December 17, 2020--Prelude in F major by Johann Ludwig Krebs

Today's recording is of a lesser known (unfortunately) Baroque composer by the name of Johann Ludwig Krebs. He was a student of Johann Sebastian Bach, and reportedly the great composer held the student in high esteem. Unfortunately, Krebs lived in the changing age leading up to the Classical era and continued to write in a more Baroque style.

The prelude is a pretty straight forward work in a prelude style--semi-improvisatory. The opening melodic fragment introduced in the left hand over a pedal tonic (F) is repeated in the right hand with a contrapuntal accompaniment before moving into a transitionary passage that moves the harmony to the dominant (C major) and repeats the process (for the most part). It serves as a wonderful example of "preluding" a piece before moving on to either a church service or a larger piece of music.