works, Pedagogical Works, Volume 1A (WL500020) and Volume 1B (WL500021).

If you are a teacher, student, or don’t have a good historical edition of these works, you will probably find Volume 1B more useful. Among its features are (1) harmonizations of all the chorales based on period figured bass settings, (2) text translations, and (3) historic ornament tables and (4) the three ornamented chorales with a fourth staff showing only the chorale notes. If you are more interested in the history/musicology of the works or already have an edition with the four items listed above, Volume 1A has (1) nine Orgel-Büchlein variants, (2) C.P.E. Bach’s arrangement of “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ,” and (3) the chart of Bach’s planned Orgel-Büchlein album.

Don’t forget that both 1A and 1B include the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, Pedal Exercitium, and the Orgel-Büchlein. Both have an extensive forward and are edited by George Stauffer.